Bandeeka Simmentals lead Perth Royal Show interbreed comp

Charolais and Simmentals shared the spoils and generous prize money from sponsors Elders Limited and Nutrien Ag Solutions, taking out all four classes and led by the Kitchen family's Bandeeka Simmental stud, Elgin, which exhibited two class winners.

The cattle arena featured the best of each breed on Thursday from their respective breed judging earlier in the week to culminate the beef cattle judging for this year's show.

The showcase of British and European cattle was praised throughout by interstate judges Glenn Trout, Moorunga Angus, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Brendan Scheiwe, Brendale Charolais and Toblo Droughtmaster studs, Tallagalla, Queensland and Rhett Mobbs, Gowrie Simmentals, Bell, Queensland.

Judges scored each exhibit and at the completion of judging, points were tallied to reveal each class interbreed champion.

First into the cattle arena was six entries vying for the interbreed junior bull title.

However it was the Charolais bull exhibited by Venturon Livestock, Boyup Brook, which took the judges eye with two judges awarding the bull their top points.

Venturon Start The Party S97 was an early May 2021-born polled bull by Venturon Hamish (P) and out of Venturon Miss Dimity M16 (P).

Its Angus stablemate, the grand champion Angus bull Venturon Sugar Daddy S120, a late May 2021 born bull by Tuwharetoa Regent D145 finished in second place while the late September 2021 born Shorthorn bull Murdoch University Studaliscious S12, by SFS Danny D, stood in third place.

Speaking on behalf of the judges, Mr Mobbs said they had enjoyed judging at the show which was made easier with high quality cattle exhibited.

"Cattle in WA are at the top-end of the scale as far as quality and competitive edge," Mr Mobbs said.

"All junior bulls are certainly good representatives of their breeds and breeders should be proud of what they're doing."

He said the Venturon Charolais bull was a standout and a worthy winner.

"Very hard bull to fault, copybook sires head, not too long or short, good broad muzzle, excellent skin in his dewlap, brisket is spot on and good square legs," Mr Mobbs said.

"On his side profile he is very thick right through from loin to flank and carries his muscle down into his forearm and thigh and very correct through the twist.

"From behind he has lots of width and is really strong on top.

"Lovely outlook and temperament and good hooded eyes, walks really well which I'm hard on, his feet hit the ground flat and doesn't knuckle over at all."

Next to step out into the cattle arena was seven heifers battling it out for interbreed junior champion female.

The large scale Simmental heifer exhibited by the Kitchen family's Bandeeka stud, Elgin, was awarded top votes from two judges to be crowned champion.

Bandeeka Saskia S1 was a mid-August 2021 born heifer by KBV Penfold and finished ahead of Venturon Livestock's two entries.

In second place was its supreme Angus exhibit Venturon Diana S134, a mid-July 2021-born heifer by Granite Ridge Maximus M34 and in third place was Charolais entry Venturon Her Majesty S188, a late October 2021 born heifer by Ascot Kudos Q27.

Mr Scheiwe said it was a wonderful line-up of beef heifers.

"All these heifers, within their own breed and their own right are very worthy of being out here," Mr Scheiwe said.

"Magnificent to see such a line-up of young females in the seedstock industry coming through that will produce sale bulls for us.

"Heifers with a lot of femininity and still carrying power, punch and volume we look for in our females to produce bulls with meat and muscle."

Mr Scheiwe said the Simmental heifer was a mighty worthy of the award.

"I do believe in some moderation but as seedstock producers it's very easy to breed them small and very hard to breed them bigger," he said.

"Outstanding Simmental heifer, we need to appreciate her for what she is.

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"Excellent hindquarter but retaining femininity through her front-end, beautiful teat placement underneath her and a power of volume.

"She is going to be on the larger end of our breeding females but she is put together so well and that's why she is our winner."

Unfortunately only two older bulls strode out for the interbreed senior bull title and with two judges awarding it top points, the powerhouse Charolais bull exhibited by the Copplestone stud, Dardanup, was given the nod against the quality mature Hereford bull from Spencer Cattle Co, Bullsbrook.

The winning Charolais bull Copplestone Primetime P16 was an early February 2018 born bull by Paringa Laredo L305 and Copplestone Qumulus M26 while the Hereford bull Yallaroo Legacy L10 was an AI-bred late March 2015 born bull by Yallaroo Handsome H15 and Yallaroo Amaze G3.

Mr Trout said the bulls show the older age and maturity of what a bull can get too.

"These aren't bulls we normally see in the show ring in the east so it's great to see these two examples of the breed," Mr Trout said.

"Both bulls are still functionally sound, feet and legs under these guys are very good.

"It's pretty hard to get big bulls like this to travel to a showground, walk on concrete, sit in a bed all day and move into the show ring.

"Very flexible through the pasterns and hock area and it's lovely to see the flexibility in two big powerhouses of their respective breeds.

"We appreciate the structural correctness and soundness and muscularity of the big bulls."

The final class into the arena to complete the individual breed honours was six cows and calves for interbreed senior female of the show.

Last year's senior female winner Bandeeka Nimmy N2 returned with her heifer calf to have another crack and claim back to back titles in convincing fashion.

Nimmy is an early August 2017 born cow by Bandeeka Fancypants and out of Bandeeka Hemmy with her heifer calf AI-bred by KBV Legacy.

Nimmy was a clear winner with two judges allocating her top scores with five and six points separating her from second and third placegetters both exhibited by the Tullibardine stud, Albany.

Second place went to their young Angus cow Tullibardine Mimi R26, a late February 2020-born first calver by Prime Maximus P36 and in third place was Murray Grey cow Tullibardine Rusty P113, an early March 2018 born cow by Lilyvale Grenadier.

Mr Mobbs said it was a really nice line-up of matrons, from older more experienced cows with a second or third calf, down to first calf heifers.

"We saw lots of good udder placements, lots of good growthy calves and good temperaments," he said.

"They've all been doing well with their feed and turning it into beef in all the right places.

"When judging cattle you look at the head and work back, good quality broad muzzle and good eyes usually reflects the rest of the animal and it's true in the case of the Simmental cow.

"Really nice head for a beef cow, gentle eye and broad muzzle, ample skin under her dewlap, very roomy cow, lots of length, seven years old and handling it all, still walking around very well.

"Magnificent udder with heaps of milk, her calf is only three weeks old and already it is up and away.

"Behind the cow she is really correct, lots of length from hip to the pin, tail settings good and she stands over a lot of ground.

"She is a real show cow with a real show outlook and a bit of personality."