NEARLY 60 purebred Angus steers entered the ring for the Angus Steer Show at the Sydney Royal Easter Show today, but it was one middle weight individual from BW. and MM. Brooker of Main Camp Angus, Upper Rouchel that was unstoppable.
Described as a clear winner, and the safest steer in the competition, Main Camp 71 was named the grand champion following judging this morning.
A big feat for the 489 kilogram steer that was bred and exhibited by the Brooker Family, and fed and prepared by Paul and Lyn Richards of Rouchelle Murray Grey and Leven Santa Gertrudis studs, Muswellbrook, it scanned eight millimetres for rib fat and nine millimetres for rump fat.
Judge Bryce Whale from Glenliam Farm Murray Grey stud, Glen William, said the steer is what industry is looking for.
"You have to appreciate not only the thickness of this steer but the softness that comes with it," Mr Whale said.
"He is what industry is looking for - naturally muscled with the ability to cover and lay down fat."
Fed for 100 days, the middle weight steer will now go on to compete in the Sydney Royal Show steer competition tomorrow.
The Brooker family also took out reserve grand champion steer with their 544kg heavyweight champion steer that scanned 10mm and 11mm in the rib and rump.
Fed for 100 days on a sorghum, barley and hay ration, he was commended for his balance and length, the judge said he offers a lot of carcase.
"With not a lot weight between these steers, ones a heavy ones a medium, they are steers that are well and truly within their specifications with no scares," Mr Whale said.
"Even the heavyweight that is right at the top for rib fat, it isn't really an issues because its probably only one point that he would pick up in butt shape. He is probably an A or A- so he will probably get five points for butt shape.
"I can't tell which one will is going to marble the best or which will have the best ossification, and those two things really dictate the eating quality section."
But when it came down to eye appeal, and which steer presents best Mr Whale couldn't go past the middleweight.
Also battling it out for the grand champion and reserve titles was the lightweight champion steer known as Andre.
Exhibited by Justin Richards of Pentire Angus, and bred by North Bullagreen, and tipping the scales at 364kg with scans 6mm and 8mm in the rib and rump, Mr Whale said the steer was balanced and in specifications, and acknowledge the great lightweight steer in front of him.
"He has adequate muscle without any extremities that could cause issues," he said.
"It is really hard though to score lots and lots of points in a lightweight competition because they probably are not expressing the marbling and they struggle occasionally to get maximum points for ossificiation, and those little things cause you one of two points in the competition which takes its toll.
"I don't think you should really penalise a lightweight calf because it can't necessarily be the champion carcase in a judging - I really do appreciate this calf, but when it comes to points he probably doesn't have the points of the two above him."
These three high-class individuals came together to make up the Angus team of three for the 2019 Stanhill Trophy, which is awarded to the highest point scoring breed team of three.
