LIMOUSIN-Angus cross from Murdoch University and purebred Sussex from the Smith family, Albany, were the names in brightest lights after judging of the led steers and heifers at the 2022 Perth Royal Show.
Murdoch University again claimed the top gong in an exceptional quality showing of 62 head, nine more than last year.
The renowned educator entered 13 animals (10 steers and three heifers), all AI homebred using black Limousin sire Stetson over Angus and Murray Grey cows from the college's commercial herd and came away with the ultimate prize of grand champion, two of the four championships and two of the four reserve championships.
READ MORE ROYAL SHOW STORIES
It was almost a mirror image of last year when the same successful process was utilised and the college won three of the four category championships, two of the four reserve championships and also grand champion exhibit with a team of eight.
The Smith's Sussex team excelled at the heavier end of the spectrum with the bold red steers claiming both the heavy and extra heavyweight championships, the family's first on hoof champions.
But there was no easy ride in any of the classes with judge Brendan Scheiwe, Brendale Charolais and Toblo Droughtmaster studs, Tallagalla, Queensland, emphasising how close some of the decisions were and openly taking his time to get it right in his mind as to how he expected the carcases would hang up.
"A show animal should have a presence about it and look the part in the ring while at the same time having a high value carcase with plenty of meat in the choice spots along the spine and down the hindquarter," Mr Schweiwe said.
With no eye muscle areas or fat scans having been taken and bodyweights the only raw data available to him, Mr Scheiwe's emphasis was on predicted yield, degree of finish and carcase merit.
And it was something he found in spades in his grand champion, a 441kg Limousin - Angus cross steer exhibited by Murdoch University.
"This really is an exceptional steer which looks the part but also has a top carcase with plenty of softness and no wastage," Mr Schweiwe said.
"Having no scan data is often not such a bad thing when judging these sorts of classes."
The grand champion came out of the mediumweight category of 13 head and it was clearly a sweet spot for the University, with it also producing the reserve champion mediumweight with a 431kg Limousin-Murray Grey steer.
This year's Murdoch team was fed for 90 days on Kojonup Feeds pellets and some homegrown sileage.
The university was also to the fore in the lightweight class of 10 entries taking out the championship with a 383kg Limousin-Angus heifer, but in the heavyweight class of 17 head it was trumped into reserve champion position with its 510kg Limousin-Murray Grey steer.
Going one up to win both the heavy and extra heavyweight championship steer titles were purebred Sussex steers sired by Willyung Farms bulls and out of the SA & SH Smith commercial females.
The Smith family started its successful campaign by winning champion heavyweight with a 506kg Sussex steer which put up a good fight against the Murdoch steers to be judged second best animal overall, reserve grand champion, of the show.
And in the very next category for extra heavyweights, the most populous category of the competition with 22 head, the Smiths beat all comers with a 524kg Sussex steer awarded champion.
Given the family won champion carcase with a Sussex in 2018 and has been runner-up a couple of times since, it left many keen to see how their red pigeon pair will hang up this time.
The reserve champion in the extra heavyweight category went to WA College of Agriculture, Denmark, Inlet Views with a 548kg Limousin-Angus.
In a mighty effort, agricultural training officer Brad Seib said the college had brought 17 students and 20 animals to the show, purchased from regional saleyards or recognised producers from as far north as Mingenew and through the South West.
The other breed to succeed in the broad ribbon stakes was Square Meater with a 377kg steer produced by first time exhibitor Ian Gale, Perup Organic Beef, Boyup Brook, prepared by Doug and Erin Wilcock, Preston Rise stud, Rosa Brook and sired by one of their stud sires, which claimed the reserve champion lightweight mantle.
Square Meater was the only breed to contest the Rob Millner team of three purebred steers event but mustered a quality group which included the reserve champion lightweight steer and steers bred respectively by the Wilcock's and the Giglia family, Meta Park stud, Bridgetown and prepared by Kelmscott Senior High School.
