A SIMMENTAL steer from Tamworth-based stud Mala-Daki Simmentals continued the breed's recent dominance in carcase competitions, dominating in both the hoof and hook judging of the RAS Beef Challenge.
Second-year entrants Jason and Jacqui Impey selected three teams for the competition with one particular steer dominating the results of the 70-day domestic class.
Not only was the Mala-Daki Simmental steer named individual winner in the live assessments, he was awarded grand champion individual carcase despite not placing in any of the categories.
The silent achiever, by Canada's KOP Spartan and out of a Mala-Daki bred cow, weighed 311 kilograms on entry and exited at 478kg for a 2.49kg average daily gain.
He dressed at 54.9 per cent and scored 20.83 points for carcase grid with an eye muscle area of 74 square centimetres and P8 and rib fat depths of five millimetres respectively.
He returned $1575 for a $142.15 profit.
"Often the one that looks good don't often perform the way they look but he was the winner on the hoof and he just had that look, he had the carcase cover and followed through," Mr Impey said.
The win tops off a strong showing performance by the stud who also had two steers in this year's winning Stan Hill Trophy team at the Sydney Royal Show in April.
"It's not a fluke," Mr Impey said.
"They are obviously doing the job and they are doing it well. I think commercial producers are starting to take notice.
"(Usually a) heavier weight is more suited but we are getting a bit more fat cover, an earlier finish and that's coming through."
Their entries were only 10 to 11 months old when they exited the feedlot and represented a range of different sire lines.
But it was the KOP Spartan progeny that always stood out.
"We bought him out as an older sire knowing he had the runs on the board and he is now doing it here," Mr Impey said.
"His females are probably his best attribute and there is nothing wrong with his bull calves and the steers as well."