Kanimbla Power Town named grand champion bull of Wodonga Hereford National Show

Junior champion bull Kanimbla Power Town P067 exhibited by Kanimbla Livestock was given the top honour during an online judging session with Erica Halliday, Ben Nevis Angus, Walcha.

The 21-month-old son of American sire NJW 73S W18 Hometown 10Y and out of Kanimbla Nicky L084 was also named junior champion Bos taurus bull of The Land's 2020 Beef Battle last month.

He weighed 916 kilograms with a 42 centimetre scrotal circumference and blew Ms Halliday's mind when she saw him in his class.

She described him as a clear winner.

"What we've got (in this bull) is something really rare, and that's a combination of muscle and softness, doing ability and constitution combined with an extra bit of pizzazz and sire power that you don't see every day," she said.

Kanimbla's James McWilliam was ecstatic with the result.

"He has been a stand out...I've been watching him since he was born," he said.

"But the bulls here we don't do anything with them until they have been measured in a contemporary group. He wasn't fed five or six months on as some of them are."

The young sire was among the first run of calves to be offered by NJW 73S W18 Hometown who Mr McWilliam believed would fit well in their program.

"On one of my last trips to the US I saw a bunch of the Hometown calves and I thought it was something we really needed to use," he said.

"I actually know the guy in America who bought him so we secured semen. We only bought in 30 straws just for speciality joinings."

His mother, Kanimbla Nicky L084, is becoming a lead cow for the stud with Power Town only her second calf and her latest weaner bull expected to be offered at Wodonga next year.

The Kanimbla team enjoyed the ability to rewatch the judging sessions while they had spoken to commercial clients who also applauded the Helmsman style auction this year.

"We are going to be really interested as to how the progeny perform going into prominent studs across the country," Mr McWilliam said.

The bull sold for $30,000 to Geoff Birchnell, 3R Livestock, Loomberah, and Bowen Downs Poll Herefords, Barraba, who are collecting semen in the bull to be marketed through BeefGen domestically and in New Zealand while negotiations are underway into the EU.

Mr Birchnell had strong faith in Power Town's breeding having seen Hometown progeny in America and noticing the do-ability of the genetics in his own herd.

"I think that everything he (Power Town) brings together is exactly where Herefords have been strong in the past and need to get back to; that real easy doing cattle that can finish on grass and are versatile and can handle a hard season and take advantage of the good times," he said.

"What sold me on that line was in the drought we had some Hometown daughters that really displayed the confirmation we need for Australia. They bred at 15 months to calve at two, calved unassisted, joined up again and are in calf a second time in the worst drought in our country's history."

Reserve junior champion bull was Ravensdale Rocket P233 (sold for $16,000 to Harvey Patterson, Howgill Farm, Wodonga, Vic) exhibited by Ravensdale Poll Herefords, Holbrook.

Intermediate champion was 21-month-old Tarcombe Homeland P177 (sold for $15,000 to JA Coghill, Mooroodic, Vic) exhibited by Tim Hayes of Tarcombe Herefords, Ruffy, Victoria.

Reserve intermediate champion was awarded to Doodle Cooma Prime Time (sold for $9000 to Courallie J, Moree) from Doodle Cooma Pastoral Company, Wagga Wagga.

Ravensdale Poll Herefords, Holbrook, took a clean sweep of the senior division, taking out both the champion and reserve titles with Ravensdale Trojan P007 (sold for $10,000 to Mahkwallok East Pastoral, Stock Yard Hill, Vic) and Ravensdale Spitfire P047 (sold for $10,000 to MJ and LJ Harris Junee Reefs).

Most successful exhibitor of the show was awarded to Ravensdale Poll Herefords.

Read the full report in The Land next week.