A magnificent young Murray Grey female with six-month-old twin heifer calves from Vic stud Prairie Falls reigned supreme in the feature breed showing.
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New Zealand judge and Angus stud breeder Richard Rowe, Marton, said he could not take his eyes off “super sound” Prairie Falls Kirrabel for its production.
It epitomised the maternal qualities of the breed.
“Breeding cows are the engine room of beef production and must produce the goods year after year getting in-calf and rearing a calf, but it (Kirrabel) has two,” he said.
“It is a lovely cow in its own right with a great udder, sound and depth all the way through but you have to admire what it is doing with those twin calves.”
Kirrabel was sired by Lilyvale Grenadier and the twin calves were by herd sire Monterey Junction.
Mr Rowe said it was one of the easiest decisions he had made in a breed supreme championship.
“It is one hell of an impressive unit,” he said.
Kirrabel’s stellar showring career included Sydney Royal Easter Show junior champion female and reserve junior champion at Melbourne Show in 2015 as a heifer, but as a breeding female it was time to dazzle.
Young Vic stud breeder Crystal Bell, Flinders, said it was a huge thrill to win the top accolade in her first feature breed showing.
“It (Kirrabel) calved down as a 23-month-old heifer and the calves are quite growthy and sappy so they are doing well,” she said.
Ms Bell, 22, established her stud four years ago, with her grandparents also Murray Grey breeders for many years.
“I love the softness, udder shape, doing ability of the breed,” she said. “Temperament wise, they have been great.”
Prairie Falls also claimed the junior champion female, with yearling heifer Bettina displaying the same maternal qualities.
Senior and grand champion bull was Ballyvaughan Katut, exhibited by the Sanders family, Ballyvaughan stud, Clare.
The 960-kilogram bull had an eye muscle area of 134 square centimetres, 8-millimetre rump and 7mm rib fat.
Mr Rowe praised the March 2014-drop for having a “tremendous top and muscle pattern” and great feet and legs.
Katut followed in the footsteps of its sire, which was the grand champion Murray Grey bull four years earlier and sold to two NSW studs.
Stud co-principal Katrina Sanders said it was their first time showing a senior bull in Adelaide, but they had earmarked it for the feature show.
“I loved the muscle tone of this ‘fella’, it walks really well and really caught my eye in the paddock as a calf,” she said.
The ribbons were well spread among the 28 exhibitors from SA, Vic, NSW, WA and Tas, who turned out to celebrate the breed’s 50th year showing at Adelaide.
Junior champion bull went to Carlinga Linebacker, owned by Kym Carlton, Boggabri, NSW. The 19-month-old was on a showring roll, having already been judged the supreme exhibit at Sydney and the recent Ekka in Brisbane.
Mr Rowe was impressed by the “well-balanced” bull which “ticked a lot of boxes”.
“It is carrying a fair bit of condition but it is very structurally correct with a great phenotype,” he said.
“At home cattle must be able to walk up and down hills and in Australia walk long distances, so they must stride out well.”
