A pure black Limousin called Trump, certainly came up trumps, at the led steer judging at the Toowoomba Royal Show, Qld, when he won the grand champion ribbon.
Trump, with a weight of 600 kilograms, was exhibited by Blake and Tegan Dawson, Kingsthorpe, Qld, and was earlier placed first in the 551 to 600kg class, by judge, Julie Pocock-Iseppi.
Ms Pocock-Iseppi said the Limousin steer appealed to her as he had a lot of red meat and was as soft as butter.
"He is very smooth and full of meat from the shoulder to the hip," she said.
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Her decision for the grand champion, who was judged against the champion lightweight and middleweight, was a difficult one.
"In the end this steer is finished and ready to go," she said.
Mr Dawson said it was eight years since his last Toowoomba grand championship and it felt pretty good.
"This bloke is now finished and will head to the kill floor in the next couple of weeks and finish in my freezer," he said.
The middleweight champion steer was Jambill Tricky, a South Devon cross steer, exhibited by the McUtcheon family, Jandowae, Qld.
This steer, with a weight of 538kg, will now complete in the forthcoming Central Queensland Callide Dawson Carcase Classic.
Ms Pocock-Ispeppi said Jambill Tricky also had all the indicators she was looking for.
"He certainly has the red meat capacity and will finish well," she said,
Gabby Stokes from the Lockyer Valley, claimed the champion lightweight with a Charolais cross exhibit named Bluey.
With a weight of 410kgs Bluey has the overall softness, strength of spine, depth of flank and good fat cover to put him where he stood. Bluey will now head to the Ekka led steer competition in August.
In a standalone Speckle Park class it was a steer named Tuxedo exhibited by the Glen Innes High School, that won the class.
Ms Pocock-Iseppi said from the onset she would be looking for functional steers with softness and depth of body.
"The led steers should be a reflection of the best the stud industry has to offer."
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Helen Walker
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
