A COW and calf package which arguably pushes beef breeding out of the “moderate” zone that has ruled in recent times took top honours in the Red Angus ring at the Royal Adelaide Show.
Christie and Andrew Kennedy’s Black Diamond Red Angus at Cowra in NSW exhibited GK Red Ruba 21 and her eight-month-old bull calf to a Supreme win.
She is the first daughter of the superstar GK Red Ruba 26 which last year won the Urquhart trophy, the holy grail of the Sydney beef show ring.
The Kennedys purchased her from GK Livestock in Queensland as a foundation female for their herd and have already picked up a senior champion at the Sydney Royal and reserve senior champion at the Brisbane Ekka this year.
Both the Kennedys, and judge Hannah Powe, Goondoola Red Angus at Cargo, NSW, felt it was the cow’s sheer horsepower that set her apart.
Mrs Kennedy said breeding had moved a bit too far in the way of moderate.
Given commercial producers were paid on cents per kilogram, it was time to address that, she said.
Ms Powe said Red Ruba 21 had “so much body about her” and paid tribute to the job she had done on what was “a remarkably thick and powerful calf.”
The cow and calf edged out what was the heaviest bull on the grounds at Adelaide this year, the 1255 kilogram Drayton Park Levi, from the Burpee family’s Tintinara operation.
Ms Powe described him as “a real sirey bull with so much extension through the front and depth of body.”
She acknowledged he may be too big for some but said his overall correction, soundness and the way he was able to carry the weight well on a good set of legs and feet made him a champion.
Young Victorian Aimee Bolton’s 30 breeder stud near Shepperton, Boltons Girls, collected both the junior champion titles, via full siblings whose mother, Boltons Girls Whisper Echo, was the 2012 Beef interbeed female at Rockhampton, Queensland.
Their sister also won the grand champion female title at the National Red Angus Show in Dubbo this year.
Ms Powe said the junior female, Boltons Girls Nashville, showed great presence and style and exceptional udder development for her age.
Results
Judge: Hannah Powe
Exhibitors: 5
Entries: 38
Supreme, grand and senior female: GK Red Ruba 21,C and A Kennedy, Cowra, NSW.
Reserve senior female: Boltons Girls Whispers Legacy, Aimee Bolton, Congupna, Vic.
Junior champion female: Boltons Girl Nashville, Aimee Bolton. Res: Drayton Park Nutella N232.
Junior champion bull: Boltons Girls Night Cap,Aimee Bolton. Res: Jillangolo Never Back Down, L and M Llewellyn, Keith.
Senior and grand champion bull: Drayton Park Levi, Drayton Park, Prospect. Res senior bull: Drayton Park Magic, Drayton Park.
Shan Goodwin
Shan Goodwin steers ACM’s national coverage of the beef industry. Shan has worked as a journalist for 30 years, the majority of that with agricultural publications. She spent many years as The Land’s North Coast reporter and has visited beef properties and stations throughout the country and overseas. She treats all breeds equally. Contact 0427686187. E: s.goodwin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Shan Goodwin steers ACM’s national coverage of the beef industry. Shan has worked as a journalist for 30 years, the majority of that with agricultural publications. She spent many years as The Land’s North Coast reporter and has visited beef properties and stations throughout the country and overseas. She treats all breeds equally. Contact 0427686187. E: s.goodwin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
