Mark Duthie, GDL and Herefords Australia director, presents the sash for grand champion bull to Mawarra Ultra Star R182 paraded by Brandon Sykes and with judge Steve Reid, Millmerran, Queensland.
It was a family affair as bulls from Mawarra Genetics swept through the classes at the 2022 Herefords Australia National Show on Wednesday to take intermediate, reserve senior and grand champion.
Mawarra stud principals Peter and Deanne Sykes, Longford, Victoria, were also emotional seeing a bull exhibited by their son Brandon and daughter-in-law Brittany Sykes win junior champion.
Mawarra Ultra Star R182, a son of US sire Endure 173D, was sashed as intermediate and grand champion by judge Steve Reid, Millmerran, Queensland, in front of an appreciative audience.
The 24-month-old weighed 1004kg and had a raw eye muscle scan of 140sqcm, 14mm at the P8, 9mm at the rib and a scrotal circumference of 40cm.
On BREEDPLAN, Ultra Star had a 600-day weight of +123kg, eye muscle area of +8.6sqcm and an intramuscular fat percentage of +2.3.
Mawarra also exhibited the reserve senior champion, Mawarra Jupiter R044, a son of Yarram Unique F181, and recipient of a new shield in memory of late Hereford breeder, Clinton Baulch.
The shield was presented by Herefords Australia deputy chairman Marc Greening, with Clinton’s wife Jacquie and children Thomas and Indi, present.
The Herefords Australia National Show was held at the Wodonga Stud Stock Exhibition Centre on May 11, drawing 106 junior, intermediate and senior bulls from 34 vendors from four states.
Judge Steve Reid described Ultra Star as being extreme in muscle with moderate birthweight, positive calving ease and marbling.
“He gives the industry a lot we can take forward in our cattle in one jump,” he said.
“The bull has a wonderful balance of phenotype and data, with tremendous EMA (eye muscle area) and IMF (intramuscular fat), 400- and 600-day weight, moderate birthweight and positive calving ease.
“Phenotypically he has tremendous length of body and butt shape.”
Vendor Peter Sykes said the bull was the type the family had been aiming to breed and one the industry was looking for.
“He has moderate birth, good growth and tremendous carcase attributes and IMF, and it was pleasing to see that come through on the raw data,” Mr Sykes.
“Overall, it has been a great line up of bulls here with people concentrating on carcase and structure.
“We are really proud to see the next generation out there and that’s what it is all about – we love them being involved and they’ve done great with their own cattle.”
The highly competitive junior classes produced Mawarra B Show Stopper S001 as champion.
Exhibited by Brandon and Brittany Sykes, Koetong, Victoria, the 13-month-old bull was sired by Mawarra Showtime P277, weighed 562kg, had a 90sqcm eye muscle area, scanned with 16mm on the rump, 9mm on the rib and had a scrotal circumference of 34cm.
On BREEDPLAN, the young bull had a whopping +8.8sqcm for eye muscle area, and +64kg for carcase weight.
Judge Steve Reid said he was a best combination of muscle and structure.
“There is real class about this young bull and I look forward to seeing what he can contribute to the industry,” he said.
“With an EMA of +8.8, it is terrific to see those sort of bulls coming through at Wodonga,” he said.
Scott Lewington, Kymarney Herefords, Uranquinty, exhibited the reserve junior champion, Kymarney Nixon R045, a 19-month-old son of Wirruna Nixon N168 and weighing in at 816kg.
Nixon had BREEDPLAN figures of +4.1sqcm for EMA, +1.2 per cent for IMF, and a birthweight of +4.8kg.
Andrew Green, Yarrandabbie Herefords, Barfold, Victoria, was on the halter of his bull, Yarrandabbie Richard R004, when it was sashed reserve intermediate champion.
The 23-month-old bull weighed 896kg, had a raw eye muscle area of 133sqcm, and scanned 18mm on the rump and 12mm on the rib.
Sired by Glendan Park Panama P004, Richard had estimated breeding values of +22 for milk, +5.9sqcm for eye muscle area and +65kg for carcase weight.
Tim Hayes, Tarcombe Herefords, Ruffy, Vic, paraded his bull Tarcombe Cadbury R056 to win the senior champion sash.
Sired by Banemore Cadbury M003, the 25-month-old weighed 914kg, had a raw eye muscle area of 133sqcm, and scanned at 17mm at the rump and 9mm on the rib.
Cadbury had a birthweight EBV of +2.9kg, a 600-day weight of +85kg and an eye muscle area of +6.7sqcm.
Mr Reid described the bull as structurally correct with a heap of muscle and athletic movement.
The most successful exhibitor of the National Show was Mawarra Genetics.
The 57th Hereford National Sale will be livestreamed tomorrow (May 12) on Herefords Australia Facebook page from 9am.