Young carcase sire Lachdale Mindblower outgunned a powerful bull lineup to be junior and grand champion at the 57th annual Herefords Australia National Show.
Held at Dubbo on June 4, the National Show drew 35 vendors and 96 polled and horned bulls from NSW, Queensland and South Australia.
Vendor Lachie Scurr, Lachdale Poll Herefords, Texas, Queensland, was on the halter of Mindblower, a 974kg son of Kidman Outlook F54.
Beating out tough competition from the intermediate and senior champion bulls from the Supple and Rayleigh studs, Mindblower impressed judge David Smith, Ben Lomond, NSW, with his thickness and muscle.
“This bull is structurally sound with a good, strong head on him. He has natural thickness in spades and plenty of muscle,’’ Mr Smith said.
“You couldn’t ask for a better example of any breed.”
The September 2016-drop bull weighed 974kg, had a raw eye muscle scan of 134sqcm, P8 fat of 18mm, rib fat of 10mm, scrotal circumference of 42cm and had a BREEDPLAN eye muscle area of +3.4sqcm.
Reserve junior champion bull was JTR Patrick M015 (AI) (ET) (P), an August 2016-drop bull by Tycolah Lynwood H184 (P), and exhibited by Tim and Gemma Reid, JTR Cattle Company, Roslyn, NSW.
Ben and Leanne Rumbel, Supple Whiteface, Guyra, NSW, were dominant in the intermediate classes, claiming both the champion and reserve sashes in the division.
Champion was awarded to the 915kg Supple Mally M077 (P), a June drop bull sired by Morganvale Educator (P).
Mally impressed judge David Smith in his age class and again in the championship.
“There are a lot of things I like in this bull, I loved the style and length of him and he is very structurally sound,’’ Mr Smith said.
Stablemate and another Morganvale Educator son, Supple Meteor M171, was sashed reserve intermediate champion bull.
Mr Smith was impressed with the Supple entries throughout the day, culminating in the stud being awarded the prestigious President’s Trophy for the best presented team of three bulls.
Supple entered the class with their champion and reserve intermediate bulls, plus Supple Medallion M155 (which came second in his class), rounding out the three.
Second place in the President’s Trophy was awarded to Rayleigh Poll Herefords.
Rayleigh also enjoyed success in the senior division, taking out the champion sash with Rayleigh Magnum M009.
Sired by The Ranch Marksman H14 (P), Magnum is a low birthweight bull with a BREEDPLAN figure of +2.8kg.
Magnum also impressed the judge with his thickness and depth in the ring.
“He is a big, strong sire, with a good head, good depth and body of carcase,’’ Mr Smith said.
Reserve champion senior bull was awarded to Gundongs Marksman M003 (P), exhibited by Glen Pugh, Gundongs stud, Tomingley, NSW.
A Days Robin Hood J183 son, Marksman tipped the scales at 1094kg and scanned 139sqcm for eye muscle area.
Ravensdale Poll Herefords. Holbrook, NSW, placed well in the morning’s Performance classes under judge Tim Bayliss, Dorrigo, NSW.
Ravensdale Westward M035 took the broadribbon in the European Union class, with Minlacowie Marvel M093 in reserve for Tom and Amy Honner, Minlacowie stud, Minlaton, SA.
“I was looking for animals with a mid maturity pattern, good length of body and carcase shape for the EU class, and this bull delivered that,’’ Mr Bayliss said.
The Supermarket Index class was won by the 942kg Allendale Heidelberg M061 exhibited by Alastair and Jayne Day, Allendale stud, Bordertown, SA.
“To fit the supermarket specifications I was looking for a high yielding bull with an early to mid maturity pattern, lots of carcase, big EMA, and structural soundness,’’ Mr Bayliss said.
Ravensdale Guardian M222 was named reserve champion sash for the Ravensdale stud.
The Performance classes were judged out of 100 points, with a possible 40 points for structure, 30 points for indexes, and 30 points for market suitability.
Champion EU Index Bull: Ravensdale Westward M035, with Herefords Australia General Manager Andrew Donoghue, judge Tim Bayliss and Jess Hobbs on halter.
Reserve champion EU bull: Minlacowie Marvel M093, led by Tom Honner, with Andrew Donoghue and Tim Bayliss.
Champion Supermarket Index bull: Allendale Heidelberg M061, sashed by Herefords Australia General Manager Andrew Donoghue, with judge Tim Bayliss and exhibited by Alastair Day.
Reserve champion Supermarket Index bull: Ravensdale Guardian M222, led by Stuart Hobbs, pictured with Andrew Donoghue and judge Tim Bayliss.
Lachdale Mindblower M003, exhibited by Lachie Scurr, was awarded champion junior bull and the Dick Green Memorial Trophy. Pictured with class sponsor Tony Elliott of Croak Media, Andrew Green, Lachie Scurr, and Steve Crowley.
Reserve junior champion bull: JTR Patrick M015, with Tony Elliott, Croak Media, judge David Smith, Jemma Reid on halter and Tim Reid.
Intermediate champion bull was awarded to Supple Mally M077, sashed by John Settree of Landmark, with judge David Smith, and led by Jessica Grosser.
Supple Herefords also claimed the reserve intermediate champion sash with Supple Meteor M171, pictured with John Settree, judge David Smith, and Ben Rumbel, Supple Herefords, Guyra.
Senior champion bull, Rayleigh Magnum M009 is led by Sarah Holcombe and sashed by Ross McCarthy, Dubbo Regional Council, with judge David Smith, alongside Anna and Jeff Holcombe, Rayleigh Herefords, Burren Junction.
Reserve senior champion: Gundongs Marksman M003, exhibited by Glen Pugh, with Ross McCarthy and David Smith.
Lachdale Mindblower M003 with the grand champion sash and Evan Davies Memorial Trophy, pictured with Dubbo National Show and Sale Chairman Andrew Rayner, judge David Smith, with Lachie and Greg Scurr, Texas, Queensland.
The prestigious President’s Shield was taken out by the Supple Herefords team, with judge David Smith, The Land livestock representative Lisa Duce, and Jess Gross, Ben Rumbel and Chris Law on halters.