BRITISH and European breed cattle and breeders shared the individual interbreed beef cattle honours at this year's Perth Royal Show.
The best of beef cattle were showcased on the main arena in an interbreed feast last Thursday with the individual and group awards judged on the same afternoon.
Champions from their respective breed judging earlier in the week went head-to-head with their rivals to distinguish the champion of champions and share in generous prizes thanks to sponsors Nutrien Ag Solutions and Elders Limited.
An impressive line-up of European and British Breed cattle were presented before judges Kurt Wise, Southend Murray Grey stud, Woodanilling and Charles and Peter Cowcher, Willandra Simmental and Red Angus studs, Williams, which is believed to be the first time a father and son have judged cattle together at the Perth Royal Show.
At the completion of judging, the four coveted interbreed awards were won by four different breeders and three breeds with the Simmental breed claiming bragging rights winning the two female awards.
First to step out onto the arena was the line-up of seven junior beef bulls with the three judges unanimously agreeing the Murray Grey bull Tullibardine Rip Snorter R111, exhibited by the Murray family's, Tullibardine stud, Albany, was the standout winner.
The early March 2020 born bull was by Monterey Mandingo M204 and out of Tullibardine Katie M30.
The judges also agreed Rip Snorter's Angus stablemate Tullibardine Romantic R24 deserved second place with the late February 2020-drop bull by Prime Maximus P36 and out of Tullibardine Candy N36.
However, third place couldn't be split with a tie between entries from the Thompson family's Venturon Charolais stud, Boyup Brook and the Tuckey's family Mubarn Simmental stud, Pinjarra.
Venturon Ricky Bobby R6 was a mid-February 2020 born bull by Canadian sire Svy Grizzly and Venturon Juliet and Mubarn Risky Business R28, a polled AI-bred bull by PHS Bank Roll 345B and out of Woonallee K165 born early June 2020.
Commenting on behalf of the judges, Mr Wise said it was an honour to judge some of his industry peers cattle and there was seven very worthy contestants competing for junior champion interbreed bull.
"From my perspective, the winning bull came out here with mobility, is very market relative, smooth skin, soft amount of flesh, great through the feet and topline," Mr Wise said.
"But it was the mobility of the bull that got him into a winning position."
Next onto the arena was seven excellent heifers in a closely fought contest for interbreed junior champion female.
The three judges' opinions varied, reflecting the quality presented which resulted in a three-way tie for second place, just three points behind the winning Simmental heifer Mubarn Kirra R13, from the Mubarn Simmental stud.
Kirra was a double polled early April 2020 born heifer by homebred parents Patches and Kirra N9.
Tying for second place was the Little Meadows stud, Dardanup, with Wilcoola R29, a mid-April 2020 born heifer by Landfall New Ground N90 and Little Meadows Wilcoola P9, Esperance Farm Training Centre's Escholar Red Angus stud with the breed's supreme exhibit Robin R17, a mid-March 2020 born heifer by Kildarra North Star N17 and Escholar Lollie L22 and Murdoch University Shorthorn stud with Raylynn R14, a mid-August 2020-drop heifer by Yambergen Emperor E103 and Crathes Marrington K10.
Peter Cowcher said it was a great privilege for all judges to be given the opportunity to judge at the show and commended all exhibitors on a wonderful line-up of junior females.
"They are industry relevant and possess the traits we look for in terms of femininity, softness and structure," Mr Cowcher said.
"They look like they have exciting futures in front of them and the breeders and exhibitors should be congratulated.
"From the front four finalist heifers, it was the overall volume, capacity and real beef carcase merits of the Simmental female that got her up in first place."
It was onto the older age groups starting with the interbreed senior bull and while there was only four entries, competition was tight with only three points separating the top three places.
Getting the nod from two judges was enough for the Red Angus bull Kildarra North N17 (sire of Escholar's second place junior female) to get him up in first place.
The September 1, 2017, born Kildarra bred bull by Tronar Hiphop and Jutland Kara was exhibited by new owners, the Escholar stud.
Bandeeka Quicksilver Q2, exhibited by Tony and Loreen Kitchen, Bandeeka Simmental stud, Elgin, a late July 2019 born Simmental bull by homebred parents Navaho and Nimmy finished in second place and Venturon Charolais stud finished third with a mid-August 2019 born ET-bred polled bull Rosso VL Commissioner 62Q by WCR Commissioner 593 and Rosso Maryanne 2L.
Charles Cowcher congratulated all exhibitors and said he appreciated how difficult it was to prepare a senior bull for showing on short notice with older bulls mostly out working.
He said the Red Angus bull held up so well structurally for a four-year-old bull.
"Very well balanced, great thickness and top line and very smooth and strong underneath," Mr Cowcher said.
"Loved the bull's muscle pattern with the strength in its forearms indicating muscle and not fat cover, you don't want fat in the forearms."
Rounding out the individual interbreed awards was seven mature cows with calves at foot vying for the interbreed senior female in another closely-fought contest with just two points separating the top three placings.
Two of the judges agreed the Simmental cow from the Bandeeka stud, Bandeeka Nimmy N2 and her heifer calf was their pick to see her get up for first place.
Nimmy was an early-August 2017-born cow by influential sire Bandeeka Fancypants and Bandeeka Hemmy.
The Thompson family's supreme Charolais exhibit Venturon Clementine Q11, a polled AI-bred mid-February 2019 born cow by Grizzly and out of Venturon Naughty But Nice finished in second place while taking out third place was its fellow supreme exhibit Angus stablemate Venturon RR Rosebud Lass Q13, an early April 2019-born daughter of Remitall H Rachis and LLB Rosebud Lass 87W.
Mr Wise congratulated the line-up of senior cows and calves, particularly the front four finalists with "only a hair's breadth splitting them.".
"As judges, we worked very hard to find any faults between any of the first four cows and it was a pleasure to judge them," he said.
"The Simmental is a powerful four-year-old cow.
"The Angus and Charolais females have their first calves at just over two years of age and it's a credit to the exhibitors to present such young females that are out there doing the job.
"It's very good criteria to have in your breeding herd, putting out calves at two years old and still presenting in that condition with frame and structural correctness and is a credit to the breeders."