Charolais cow continues to Amaze

Wakefield Amaze 38, shown by Greg Frizell, Wakefield, Wollomombi, east of Armidale, was continuously praised by judge Kirrily Johnson-Iseppi as the cow was scrutinised through the classes to the ultimate honour of best exhibit.

"Some might say she belongs in the paddock, but with a cow that's as amazing as this, is eight years of age, and with an udder structure that's still really fine and tidy. Is totally sound in those feet and legs and strides out well and she's still doing a really good job on that young heifer calf. You've really got to appreciate.

Mr Frizell said the Wakefield Amaze line of females continued to prove their longevity with 117 progeny from the matrilineal line.

He said Amaze 38's dam, aged 14 years, is still producing in the Wakefield herd and is back in calf for another calving season.

"Amaze 38 went to the Ekka in 2019 and was the supreme Charolais exhibit and supreme exhibit at the Charolais National in Dubbo in 2019," Mr Frizell said.

COVID-19 interrupted a visit to Sydney Royal for Amaze 38, Mr Frizell said, and she hadn't entered a showring since 2019.

"We thought we'd give her one more go as we hadn't won in Sydney," he said.

Mr Frizell said the cow had been flushed for embryos "a couple of times", and one of those ET calves is a key sire in the Wakefield stud. Wakefield did not show any bulls at Sydney this year.

The Thompson family's Venturon Livestock, Boyup Brook, WA, made the massive trip east across the Nullarbor to go one result better than their 2022 Sydney Royal foray.

This year they exhibited the junior champion bull and female and the senior and grand champion bull. Last year they showed the junior champion female and reserve junior bull and the senior and grand champion bull.

Ms Johnson-Iseppi was fulsome in her praise for each of the Venturon champion winners.

She said the junior heifer was a good blend of frame and femininity.

"She moves out really freely, and when you stand behind her, she's really wide and blends beautifully into her topline," she said.

The junior bull, Venturon Showbiz 161S, was praised for its muscle and softness.

"He has a really good head and neck, and I liked the way he moves out and cruises around the ring. When we stand behind him, he's really wide in the pins and got a stack of muscle in him while retaining that softness and the ability to cover really well."

The senior and grand bull, Venturon Start the Party S97, was described as having softness and performance while maintaining the muscle shape the judge was looking for.

Venturon's trio of broad ribbon winners added to their tally, winning the breeder's group class. Venturon collected the dam's progeny sash with calves from Svy Starstruck 409B, and then SCR Triumph 2135 took the plaudits for Venturon in the sire's progeny class.

In the class of two bulls, not over 24 months, Beverley Hogland and Steve Martin from Coonamble showed the only entry in that class.

Champions

Junior female: Venturon Starstruck 157S, Venturon Livestock, Boyup Brook, WA. Reserve: Winchester Miss Cooley S14, Casey and Nigel Wieck, Myall Creek, via Delungra.

Senior, grand female and best exhibit: Wakefield Amaze 38, Greg Frizell, Wakefield, Wollomombi. Res: Winchester Miss Cooley Q6E, Winchester Charolais, Orange.

Junior bull: Venturon Showbiz 161S, Venturon Livestock, Boyup Brook, WA. Res: Challambi Sargent, Challambi Charolais, Tooma.

Senior and grand bull: Venturon Start the Party S97, Venturon Livestock, Boyup Brook, WA. Res: Wakefield Raise the Bar, Beverley Hogland and Stephen Martin, Coonamble.

Judge: Kirrily Johnson-Iseppi, Cecil Plains, Queensland.