A magnificent Poll Hereford from the Honner family’s Minlacowie stud, Brentwood, has won supreme bull of all breeds at the 2016 Sydney Royal Easter Show.
Minlacowie Jubilant J123 was given the nod from 20 beef breed champions by the panel of three judges.
It is believed to be the first time a SA-bred and owned bull has claimed the interbreed title, rising above the 344 bull entries.
An elated Tom Honner – who had flown back to SA before interbreed judging – said it was a major highlight in the family’s five decades of breeding Herefords.
They have exhibited at Sydney a handful of times in the past 20 years.
“Everyone loves a win in your home state, but to have taken on the whole of Australia in Sydney and beaten them is really special,” he said. “In cattle terms, this is the Melbourne Cup.”
The 29-month-old bull, which weighed more than 1100 kilograms with a raw eye muscle area of 139 square centimetres, had earlier been sashed grand champion Poll Hereford bull. It was the Honners’ sole entry at Sydney.
A son of Sydney Royal junior champion Allendale Waterloo B50, the bull’s impeccable pedigree included influential sire Doonbiddie Hustler. Hustler was grand champion at five major shows in 1998.
Mr Honner said Jubilant had been plucked from 40 other paddock-run bulls but had no special treatment as a young bull so it was pleasing to see the judges recognise its “raw talent”. It had been a stand-out from weaning for his “natural sire presence, brilliant neck extension, great head carriage and phenomenal length”.
“Jublilant is such a mobile bull, a critical component when Australian bulls have to walk long distances for feed and water,” Mr Honner said.
“With a below breed average birthweight, it is a bull that is incredibly safe to use with heifers. With every weaner worth $1000 or more, you don’t want any cows losing calves.”
At the 2015 Royal Adelaide Show Hereford feature, Jubilant made its show ring debut, winning reserve senior champion bull.
Used as a yearling, its young calves are exhibiting the same outstanding traits. More are due and semen has also been collected.
The Sydney champion will be offered at the Wodonga, Vic, Hereford National Show & Sale on May 11-12.
“We hope a few studs get the chance to use this bull and maybe one day we will see a son or daughter reach its dizzy heights,” Mr Honner said.
“As a stud, we love seeing our name in the pedigree of top bulls. At the Dubbo, NSW, National last year three of the top seven bulls had Minlacowie in their pedigree.”
The coveted Urquhart trophy for supreme beef exhibit at Sydney was won by Kellie Smith, Allora, Qld, with an Angus cow K5X LISA H56.
