MURDOCH University continued its domination of the Perth Royal Show led steer and heifer competition, winning three of the four category championships, two of the four reserve championships and the ultimate prize of grand champion exhibit at this year's event.
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Its team of eight head were all college bred steers and heifers, from an AI mating using Limousin sires over its commercial Angus and Murray Grey females.
The grand champion was a 512kg Limousin-Murray Grey cross steer which had first claimed the champion heavyweight title before being named best on ground in a showing of 53 head across the four weight ranges.
Judge Wayne Mitchell, Elders' Albany-based Great Southern Livestock manager, said it was an outstanding line-up of cattle but the Murdoch grand champion got over the line in a close contest for its exceptional muscle definition, good structure, weight for age, length, finish and softness.
"This steer exhibited all the attributes we are looking for in the commercial industry, but it was a pretty close contest for the grand and reserve grand champion awards," Mr Mitchell said.
"It really was a very good display of purebred and crossbred cattle and the exhibitors need to be congratulated for the quality and presentation."
The heavyweight category was the most hotly contested with 25 entries or 47 per cent of the total nominations falling in this 460.1kg to 520kg weight range.
The reserve grand champion sash went the way of a 566kg Red Angus steer, bred and exhibited by Esperance Senior High School's Escholar Red Angus stud, Esperance.
The steer was earlier judged the champion ahead of 11 others in the 520.1kg to 650kg extra heavyweight category.
The reserve champion extra heavyweight was a 648kg red factor Charolais steer bred and exhibited by Jarvis Polglaze, Brookside Charolais stud, Harvey.
The steer was sired by Paringa Laredo and out of a Brookside female.
The reserve champion heavyweight provided a first glimpse of the Inra 95 breed at Perth, with the 516kg heifer sired by Inra 95 bull Carmaux, a composite mix of Blonde d' Aquitaine, Limousin, Charolais, Banc Bleu Beige and Rouge des Pres breeds.
Out of a Red Angus cow, the heifer was bred by David and Jan Ellis, Kooyong Charolais stud, Pinjarra and exhibited by Jim and Belynda Quilty, Elgin Park Charolais stud, Elgin.
In the lightweight category for animals in a 325kg to 400kg weight range which kicked off proceedings, it was a 391kg Murdoch University Limousin-Angus cross steer which prevailed over a 394kg purebred Square Meater steer bred and exhibited by Doug and Erin Wilcock, Preston Rise Square Meater stud, Rosa Brook.
In the mediumweight class for animals in a 400.1kg to 460kg weight bracket, Murdoch University claimed the championship double with Limousin-Angus cross heifers weighing 436kg and 424kg respectively.
Elders Limited was the major sponsor of the led steer and heifer classes providing sashes and $300 prizemoney to each of the four champions, $500 to the grand champion and $250 to the reserve grand champion.
