Truro Sherlock S188 continued his dominance following a successful northern NSW show circuit to take the hat trick at the 2023 Royal Sydney Show of junior and grand champion bull and supreme Hereford exhibit.
The spring drop 2021 bull was sired by Yalgoo Peacemaker P034 and out of Truro Daffodil M066, emerged from the class over 19 months and not over 20 months to win the junior champion for exhibitors Scott and Pip Hann, Truro Whiteface, Bellata, NSW.
Sherlock had been reserve junior champion and the sweepstakes junior bull at the Glen Innes show, followed by junior and grand champion, supreme exhibit and interbreed champion and supreme beef exhibit at Inverell show where Herefords were the feature breed.
Weighing 896kg, Sherlock had a raw eye muscle area of 131sqcm and will be set for the 2023 Royal Queensland Show followed before being offered at the Truro spring sale.
Judge Alastair Day, Allendale Poll Herefords, Bordertown, SA, described Sherlock as having a “great muscle pattern, nice shoulder, terrific hindquarter, good testicles and sheath.”
“This bull is a terrific example of our breed with so much length, weight for age and he is so well balanced,” Mr Day said.
Tycolah Undercover S117 had placed second to the grand champion in his class and was sashed as reserve junior champion for exhibitors Steve and Therese Crowley, Tycolah Poll Herefords, Cobbadah, NSW.
“We are lucky in our breed to have a couple of bulls like this we can use – they have all the commercial qualities plus the stud sire appeal and quality,” Mr Day said.
Lotus Say No More S172 came from a win in the over 20 and not over 24 months class to be sashed as senior champion bull for exhibitors Tony and Barb Holliss, Lotus Herefords, Glen Innes, NSW. The July 2021 drop bull was sired by Lotus Zeus and out of Lotus Maritana K44.
Mr Day said the senior champion was long, correct carcase bull with good weight for age.
Llandillo Poll Herefords, The Lagoon, NSW, exhibited the reserve senior champion bull, Llandillo Soldier S42, a March 2021 drop son of Grathlyn Pacemaker and out of Llandillo Corrisande.
Mr Day described Soldier as a “carcase bull” ideal for maintaining carcase quality and yield.
In the female classes, the junior champion Cloverlee Secrecy S007 emerged from the heifer over 18 months and not over 19 months, to take the sash for exhibitors Ken and Liz Ikin, Cloverlee Poll Herefords, Bannister, NSW.
Secrecy is a spring drop 2021 daughter of Mawarra Showtime P277 and out of Cloverlee Secrecy Q016.
Judge Alastair Day described Cloverlee Secrecy as a complete heifer that was well structured and with a most impressive hindquarter.
“She is beautiful through the front end, has a lovely strong top with enough thickness and depth, a good skin and nice udder development,” he said.
The Kanimbla Redemption Q079 spring drop 2021 daughter, Kanimbla Nicky S130 had stood second to the Champion in her class and was sashed as reserve junior champion for exhibitors Brett and Emily Keeble, Legacy Herefords, Zeerust, Victoria.
Mr Day said the heifer was “long bodied with a beautiful top and head, lovely wedge shape and brilliant hindquarter”.
The senior champion female, the Tarlee Mustang daughter Cloverlee Asteret R604 and her spring drop heifer calf, Cloverlee Asteret T001, by Mawarra Terminator Q274, had won the cow over 30 and not over 36 months, for exhibitor Cloverlee Poll Herefords. Asteret when on to claim the grand champion female.
Mr Day said Asteret was a long bodied, structurally correct female with a magnificent calf replicating her mother.
The win followed the senior and grand champion female sashes at the 2023 Royal Canberra Show for Cloverlee stud and Asteret R604.
Cloverlee received the Viscount Hereford Perpetual Trophy donated by the Honourable The Viscount Hereford and the Allen Galloway Annual Trophy supported by the Galloway family, Cootharaba Herefords, Roma, Qld.
Graham and Felicity Reeves, Reevesdale Poll Herefords, Gum Flat, NSW, exhibited the reserve champion senior female, Reevesdale Petunia S010, the winner of the heifer 20 months and not over 24 months and sired by Reevesdale Lancealot L60.
“This heifer is so strong through the top and so correct – one to keep an eye on,” Mr Day said.
In the pair of bulls over 24 months, Truro was place first with Tycolah Poll Herefords in second while the sire’s progeny was won by Tycolah Queenscliff N029 progeny for Tycolah Poll Herefords, with Maildaburra Jarrah J2 progeny in second for JTR Cattle Co, Roslyn, NSW.
The breeder’s group was won by Tycolah Poll Herefords which went on to be declared the most successful Hereford exhibitor, receiving the H R “Bubbles” Field Perpetual Trophy.
The best maintained team two to five head was won by Emily Taylor, Eclipse Herefords, and by Llandillo Poll Herefords for the team over five head.
There were 110 Hereford exhibits with the quality of cattle on offer making the event a standout showcase of what the breed has to offer. “All the breeders and exhibitors should be very proud of the way they represented the breed and are congratulated on presenting modern, commercially relevant, top quality stud stock that drew a huge audience around the show ring.” Michael Crowley, CEO Herefords Australia, said.
In the led steers, Macarthur Anglican School and Shotgun Herefords sold a purebred Hereford steer for 410c/kg liveweight or $1607 at auction on April 6. The 392kg steer was sired by Kidman Evident Q098 and had a live scan of 12mm on the rump and 7mm on the rib.
St Stanislaus College and Llandillo Poll Herefords sold a 440kg steer, out of a commercial Hereford cow, for 410ckg or $1804. The steer scanned 8mm on the rump and 5mm on the rib.
Denison College, Kelso High Campus, and Llandillo sold a Grathlyn Pacemaker sired steer weighing 437kg and scanning 10mm and 8mm, for 515c/kg or $2250. This steer was highly commended in the lightweight class in the hoof judging.
Janet Cantwell, Mulloon Pastoral Company, Braidwood, sold a Mulloon Mathias M001 sired steer weighing 435kg and scanning 12mm and 6mm, for 490c/kg or $2131.
The led steers were judged by Herefords Australia chief executive officer Michael Crowley.
In the beef cattle paraders, Max White, The Lagoon, placed fourth in the eight years and under 13 years class, while Emily Taylor, Quipolly, placed third in the open paraders 19 and under 25 years and William Van Gend, The Lagoon, was fourth.
Away from the showring, the general public were able to indulge in Hearty Hereford pies sponsored by Hereford Australia, PILOT and Manildra Group, and prepared by the Baking Association of Australia. They were sold through the Royal Easter Show Pie shop in the AG Discovery Pavilion.