IT is a secret no more, with WA’s Morrisvale Kept Secret eclipsing the field to be judged best Limousin bull at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.
In a feature breed showing of 260 head split over two days, which included more than 100 bulls, the 1160kg tonne of red meat won senior and grand champion bull for breeders James and Casey Morris, Morrisvale stud, Narrikup.
At 30 months of age Kept Secret scanned 138cm2 for EMA with fat scans of 17mm rump and 11mm rib and was the second heaviest Limousin on the grounds outweighed by just 10kg by a bull one month its senior.
The results were even more impressive considering Kept Secret had traversed 4000km in 54 hours of travelling time to get to Sydney from WA.
The Morris family knew they had something pretty special in their midst given the bull’s impressive WA show record which included supreme all breeds titles at Wagin Woolorama (twice), Harvey, Busselton and Margaret River Shows and runner-up at the 2016 IGA Perth Royal Show on countback.
And it ranks in the top one per cent of the Limousin breed for 200, 400 and 600-day weights and top 5pc for scrotal, carcase weight and all steer vealer and self replacing selection index values.
“We knew he was good but never in our wildest dreams did we think we’d come to Sydney and knock off Australia,” Mr Morris said.
“He’s been judged by 11 interstate judges and none has had a bad word to say about him and now he’s also been recognised by an international judge.”
Canadian Shorthorn breeder Robert Dixon who judged the feature breed line-up of Limousins described Kept Secret as a breed changer, a clean fronted, stout bull that carried its weight so well it moved like a cat.
And while the Morris family were clearly ecstatic at the success of their big cat, David Galpin and family, Warrawindi Limousin stud, Penola, South Australia, had every right to be even more chuffed.
Mr Galpin bought the bull privately a few weeks ago for $20,000 (3/4 share and possession) after judging it at the Make Smoking History Wagin Woolorama in March.
“I didn’t go to WA with the purpose of buying a bull but this bull has the wow factor and with his size, power and structure I just knew we had to have him as our next stud sire,” Mr Galpin said.
“He is structurally perfect which is amazing for an animal with that frame and muscle.
“Actually I had intended to buy a black bull next, but many of our clients are still preferring the apricots so he is a great fit for our stud.”
The Morris family have retained semen marketing rights in Kept Secret and if the performance of a son of its full brother is anything to go by it should prove a smart move.
That bull, Morrisvale Lumberjack, sold to a trio of South Australian Limousin studs – Raven, Maryvale and Red Oak - for $12,000 in 2016 and its semen has since been sold to Canada, South Africa and New Zealand.
The Morris family also offered two animals in the Sydney Limousin Sale, held on Saturday at the Easter show in a catalogue of eight prospective stud sires, six elite females and three genetic lots.
Heifers were in greatest demand and their polled August 2015-drop Morrisvale Light of Dawn, offered PTIC to Kept Secret, made the equal second top price of $6000 and was bought through AuctionsPlus by the Cooper family, CCJS Limousin stud, Willowbank, Queensland.
Light of Dawn is by Greenwood PLD Zambuka and out of Morrisvale Before Dawn.
Their 12-month old polled bull Morrisvale Mission Impossible, also by Greenwood PLD Zambuka and out of Morrisvale Eternal Flame, which placed third in its class at Sydney, was passed in at auction but sold afterwards for $6000.
The bull, whose full brother was used at stud by Morrisvale last year, was bought by Warren and Carelene Scifleet, Black Opal Limousin stud, Coonabarabran, New South Wales.
In total, the sale saw three of eight bulls sold at auction for a $10,000 top and a $6833 average, a total clearance of five heifers to a $7000 top and $5300 average, two lots of four embryos sold to a top of $1400 and average of $1000 per embryo and one semen lot passed in.
Other success for the Morrisvale stud with its team of seven head at Sydney included placing third and fifth in a field of 14 in the 12-13 month heifer class.
Also successfully representing WA in Sydney were the Venturon, Quicksilver and Fairbrass Charolais studs, Glendale Gelbvieh stud, the Yongerellen and Red Sands Red Poll studs and Willawa Murray Grey stud.
The Fleming family’s Glendale Gelbvieh stud, Serpentine, exhibited its Gelbviehs in the other recognised breeds section for a third year running and came up trumps on a number of occasions.
The stud exhibited the champion other recognised breeds female, reserve champion other recognised breeds female and reserve champion other recognised breeds bull.
Taking home the champion female ribbon for the stud was Glendale Just Candy M31.
At 11 months Just Candy M31 was the second youngest of the four Gelbviehs shown by the Flemings.
Judge Caitlin Berecry, Inverell, NSW, said the three Glendale Gelbviehs entered in the junior female section were “like peas in a pod”, with Just Candy M31 offering the best combination of extra softness and an excellent head carriage.
Just Candy M31 is an April 2016-drop calf and is by Glendale Edward.
The reserve champion female ribbon was awarded to Glendale Gemini M38 and the reserve bull ribbon went to Glendale Marksman M20.
Gemini M38 is sired by Braeside Everyready and Marksman M20 is a son of Glendale General.
All four of the Glendale exhibits will not have the long trip back across the Nullabour as they have all been sold to young NSW Gelbvieh breeders.
In the Red Poll judging WA’s four exhibits all walked away with a ribbon.
Murray Williams’s Yongerellen stud, Quairading, exhibited the reserve champion junior champion female.
Winning the ribbon for the stud was Yongerellen Ada Omo 2nd L34, which initially finished second in its class for females over 14 months but not over 20 months.
Another Yongerellen heifer, Yongerellen Esma Penny M03 won its class for females between nine and 14 months.
Ada Omo 2nd L34 is a daughter of Yongerellen Endeavour Janitor, while Esma Penny M03 is by Yongerellen Fimiston Kimber.
The Red Sands stud, Quairading, was successful in the older female classes with Red Sands Tammy K154, which is a daughter of Yongerellen Apex Cousin.
It won its class for females over 30 months before going on to be sashed the reserve senior champion female.
Red Sands Unison L172 was another to taste success in the ring being sashed the reserve junior champion bull after initially placing second in its class for bulls over 14 months but not over 20 months.
Unison L172 is by Red Sands Royalty and was is an August 2015-drop calf.
In the Charolais judging Andrew, Anne and Harris Thompson, Venturon Charolais stud, Boyup Brook, achieved their first class winner in six years of showing at Sydney when Venturon Madonna (AI) (P) topped the class of six head for females over 12 but not over 14 months.
Madonna is from the first crop of calves by Canadian outcross sire Cedardale Zeal 125Z (P) and out of Venturon Kismet (P).
In the same class, Matt Fairbrass and Aimee Court’s Fairbrass Park Minnie (PS), by Elgin Park Eddie (P) and out of Blaweary Demanda (AI), placed third.
Quicksilver Mandy L34 (P) also flew the flag for WA taking home the blue ribbon for females over 20 and not over 24 months, for breeders Doug and Dani Giles, Quicksilver Charolais stud, Newdegate.
Viv Giles’ Willawa Greys, Newdegate, exhibited two Murray Grey heifers – Willawa Greys Malteesa M38 and Willawa Greys Marion.
Both heifers were in the class for females over 12 months but not over 16 months which attracted 10 entries and Malteesa placed third and Marion fourth.
In this same class a heifer, Tullibardine Margarite M15, donated by Alastair and Jenny Murray, Tullibardine stud, Albany, to Murray Grey Youth to sell at the National Murray Grey Show and Sale later this month, finished first.
Margarite then went on to be sashed the junior champion Murray Grey female of the show.
The March 2016-drop, silver heifer is by leading AI sire Eylwarra Sands Falcon F33 and out of Tullibardine Margarite G2.
Another Murray Grey heifer, Monterey Rowan M131, bred in WA by Gary and Julie Buller, Monterey stud, Karridale, also performed well when it placed second in its class for Murray Grey females from nine but not over 12 months.
The heifer was exhibited by Dehavalyn Murray Greys and Ernst Boys, Glen Williams, NSW, which purchased it as a calf at foot on Monterey Rowan F189 for the $6000 second top price at the Premier Murray Grey Sale in November 2016.
