Limousin steers were unstoppable during day one of competition in the beef cattle section at the 2018 Royal Canberra Show today.
Taking out the top title was Brisbane Waters Secondary College, Umina, and Ben Toll, Sheraton Limousin stud, Dubbo with their export steer that was the champion school steer.
The 16-month-old Limousin steer weighed 584 kilograms and was fed for 180 days on Alexander Downs feed.
Another Limousin steer, exhibited by Braidwood Central School, was awarded the champion open steer award after winning the export open class.
The 17-month-old Limousin steer weighed 638kg and was bred by Limoges Limousins, Tarago. It had been on feed since October.
Judge Donna Robson, Flemington Limousin stud, Adelong, said the she was very happy with the final lineup and the two champion steers were “similar in type”.
“They were both well muscled with exceptional tops and fat distribution, especially throughout the hindquarter,” Ms Robson said.
“The Limousin breed has worked towards improving the finishing ability and eating quality of the cattle and I invited any commercial produce that has outruled Limousin for their operation to have another look at the breed.”
Wagga Wagga Christian College’s Angus 482kg steer was awarded reserve champion school steer after it won the heavy domestic section, while St John’s College Dubbo were the recipient of the reserve champion open steer with their Charolais cross heavy domestic steer that weighed 474kg.
The medium domestic school section was won by a 432kg Limousin heifer exhibited by Brisbane Waters Secondary College, Umina, and Yass High School. St Gregory’s College, Campbelltown, won the open medium domestic section with their Red Angus steer bred by Yallambee Red Angus that weighed 384kg.
This year a change was made to the normal hoof and hook competition with steers not being auctioned off at the conclusion of judging. Instead, they will be sold to Teys over the grid which was said to be “beneficial” by many competitors and on-lookers.
The steers will be processed at Teys Wagga Wagga where they will be assessed on their carcase attributes including meat eating quality and meeting market specifications.
Results from the carcase competition will be awarded during the hoof and hook carcase results presentation afternoon on February 24 at the Canberra Royal Show.
Purebred and crossbred sections
St John’s College, Dubbo, came out on top of the purebred and crossbred steer sections, taking out all four broad ribbons.
The champion purebred steer was a Limousin steer, Wilworril 1, that weighed 532kg.
Judge Donna Robson, Adelong, described the apricot steer as a “meat machine” that was as “wide as it is long”.
“The steer is full of muscle with a good fat coverage. It was the overall muscle to weight ratio that got it up today,” she said.
Reserve champion was another Limousin steer, Wilworril 2, weighing in at 588kg.
The crossbred champion went to 3 Ways Speckle Park Ruby, a Speckle Park cross heifer, that weighed 473kg and was commended for her “extra strength of spine and width behind the shoulder that is carried right through” and her “muscle with a enough finish to meet specifications” by Ms Robson.
Reserve champion Sheraton Carlos, a Limousin steer that weighed 450kg.
