A rising three-year-old Speckle Park bull weighing close to the payload limit of a Toyota Landcruiser ute has claimed bragging rights as the heaviest to be shown in the stud cattle championships at Beef 2024.
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The 1152 kilogram, Wattle Grove Hall of Fame S723, had been earmarked long ago for Beef by stud principals Dale and Belinda Humphries from Oberon and Nundle, NSW.
It all fell into place after Wattle Grove's bull sale last October when Pedro Demertini, Speckle Park, Brazil, bought the $48,000 bull as a semen sire.
"They wanted to exhibit him here and he will go into collection after that," he said.
At the time of the sale the 26 month old weighed 1045 kilograms.
Speckle Park Brazil also bought Wattle Grove's grand champion beef bull, Dust & Smoke P07 after setting their eyes on him at Beef 2021.
Mr Humphries said Hall of Fame was the culmination of the stud's nearly 16 years breeding Speckle Park cattle.
"Our first time up here in 2012 we went home and said we have to get the cattle bigger, we get paid on weight per kilogram," he said.
Wattle Grove's breeding philosophy is cattle with more size and frame which are better adapted to Australian and Brazilian conditions than their Canadian origins.
"Speckle Parks are a more moderate, carcase orientated breed but we have to compete to supply the commercial man, especially in the northern part of Qld where the cattle - Brahman, Droughtmasters, Santa Gertrudis are all that bit bigger," he said.
He said the heaviest bull was not necessarily a title breeders wanted to own with some seeing it as a negative and connotations of cattle being overprepared but Mr Humphries is confident the bull is all "red meat, muscle and bone".
In previous times Wattle Grove's show team has been 10 or more but they will be pinning all their hopes in the Speckle Park judging on Tuesday on Hall of Fame as their sole entry.
"There are lots of reasons why I enjoy Beef, I get to hang out with my family for two weeks which doesn't happen at home and we also see friends and clients," Mr Humphries said.
