LOCAL Angus breeder David Roe, Benalong Grazing, gained top points to take out the 35th annual Gingin Heifer Competition.
A 60-strong crowd had a perfect autumn day last Thursday to visit local farms where 20 pens of the Gingin region’s best heifers were judged with 13 breeders entering the competition.
The heifers were judged this year by Koojan Hills Angus and Melaleuca Murray Grey stud principal Richard Metcalfe, Manypeaks, on their suitability as future breeders with points awarded for temperament, structural soundness, femininity, carcase quality and evenness of pen.
The pen of four Benalong Grazing Angus heifers were shown by David Roe’s son, Lewis and were aged 11-12 months featuring SAV Bruiser (US) and Ardcarnie F96 bloodlines.
The heifers finished the judging with a final score of 89 points from a possible 100.
Second and third places were won by the same two breeders as the 2017 competition with James Redford, Mogumber Holdings, showing consistency from the previous year gaining 85 points for his Angus heifers to take second place.
Third, on 83 points, were brothers Edward and Laurence Grant with a pen of Red Angus heifers.
Steve Neville, Old Bambun Grazing, was placed fourth and, Alan and Sean Greenwell, Bullrush Farms, came in at fifth.
The trophy for the best four stud heifers was won by Errol Howard, Kamarah Speckles, Wannamal, after his pen of Speckle Parks was awarded 83 points while Dale and John Jansen, Fernwood Farm, took out second place with their Angus.
At the Bendigo Bank-sponsored lunchtime break, the travelling crowd looked over the new cattle yards recently installed by Steve Neville at Old Bambun Grazing.
Mr Metcalfe was impressed with the cattle he saw on the day.
“I thought all the entries contained some very good heifers but the first placegetters contained four fault-free heifers and were very even and well grown,” he said.
“Throughout the day all the heifers were presented in ideal working condition and were a credit to their breeders.”
Competition winners were announced at the wind-up event which was generously hosted by Gary and Bloss Thomas at their Tungamah stud property, west of Gingin, where guests enjoyed local 100-day grainfed steak sponsored by S & C Livestock.
It has become a tradition at the wind-up event to raise funds for charity and this year guests pitched in to raise a donation to the Black Dog Ride, raising awareness for men’s mental health.
Competition organiser George Gifford thanked Richard Metcalfe for judging.
“It’s a tough job to judge the cattle over the entire day while moving from farm to farm, and everyone was very appreciative of his honest and frank comments of the heifers throughout the day,” he said.
He also extended his thanks to the competition entrants, and the generosity of sponsors who made the day possible.
Sponsors included Margaret and Alan Greenwell, W & J Greenwell, Steve Fidge, Gingin Districts Community Financial Services Ltd – Bendigo Bank, Rick Derykx, Merial, Peter Crowe, Gingin Fuel and Tyres, Gavin Craig, Zoetis, Phil and Cameron Petricevich, S & C Livestock, Rhys Hebberman, Primaries and Greg Neaves, Landmark.
