DESPITE a challenging start to the season for both livestock and cropping, northern Wheatbelt producers were still keen to show the results of their breeding programs in support of the annual McIntosh & Son Mingenew Midwest Expo.
The Elders Livestock Arena hosted a quality line-up of ewe hoggets and 2018 drop heifers creating some stiff competition for judges.
And this year there was the added pressure of overseeing the Young Farmers competition which saw 46 students from three Western Australian agricultural colleges vying for the right to compete in State finals at the 2019 IGA Perth Royal Show.
Mike Henderson, Henderson Shearing Services, Dongara and Badgingarra, was back for a second time in the sheep pens and said it was a quality line-up despite the vagaries of the season.
With the competition more heavily weighted to wool on a 65 to 35 split it was a line with exceptional wool length and type that caught his eye.
The Barloo blood team was exhibited by expo chairman Geoff Cosgrove, Depot Hill, Mingenew, who had placed third with ewes of similar breeding last year.
"They had such exceptional length in their wool, I wondered if they were not shorn as lambs but they had been," Mr Henderson said.
"And they had very good body conformation with it."
Mr Cosgrove said he and his family had been buying rams from Barloo for about 35 years with great success.
Interestingly Depot Hill also placed second with a line of Cramphorne ewes bought from that stud's clearing sale dispersal in March.
"It was a good opportunity to buy some well-bred younger ewes that complement our type and now gives us 1200 rather than 600 ewe hoggets mated to Barloo rams," Mr Cosgrove said.
Third place went to a line of well-grown Arra-dale blood prem shorn ewes, showing the red tip of their country, exhibited by Robert and Pam Kowald, Canna.
Mr Henderson said it was great to see people making the effort to bring their sheep and to help educate the students.
"We have lost a generation of livestock people so it is good to see emphasis back on it," he said.
"The students were so keen and asked a lot of questions, especially about wool."
Former Poll Hereford breeder John Spencer ran his well-trained eye over the cattle and was impressed with what he saw again given the challenging start to the season.
His winning pen was entered by Darren and Vanessa Cobley, R & R Cobley, Walkaway and saw the couple go one better than in 2018 when they placed second in their debut appearance.
The couple run 200 Angus breeders bred on Cookalabi and Blackrock bloodlines and Mr Spencer said their May-June 2018 drop heifers shone out for their growth, volume and scale.
"I think they are a team of potentially very good beef matrons," he said.
Mr Cbley said it was important to support local events and he thanked Elders for their sponsorship.
Not far behind were heifers from the Gillam family, Irwin, with second place going to a team of their Gabyon Pastoral Co Angus-Santa Gertrudis-Angus and third to their Irwin House Farming Angus-Shorthorn cross females.
"The second pen exhibited plenty of femininity, important in breeding females, and also growth and style," Mr Spencer said.
Andrew Gillam said his family was running about 400 breeders using Koojan Hills Angus, Biara Santa Gertrudis and Weebollabolla Shorthorn bloodlines with some Charolais terminal cross and they largely targeted feedlot markets.
He too was keen to emphasise the importance of supporting local events such as the expo and said it was good to show the public the types of livestock being produced in the region.
"We'd come even if there was no competition but it's a great thing Elders has done in getting this up and running," Mr Gillam said.
Elders Mingenew manager Jarrad Kupsch said it was pleasing to see support from livestock producers in taking their stock to the Elders Livestock Arena and the interest sparked from the heifer, ewe hogget, young farmers and working sheepdog competitions which Elders sponsored.
"Since we revamped the Livestock Arena in 2017 it has just got bigger and better and we will keep investing our time to build again next year," Mr Kupsch said.
"The turnout of Young Farmers this year was a real highlight with 46 students competing compared to 12 last year.
"We see livestock as having a big future in our region and need to encourage youth to be a part of that."
