THE Shorthorn and Limousin breeds were awarded top honours during the beef cattle judging at this year's Busselton Show last Friday and Saturday.
Judge Hannah Powell, Orange, New South Wales, assisted by associate judge Louis Payne, WA College of Agriculture Harvey, were handed the beef cattle judging duties and were more than impressed with the quality paraded in front of them where the all breed format presented some hard decisions, with several large classes.
"Class winners consistently had softness, correct structure and femininity in the females with bulls needing the power and muscle added to that criteria to find themselves at the front of the line," Ms Powell said."
"Again, the competitiveness of the top cattle would be very competitive at Eastern States' shows."
Young stud breeder Jai Thomas, JT Country Life Shorthorn stud, Murdoch, continued his successful year in the show ring with his heifer crowned the supreme exhibit.
Taking it all before it, the Shorthorn heifer JT Country Life Legend, made a clean sweep winning the junior champion beef female and grand champion female on its way to the supreme beef exhibit.
Ms Powell said the Shorthorn heifer was a functional, well-balanced heifer that was not overdone with softness.
The heifer got the nod for supreme ahead of a Limousin bull from the Morris family's Morrisvale stud, Donnybrook.
The bull Morrisvale Kept Secret won the intermediate champion beef bull before going on to win the show's grand champion beef bull.
Ms Powell said the length, depth with power and performance of the Limousin bull were attributes that carried him to the top on the day over the Angus bull in reserve.
The five-year-old reserve grand champion bull from the Brown family's Ponderosa Angus stud, Albany, was earlier named the senior champion beef bull.
The Angus bull had depth and softness according to Ms Powell.
Standing as the reserve grand champion beef female to the eventual supreme heifer was a Charolais cow exhibited by the Quilty family's Elgin Park stud, Elgin.
The cow, Blaweary F2E and its heifer calf at foot, was earlier sashed the senior champion beef female.
The junior champion beef bull title went to a Saler bull, Asha Baylee Loriz, exhibited by the Penfold family's Asha Baylee stud, Cowaramup.
Ms Powell said the bull's smoothness, mobility and thickness were features of the bull that appealed to her.
The Morrisvale stud took out the intermediate double with its heifer, Morrisvale Light The Sky, winning the intermediate beef champion female.
Ms Powell described the heifer has a well-balanced, soft and correct female.
The dairy cattle judging was overseen by judge Caitlin Leebich, Glencoe, South Australia.
Ms Leebich crowned the 12-year-old cow, Acero Outside Jass exhibited by Victor Rodwell's Acero stud, Boyanup, as the supreme dairy exhibit.
The senior champion Holstein cow has produced nine calves. Ms Leebich said the longevity and soundness of udder and structure took this cow to victory over the magnificent Jersey specimen on the day.
The Jersey Ms Leebich was referring to was the champion Jersey cow exhibited by the Fry family's Katandra Park stud, Brunswick, Katandra Park Iotola April.
The Acero stud also exhibited the junior champion Holstein female with its heifer Acero Nairobi Countess 102 and the reserve junior champion Holstein female with Acero Raesmin.
In the Dexter judging the grand champion exhibit went to the senior bull Glenwarlock Maneroo, from the Cleghorn family's Glenwarlock stud, Upper Swan.
Ms Powell said she was impressed with the natural thickness and power of the bull.
The Glenwarlock stud also exhibited the champion Dexter female which Ms Powell describing the unit of Glenwarlock Felicity and its bull calf as feminine with width and good udder placement.