THE Orange-based stud Winchester Charolais has taken top honours for the breed with its four year-old matron Winchester Daisy Duke N16E named supreme Charolais exhibit and then supreme female at the Sydney Royal Show in competition for the interbreed Urquhart Perpetual Trophy.
It follows her long-awaited return to the show ring after a two year hiatus.
"She was junior champion female here in 2019," said Winchester Charolais stud principal, Gavin O'Brien. "She was going to come back in 2020 but with Covid-19 she couldn't.
"We were all set.
"We were at Blayney Show coming to Sydney and they cancelled the show while we were there."
Mr O'Brien operates Winchester Charolais stud with his wife Kristie and daughters Miley and Isla. He said Winchester Daisy Duke N16E had belonged to 13 year-old Miley.
"Miley broke her in and did everything with her," he said.
And with a wealth of genetics behind her - her mother had been supreme Charolais in 2006 and her full sister had been champion interbreed heifer in 2010 - Winchester Daisy Duke N16E was rewarded for the "longevity" she brought to her breed.
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She was sashed senior and grand champion female and supreme Charolais exhibit by judge Scott Myers, Myers Angus stud, The Rock, and then supreme female in the interbreed competition.
There she vied with the Angus bull Pine Creek Royal Roll 017 shown by Pine Creek Angus stud, Cowra, for the Urquhart Perpetual Trophy for Supreme Beef Exhibit.
"[She] is a fantastic female," said Meat and Livestock Australia managing director and judge, Jason Strong.
"She is really refined and she's got great depth of body. She moves well and still carries quite a bit of weight in the carcase.
She is a really good depiction of how we can have functional, refined females that are still relevant to the meat industry
And while she didn't receive the top title Winchester Daisy Duke N16E was the toast of the stable.
"She's back in-calf and we will retire her now and show her heifer calf," Mr O'Brien said.
He said the focus of the stud had been to breed soft, structurally sound cattle.
"We concentrate on cow families more so than the bull," he said. "We like a real, soft hair and skin, functional udders and good feet.
"Temperament is number one. And they've got to be commercially relevant.
"Another thing we focus on is leg structure. Euro cattle tend to be a little bit straight through the hind leg.
"We like to have a lot of flex; it's just soundness and longevity that that gives them.
"Kristie and the girls and I love it. It's very much a family thing."
OTHER BROAD RIBBON WINNERS:
- Junior champion female: Venturon Naughty But Nice S32, Venturon Livestock, Boyup Brook, WA. Reserve: Wakefield Amaze 82, Greg Frizell, Wakefield, Wollomombi.
- Reserve senior champion female: Winchester Miss Cooley Q6E, Winchester Charolais, Orange.
- Junior champion bull: DSK Real Big Deal R61E, DSK Charolais, Rocky Glen. Reserve: Venturon Stamp Duty S42, Venturon Livestock.
- Senior and grand champion bull: Venturon Raise The Bar R1, Venturon Livestock. Reserve: Rangan Ronan R40, Rangan Charolais, Charleroi, Vic.
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