There was good competition in both the cattle and sheep judging rings at this month's Busselton Show when it was held in warm conditions.
In the cattle ring, it was Kerrie Sutherland, Thologolong Murray Grey and Angus studs, Albury, New South Wales, whose father, Peter Sutherland, was one of the founding fathers of the Murray Grey breed in Australia, that had the job of sorting through the cattle entered.
She was joined by Bree Skinner, Mt Barker, who was benefitting with the training experience in the ring.
Ms Sutherland found the type she was looking for in most sections of the judging.
She was seeking femininity and fertility in the female classes and muscle, along with length and mobility with the males.
She also emphasised the industry didn't need female too big, as the important thing was for them to get in calf and rear a good calf while getting in calf again.
Shoulder placement, as well as udder shape and milking were also important factors.
In the Nutrien Livestock sponsored stud beef heifer show section it was a Charolais heifer from the Quilty family's Elgin Park stud, Elgin, which came up trumps and was sashed the grand champion heifer.
Prior to receiving the grand champion ribbon, heifer Elgin Park Lorenza, was sashed the champion European breed heifer.
The reserve grand champion heifer ribbon and champion British breed heifer ribbon went to Red Rock Tinsel exhibited by the Bantock family's Red Rock stud, Ludlow.
The Thompson family's Venturon Livestock stud, Boyup Brook, may have missed out on the main ribbons in the heifer show judging but they didn't go empty handed.
A Charolais cow from the stud, Venturon Naughty But Nice S32 with a heifer calf at foot was sashed the grand champion interbreed cow.
The stud also did well in the bull classes with an Angus bull, Venturon Timeless T73, being sashed the grand champion bull and junior champion interbreed bull, while Charolais bull, Venturon Trust T237, was sashed the reserve grand champion bull and reserve junior champion interbreed bull.
In the heifer section of the show Venturon Livestock won the National Australia Bank sponsored Beef Breeders Classic class for a group of three heifers and also the reserve champion European heifer with Venturon Calista T146.
The senior champion bull was a Charolais exhibited by the Bell family's Bardoo stud, Elgin, while the reserve senior champion bull was a Limousin from the Terpstra family's Aldgate stud, Waroona.
In the specialty breeds section of the heifer show, it was a Highland female Willowwood Auroa from the Willowwood stud, Ambergate, that won the champion cow ribbon, while the reserve ribbon went to a miniature Hereford from the Paragon stud, Waroona.
In the small sheep section, an outstanding Wiltipoll ram from Brian and Neroli Smith's, Neribri stud, Boyanup, appealed to judge, Anna Darke, Boyup Brook, taking out the overall champion shedding sheep award.
Ray Batt, Narrogin, made the trip with his Suffolk sheep and won both grand champion ribbons for the breed after exhibiting the champion ram and ewe.
