WINNING three out of the four titles, European breeds shone on the big stage at the beef cattle interbreed competition at this year's Perth Royal Show.
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Beef cattle of all breeds took centre stage on the main arena last Thursday, with the interbreed judging the culmination of the week's judging of the respective cattle breeds and years of breeding in the making.
The best individuals from each breed earned the opportunity to take on their rivals for interbreed honours and $1000 in prize money for each class sponsored by Primaries of WA Pty Ltd, Fernwood Farm Angus stud, Gingin, Elders Limited, Landmark and International Animal Health Products.
This saw an outstanding line-up of beef cattle paraded before three distinguished judges Andrew Raff, Raff Angus stud, King Island, Tasmania, Peter Cook, Barana Simmental and Shorthorn studs, Coolah, New South Wales and Fiona Sanderson, formerly of Michaelong Murray Grey and Murrahlong Angus studs, Boonah, Queensland.
With two of the interbreed triumphs going to the Liberty Charolais stud, Toodyay, the Yost family completed a memorable interbreed judging campaign, adding to their two wins in the interbreed group classes the previous day.
The family's first win was in the opening class of junior bulls where their young bull Liberty Pathfinder prevailed against 10 other bulls in a tight contest.
The 920kg late-March 2018 born son of Rangan Park Redemption and Liberty Jiffy, the interbreed senior champion female at the 2015 Perth Royal Show, scanned 123cm2 eye muscle area (EMA) and 10mm fat.
In second place was the Simmental bull Mubarn Pharoah exhibited by the Tuckey family's Mubarn stud, Pinjarra.
An AI bred late March 2018 born bull, Pharoah was by PHS Bank Roll and out of Woonallee Julani.
In third place was the supreme Limousin exhibit from the Morrisvale stud, Narrikup, with the young early October 2018 born bull, Morrisvale Pegasus by Greenwood Curveball and homebred cow Kandy Apple.
Commenting on behalf of the judges, Mr Raff said it was a great way to finish the week with the line-up of junior champion bulls in a close result.
"The Charolais bull has an ideal side-on profile, but when you stand behind him he also has plenty of natural thickness," Mr Raff said.
"It was only a decade ago we saw Charolais bulls two frame scores taller and leaner and the breed has softened them up, improved the calving ease attributes and with that moderated them.
"But this Charolais bull has enough muscle, a beautiful topline with good foot and leg structure."
Next onto the arena were 11 heifers vying for the interbreed junior champion female in another closely fought contest.
It was a magnificent Angus heifer exhibited by the Golding family's Little Meadows stud, Dardanup, that prevailed and was awarded the supreme Angus exhibit earlier in the week.
Little Meadows Wilcoola was an ET bred early April 2018 born heifer by Pathfinder Genesis and out of Coonamble D252.
In second place was a sweet Simmental heifer from the Mubarn stud, aptly named Liquorice, a polled AI bred mid-March 2018 born daughter of Woonallee Lady Killer and Bonnydale Liquorice.
Locked in a three-way tie for third place were heifers from the Liberty Shorthorn stud, Bandeeka Red Angus stud, Elgin and Morrisvale Limousin stud.
Judge Fiona Sanderson, formerly of Michaelong Murray Grey and Murrahlong Angus studs, Boonah, Queensland, said it was quite an outstanding exhibit and all the young females showed the industry was in good hands.
"It's not the easiest time in the world getting stock ready for a show, I take my hat off to you all as exhibitors," Ms Sanderson said.
"A beautiful line-up of heifers, it's an absolute pleasure when you have cattle of this quality coming out and your breed is being represented.
"If your breed is being represented with this amount of quality, it has a very bright future.
"The Angus heifer has a very deep body, is very feminine, has a beautiful calving cavity, spine and a great set of pins right through to the lower thighs."
The senior interbreed bull was a quieter affair with just two bulls competing, which showed mature bulls were commonly retired from the show ring and into their working careers in the paddock.
The Black Simmental bull from the Wetherall family's Bandeeka Blacks stud, Elgin, was given the nod ahead of the Red Poll bull exhibited by the Hooper family's Red Sands stud, Quairading.
The 980kg Bandeeka Blacks Nilo was a late February 2017 son of SVS Captain Morgan and homebred cow Fantasy with scans of 134cm2 EMA and 13mm fat and was the supreme Simmental exhibit.
Red Sands Wonderland was by homebred bull Universe and out of Red Sands Tammy and was born in late September 2017.
Judge Peter Cook, Barana Simmental and Shorthorn studs, Coolah, New South Wales, said the Black Simmental bull "stood up like he owned the place".
"The mature Black Simmental scanned well and weighs just under a tonne," Mr Cook said.
"He is a big, mobile, long and stretchy bull that stands up nice and square, has good angle to his hock, sheath and testicles and tremendous skin."
A line-up of 11 cows and calves rounded out the interbreed judging for this year's show, with the Liberty stud finishing on top of the podium with its Charolais unit.
Champions breed champions and Liberty Naughty or Nice was no exception with the early April 2017 born cow sired by the 2014 interbreed junior champion bull, Liberty Just Rambin Along.
The supreme Charolais exhibit was out of Liberty Jarhead and had an AI bred bull calf at foot by LT Bluegrass.
The Yost family's supreme Shorthorn exhibit Narralda Laura finished in second place.
Laura was an early March 2015 cow by Crathes Gascon and Narralda Laura F18 and had a bull calf at foot.
In third place was the supreme Murray Grey exhibit, Tullibardine Margarite exhibited by the Murray family's Tullibardine stud, Albany.
Margarite was AI-bred born mid-March 2016 to homebred parents Jeopardy Pie and Margarite Pie and had a heifer calf at foot.
Peter Cook said they were looking for cattle that would perform in the beef industry with longevity and sound, functional cattle with plenty of milk to rear big sappy calves.
"The mature female is the working end, these cattle have done the hard yards, come through the heifer stage, got in calf, calved down and are milking well," Mr Cook said.
"They are very fertile, have great udder and teat placement and will produce progeny that will hopefully go on and put more dollars in your pocket.
"The young Charolais cow is a softer, middle of the road cow, with great muzzle, strength, bone, performance and good feet.
"She is doing a wonderful job on her calf, has a very neat udder and is set up so well with her pelvis area."
CHAMPIONS
Judges: Andrew Raff, Raff Angus stud, King Island, Tasmania, Peter Cook, Barana Simmental and Shorthorn studs, Coolah, New South Wales, Fiona Sanderson, formerly of Michaelong Murray Grey and Murrahlong Angus studs, Boonah, Queensland
Junior champion interbreed bull: Charolais, Liberty Pathfinder, Liberty stud, Toodyay
Junior champion interbreed female: Angus, Little Meadows Wilcoola, Little Meadows stud, Dardanup
Senior champion interbreed bull: Simmental, Bandeeka Black Nilo, Bandeeka Blacks stud, Elgin
Senior champion interbreed female: Charolais, Liberty Naughty or Nice, Liberty stud, Toodyay
BEEF CHAMPIONS
ANGUS
Supreme, grand champion and junior champion female:
Little Meadows stud, Dardanup
Grand champion and junior champion bull: Tullibardine stud, Albany
Senior champion female:
Tullibardine stud
CHAROLAIS
Supreme, grand champion and senior champion female:
Liberty stud, Toodyay.
Grand champion and junior champion bull: Liberty stud
Junior champion female: Liberty stud
DROUGHTMASTER
Supreme, grand champion and junior champion bull:
Quicksilver stud, Newdegate
Grand champion and junior champion female: Quicksilver stud
LIMOUSIN
Supreme, grand champion and junior champion bull:
Morrisvale stud, Narrikup
Grand champion and senior champion female: Aldgate stud, Waroona
Junior champion female:
Morrisvale stud
MURRAY GREY
Supreme, grand champion and senior champion female: Tullibardine stud, Albany
Grand champion and junior champion bull: Willawa Greys stud, Newdegate
Junior champion female:
Barker High stud, Mt Barker Community College
POLL HEREFORD
Supreme, grand champion and junior champion bull:
Eskdale stud, Cunderdin
Grand champion and senior champion female: Paragon stud, Waroona
Junior champion female: Eskdale stud
RED ANGUS
Supreme, grand champion
and junior champion bull:
Kildarra stud, Albany
Grand champion and junior champion female:
Bandeeka stud, Elgin
Senior champion female:
Bandeeka stud
RED POLL
Supreme, grand champion and junior champion bull:
Yongerellen stud, Quairading
Grand champion and junior champion female:
Red Sands stud, Quairading
Senior champion female:
Yongerellen stud
Senior champion bull:
Red Sands stud
SALERS
Supreme, grand champion and junior champion bull:
Alsha Baylee stud, Cowaramup
Grand champion and junior champion female:
Alsha Baylee stud
Senior champion female:
Alsha Baylee stud
SIMMENTAL
Supreme, grand champion and senior champion bull:
Bandeeka Blacks stud, Elgin
Grand champion and senior champion female:
Bandeeka stud, Elgin
Junior champion female:
Mubarn stud, Pinjarra
Junior champion bull: Mubarn stud
SHORTHORN
Supreme, grand champion and senior champion female:
Liberty stud, Toodyay
Grand champion and junior champion bull: JT Country Life, Murdoch
Junior champion female:
Liberty stud
