THE judges called her a powerhouse of volume and capacity but the Red Angus cow that won the Urquhart trophy for supreme beef exhibit at the Sydney Royal Show today was only pulled out of the paddock at the end of January.
In fact, its that sort of efficiency and easy keeping that is what really makes GK Red Ruba 26 G40 a champion because it epitomises industry relevance in todays beef industry, according to her owners, Gavin and Kirrily Iseppi.
Their GK stud at Dalby, Queensland, breeds both Simmental and Red Angus and the couple had four Simmental exhibits in preparation for Sydney Show when they decided to give Ruba one more shot.
We wanted to support a Red Angus feature show in our home state so we pulled her out and got her ready - she no doubt thought her show days were over, Mrs Iseppi said.
She won the Supreme at that show and all the Red Angus breeders hassled us to take her to Sydney saying she looks the best she ever has.
So she was late entry at Sydney, which means her entry fee was more than normal, but it certainly paid for itself today.
Ruba was paraded with her bull calf, GK Red Magic, who at five months weighs in at 300 kilograms.
We thought he might be a bit young but he has really hit his straps, Mrs Iseppi said.
Ruba has very good functionality, shes a low maintenance, moderate cow and thats what is needed today.
The cow edged out a 17-month-old, 940 kilogram Charolais bull from brothers Steven and Louie Francos Caloona Park stud at Tamworth for the Urquhart.
She also partnered with young bull from Rachael, Daniel and Michelle Wheelers RDM stud at Wellington to collect the coveted Hordern trophy for the interbreed best pair.
RDMG Red Solo Cup, 15 months, 698 kg, was a standout from the day he was born, according to Rachael Wheeler, who led him today.
It was a huge start to Sydney Royal competing for RDM.
The breeders group interbreed title went to another Queensland outfit, Kellie Smiths K5X Angus at Allora, brought to Sydney by prolific champion fitter Stephen Hayward.