It was a clean sweep of the Hereford ring at Beef Australia 2024 with grand champion male and female sashes for NSW central west breeders, Kierin and Nikki Martin, on May 8.
The young couple operate Kianma Poll Herefords at Forbes and made the long trek to Rockhampton in far north Queensland to win grand champion female with Kianma Princess and grand champion bull with Kianma T-Rex T002 (P) as well as champion and reserve champion junior female champion female. Kianma also went on to win the group class.
The Hereford and Poll Hereford entries were judged by American Hereford Association Executive Vice President Jack Ward with associate judge Mitchell Taylor, Quipolly, NSW.
Mitchell won the right to assist Mr Ward in the ring after winning grand champion junior judge at the 2023 Herefords Australia National Youth Expo.
Yagaburne Prunella U369 (P) exhibited by Yagaburne Pastoral Company, Goondiwindi, was sashed as female calf champion and in reserve as Welray Corisande 84 U968 (H) exhibited by Selwyn Weller, Welray Partnership, Nabiac, NSW.
Judge Jack Ward described the young heifer as a quality animal with strength through the top line and hip.
“I like the set and design of her hind leg, and she is feminine through her front end,” Mr Ward said.
The male calf champion Braelyn Renault U034 (H) was exhibited by Neville and Denise Shannon, Braelyn Herefords, Texas, Qld, and in reserve was Welray Unleased U970 (AI) exhibited by Welray Partnership.
The February 2023 drop Renault was sired by Warwick Court Renault and out of Braelyn Symphony.
Mr Ward was impressed with Renault’s body length, feet and legs, top line, overall balance and quality.
Commercial Hereford breeder Nicole Hayes, Undoolya Station, Northern Territory, sashed the champion junior female Kianma Last Day T016 (ET) (PP) and reserve junior champion Kianma Princess, both exhibited by Kianma Poll Herefords.
Last Day was sired by Mawarra Terminator Q274 and out of Kianma Princess and had been junior champion female at the 2024 Sydney Royal Show.
Associate judge Mitchell Taylor was impressed with the winner’s barrel, length, mobility, broodiness, femininity, smoothness, capacity, colour and appeal.
Junior champion bull was won by Te-Angie Tyson T009 (PP), exhibited by Oglivie & Sons, Wongwibinda, NSW, and reserve was Braelyn Pioneer T085 (P), exhibited by Braelyn Herefords.
The August 2022 drop Tyson was sired by Te-Angie Quattro Q002 and out of Te-Angie Necklet P088.
Mr Taylor was impressed with Tyson’s muscle expression, thickness, length, smooth front shoulders, mobility, capacity and hooded eyes.
Senior and grand female champion was awarded to Kianma Princess S009 (AI) (P) and her January drop heifer calf, Kianma Princess V1, exhibited by Kianma Poll Herefords, whilst in reserve was Truro Queenie S147 (P), exhibited by Scott and Pip Hann, Truro Whiteface, Bellata, NSW.
The August 2021 drop Princess was sired by Bowen Porter P259 and out of Rilo Park Princess G10.
“This cow has a tremendous amount of presence, quality and look about her. She has width and dimension to her chest and is nursing a beautiful heifer calf with a lot of quality. The teat size is really nice, and she has excellent milk flow,” Mr Ward said.
Senior and grand champion bull Kianma T-Rex T002 (P) was exhibited by Kianma Poll Herefords, while senior reserve champion went to Truro Tropical T046 (P) exhibited by Truro Whiteface.
The July 2022 drop T-Rex was sired by Eathorpe Precision P040 and out of Kianma Matchless P009 and backed up senior champion bull at the 2024 Sydney Royal Show.
Mr Ward said the champion was structurally sound, with balance and quality, muscle expressed down the top line, good weight for day of age, and a tidy sheath.
It was a showring debut for Keirin and Nikki Martin at Beef Australia after making a 19-hour trip with four head and a calf.
“This outing has been in the pipeline for three years after attending Beef 2021,” Mr Martin said.
He has Kianma T-Rex slated for the Kianma on-property sale in August while Kianma Princess S009 will be shown at Brisbane and Melbourne Royal Shows.
He said the interest in the Hereford breed in the cattle sheds from visitors had been strong and positive with commercial producers asking about using Hereford bulls for crossbreeding.
Jack Ward paid tribute to Mitchell Taylor as associate judge, saying he had a tremendous eye for cattle, enthusiasm on the microphone and was professional in his manner.
“I suspect you will see Mitchell for a long time around Australia working through cattle shows. His sister is out in the ring helping and they have both started their own stud herds, and I encourage you to continue to mentor these folks along as they will be true assets to the breed.”