Viking storms through judging to take Supreme for Tycolah at Sydney Royal

A cracking young carcase sire swept through the classes at the 2024 Sydney Royal Easter Show to take the broad ribbons for junior and grand champion bull and supreme Hereford exhibit for a northern NSW stud. 

Steve and Therese Crowley, Tycolah Poll Herefords, Cobbadah, exhibited Tycolah Viking T119 (AI) (PP), an August 2022 drop son of New Zealand sire Koanui Layer P028 and out of the homebred Tycolah Ursula M079.  

They received the Viscount Hereford Perpetual Trophy for the grand champion bull and Canada Perpetual Cup for best exhibit.  

Judge David Smith, Ben Lomond, described the 19-month-old Viking as “a very good class of bull with a really nice muscle pattern, eye muscle area, clean front, he parades out well and is a well-balanced complete bull.” 

“He is easy doing, structurally sound, has a strong spine and moderate muscle pattern with plenty of bone.”  

Another Koanui Layer son and Viking’s stablemate, Tycolah Volume T107 (AI) (P) was sashed as reserve junior champion bull.  

And, in a clean sweep of the ring, Tycolah took out the pair of bulls not over 24 months, the sire’s progeny (Koanui Layer P028), breeder’s group and the HR “Bubbles” Field Perpetual Trophy for the Most Successful Hereford exhibitor.  

Steve Crowley was thrilled to have the two Koanui Layer sons in the line-up and said they were the first calves on the ground by the stud’s new AI sire. 

He had used the grand champion bull lightly at home over stud females and plans to use both bulls over cows in May/June, as well as collect semen. 

The grand champion had been halter broken for Glen Innes show and Sydney Royal was only his second showing.  

“I have heifers calving now to the Koanui sire – he has bred very well for us and the progeny have wonderful temperaments. All our bulls are reserved for our sale in July and (Viking) will be included,” Mr Crowley said.  

“It’s always a thrill to win at Sydney – the last time we won supreme was with Tycolah Queenscliff N029 in 2019.” 

Kierin and Nikki Martin, Kianma Poll Herefords, Forbes, NSW, exhibited the senior champion bull, Kianma T-Rex T002 (P), a July 2022 drop son of Eathorpe Precision P040 and out of the home bred Kianma Matchless P009.  

Reserve senior champion bull was Tondara Guggenheimer S004 (AI) (H) exhibited by Tom and Sophie Holt, Tondara Herefords, Urana, NSW. The August 2021 drop bull was sired by ILR Ribeye 88X 449B and out of Tondara V-9 Novelty 117. 

Exhibited by Andrew and Jessica Quirk, Pinnacle Poll Herefords, Forbes, NSW, the prolific donor dam Llandillo Aster S56 (P) was sashed as senior and grand champion female.  

This was hot on the heels of senior and grand champion female and supreme exhibit at the Royal Canberra Show under judge Steve Crowley, Tycolah Poll Herefords.  

The April 2021 drop female was by Grathlyn Pacemaker and out of Landillo Aster P010, a Glendan Park Lancefield L037 daughter, and was shown with a July drop heifer calf, Pinnacle Aster U003 (S), sired by JTR Royal R046.   

Aster had been purchased as the top priced female at the 2022 Dubbo National Show and Sale by the Pinnacle stud from vendors Llandillo Poll Herefords.  

Pinnacle Poll Herefords also exhibited Pinnacle Aster U073 (AI) (ET) to reserve junior champion female. The April 2023 drop heifer was sired by Tycolah Queenscliff N029 and was following her hit out at the Royal Canberra Show where she won calf champion female.  

Judge David Smith described Llandillo Aster S56 as an easy doing, structurally sound three-year-old displaying capacity and volume, and with a great heifer calf at foot.  

“She has style, is strong headed and has the great attributes of the Hereford breed,” he said.  

Kianma exhibited the junior champion, Kianma Last Day T016 (ET) (PP), a daughter of Mawarra Terminator Q274 and out of Kerlson Pines Last Day L24.  

Reserve senior champion female went to Talumbi Leonie Q002 (P) shown by Daniel Croker, Goulburn, NSW.  

The pair of females not over 24 months was won by Kianma Herefords, the dam’s progeny was taken out by Tim and Jemma Reid, JTR Cattle Company, Roslyn, NSW, with progeny of JTR Cherry Ripe L17, the best maintained team (two to five head) was won by Pinnacle Poll Herefords and the best maintained team over five head went to the Geoff and Heather Bush, Glenholme Herefords, Cootamundra, NSW.