Santa Gertrudis cattle made a return to the Royal Canberra Show this year with Cowra-based studs Hutt River and Lachlan River going toe-to-toe in the breed's judging.
The two studs, which run alongside each other, shared the accolades with the junior champion bull, Hutt River Pancho P01, from John and Martin Hutt, Hutt River, taking the male titles while the proven cow and calf combination of Lachlan River Nunya and her calf, Lachlan River Nunya 2, from Mick Neville, Lachlan River, went all the way to claim the female and supreme exhibit award.
A total of five head were paraded before judge Sam Hunter, Yass, who shared a very closely linked gene pool.
Mr Hunter commented on the close likeness of his junior and senior champion bulls but wasn't aware they were actually half brothers.
He wasn't afraid to put the 18-month-old junior champion bull by Waco J1253 and out of the stud's matriarch line Vals K53 ahead of the 34-month-old senior bull, Hutt River Night River N01, by Rockingham K268, for grand champion bull.
The junior champion bull was set to be sold to a Victorian stud upon classification while the senior bull was also looking for a new home.
"I think he has got a little bit more genuine shape about him," Mr Hunter said.
"I think he has just got a little bit more carcase in him and I'm prepared to think he is going to grow into the better sire."
The grand champion cow, 35-month-old Lachlan River Nunya, was by Rockingham K268 and out of Vals K05 while her heifer calf was by Waco J1253.
She first had to overcome the 17-month-old junior champion Santa Gertrudis female, Lachlan River Polly P04, by Waco J1253 and out of Rockingham Lacey, before proving to productive to be overlooked for the supreme exhibit.
"She is a real powerhouse of a female," Mr Hunter said.
"A beautiful cow that's doing a really good job on that calf. She is a long feminine type of cow. She has got a big bag of milk underneath her and is really thick and has a lot of muscle from behind. Just a really good example of the breed."
The Hutts established their Santa Gertrudis stud in about 2016 after liking the breed for sometime.
Having run Brahmans, Belted Galloways, Highlands, Poll Hereford and Angus, Hutt River now has about five or six Santas while Mick Neville of Lachlan River has 15 to 20.
They have been showing their cattle at Canberra since 2017 but were unable to attend last year as John Hutt was unwell.
"We have been in cattle all our lives and we have been showing cattle for other people...so we thought we might as well bring one or two of our own," Martin Hutt said.
In other results; the reserve junior champion female was Lachlan River Philly P01, by Waco J1253 and out of Rockingham Libby, while there were no reserves in the bull section.
Results
Judge: Sam Hunter, Yass
No. of exhibits: 5
Junior champion bull: Hutt River Pancho exhibited by John and Martin Hutt, Cowra
Junior champion female: Lachlan River Polly exhibited by Mick Neville, Cowra
Reserve junior champion female: Lachlan River Philly exhibited by Mick Neville, Cowra
Senior champion bull: Hutt River Night River exhibited by John and Martin Hutt, Cowra
Senior champion female: Lachlan River Nunya exhibited by Mick Neville, Cowra
Grand champion bull: Hutt River Pancho exhibited by John and Martin Hutt, Cowra
Grand champion female: Lachlan River Nunya exhibited by Mick Neville, Cowra
Supreme exhibit: Lachlan River Nunya exhibited by Mick Neville, Cowra