Upper Hunter Beef Bonanza 2022 won by Keajura Park, Brentvale Limousin steer

Held at White Park, Scone, the largest event of its kind has drawn over 300 steers and carcase heifers, 40 stud and commercial heifers, and around 570 youth participants from across NSW. The live cattle judging was officiated by University of New England associate professor of meat science Dr Peter McGilchrist, Armidale.

But it was a partnership between the Tarcutta-based Keajura Park Limousin stud, and Brentvale Limousins, Senior, SA, which came away with champion led steer before going a step further to claim the supreme champion exhibit of the show.

Also receiving the Stan Watson Memorial Trophy, the 429 kilogram black steer known as 'Brentvale Footloose' was bred by Jason Foote of Brentvale and had been prepared for 130 days on Fryers feed ration by the Maclure family of Keajura Park.

During the championship lineup, judge Mr McGilchrist said the eventual supreme steer had caught his eye all day.

"I loved him when he walked in, I loved him when I put a hand on him," he said.

"The weight in him for how young he is, the stature of him - he is so right. I love this calf."

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He was 11 months of age, by Brentvale Nitro and out of Brentvale Fifi P4. Last weekend he was shown at Cootamundra Show where he placed third in class, while at the Keajura Park National Limousin Junior Show in July he as also third with the judge commenting they would excited to see him when he was 100-120kg heavier.

Mr McGilchrist said he was excited by his line of division champion steers, with them all being similar types with good muscle, width, depth and exceptional toplines.

"It is complex system to turnout animals like this - it is no mean feat." he said. "Congratulations to all the participants in the Upper Hunter Beef Bonanza who has prepared steers.

"Competitions like this is where I started. Where I got a taste of showing steers. I was intrigued by the industry, and have worked in it ever since."

Mr McGilchrist encouraged others to get involved, as "our industry needs as many people as they can get".

Reserve in the light middleweight division went to a 472kg Limousin steer exhibited by John and Corrina Adams.

The last minute decision to enter a steer for the UHBB has paid off for Ian and Donna Robson and family of Flemington Limousins, with the Adelong-based operation coming away with heavyweight champion steer.

Their 580kg entry was out of Flemington Unreal and sired by Flemington Quicksilver, a bull which sold at the stud's sale to Casey and Nigel Wieck, CB Charolais and Limousins, Delungra, and will be used to breed show steers.

Fed Fryers ration for 120 days, the 13-month-old had only been entered on Wednesday last week after he had been carried over from the Royal Queensland Show (the Ekka). He recently won champion steer at the Cootamundra Show last weekend.

Judge Mr McGilchrist said the steer was a "magnificent animal" and "everything you look for".

"He is not that old, he is everything you look for - he has amazing growth rates, he exhibits thickness, even fat cover, a stronger topline than the reserve," he said. "The reserve has a lot of show and presence."

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The reserve champion heavyweight steer went to a Limousin/Hereford cross steer which weighed 622kg and was exhibited by Scots All Saints College, Bathurst.

Purchased through Bowyer and Livermore, Bathurst at the Central Tablelands Livestock Exchange, Carcoar, he had been on the school's own ration for 150 days, and was one of 12 steers (11 led, one unled) exhibited by 18 students of the school.

"Every animal won a ribbon," Scots All Saints agriculture teacher Libby Dawes said.

Calrossy Anglican School, Tamworth, won heavy middleweight champion steer with its 493kg Limousin steer bred by Bethany and Erica Bayliss of Baylim Limousins, Dorrigo.

Sired by Compliant out of Mandayen Wolfette, the 14-month-old has been on Alexander Downs feed for 120 days, with Calrossy agriculture teacher Bronwyn Neilsen saying he was a "easy doing steer with a beautiful temperament which combines high yield and finishing ability".

Reserve champion heavy middleweight went to Wayne and James Davis' entry, a 510kg Limousin steer, which had been bred by Kathy Curran of Deepfields Limousins and prepared by the Davis' who are based at Tabbita near Griffith over the past 4.5-5 months.

Sired by Greenwood Fernando out of Deepfields Annalise, who is out of the old 'Honey' cow, the steer is well travelled having gone from Camden to Griffith and now north to Scone.

Fed Riverina beef finisher since June, it was the 11-month-old's first outing.

In the lightweight division it was a clean sweep for the Macrae family of Coonamble who took home both champion and reserve with their 14-month-old Limousin steers which were both sired by a Benjarra Limousin bull.

The champion black Limousin weighed 397kg, while the reserve champion apricot Limousin weighed 407kg.

Mr McGilchrist said it was a tough decision, but eventually landed with the soft, shapey steer which carried so much thickness over the topline from behind the shoulder right through down the hindquarter.

"Its a tough decision... they are even for capacity, over the topline and have even fat cover... but the showiness of the black steer caught my eye," he said.

"The softness he has over the hindquarter is what got him over the reserve, but they are very similar steers - the only thing that really differs is the coat colour and we know that doesn't matter."

Adam Macrae said it was a "proud dad moment" with his children Oscar and Isobel teaming up to prepare and show the steers.

"It was the first outing as brother and sister showing, and all the early mornings paid off," he said.

"They prepared them (three Macrae steers, and one for the Coonamble High School) all by themselves."

Mr Macrae said both steers which were bred by Matt and Kim McKenzie, Coonamble, were on a Barley-based ration - which is the same as they use in their on-farm feedlot - since May

"Early on I liked the apricot... but Greg Ball judged at Coonamble Show when they were fresh and put the black steer into champion in May," he said.

"The black steer powered on and covered more. They were neck and neck for weight and finish, but the black ended up a bit softer."

The prime heifer section was won by Paul Banks of PRB Livestock, Coolah with his 518kg Limousin cross Santa Gertrudis/Angus heifer which had been on Alexander Downs feed for 130 days in preparation fo the show.

Judge Mr McGilchrist said the champion exhibited width and depth.

"When you get your hand on top of this heifer she is so wide, has a huge EMA [eye muscle area] and good fat cover," he said.

Calrossy Anglican School exhibited the reserve champion prime heifer, a 420kg Limousin heifer bred by Bethany and Erica Bayliss of Baylim Limousins, Dorrigo.

The 13-month-old heifer sired by Back Creek Noble Star and out of a Back Creek bred female was also fed Alexander Downs feed for 120 days in the lead up, and was successfully show winning champion carcase animal at the Quirindi Show and second in class at Tamworth Show.

Thirty-nine exhibits took part in the unled section held at the Scone saleyards, which incorporated an interactive judging session whereby the kids could place the steers in teams, provide reasons and ask questions.

Champion unled steer went to the heavy middleweight class winner, a 508kg grey Angus steer exhibited by St Mary's College Gunnedah, Heath Birchall and Wallawong Premium Beef.

Mr McGilchrist said he was the "safest" option.

The unled champion was only beaten by the led champion for the Stan Watson Memorial Trophy for the supreme champion exhibit of show.

"The unled champion and led champion are two fantastic calves of a similar type... they're safe steers," he said.

Fed for 110 days on Alexander Downs feed, he was sired by Angus bull, Wallawong Password, and out of a Wallawong influenced Silver Angus heifer.

Lachlan James of St Mary's College Gunnedah and Wallawong Premium Beef said anything coming out of Heath Birchall's operation tends to be of high quality, with previous winners at UHBB and Wingham Beef Week being bred by the Duri-based operator.

"We can be confident with the genetics we get from Heath's place... he supplied us with the Silver Angus steer which won champion carcase at Wingham this year," he said.

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Mr James also said Mr Birchall had been integral to several of their last wins at Beef Australia, Rockhampton, over the last two events.

Reserve champion unled steer went to Wellington High School with its 580kg heavyweight Charolais steer.

The unled pen of three was won by St Marys College Gunnedah, Heath Birchall and Wallawong Premium Beef with their pen of three Murray Grey steers.

MORE FROM THE UPPER HUNTER BEEF BONANZA TO COME.

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