Wise family’s Southend Murray Grey crowned unled grand champion at Wagin Woolorama

The Wise family of Southend Murray Grey Stud in Katanning continue to find success in the showring after taking home champion titles from the 2024 Wagin Woolorama unled section as part of the Commonwealth Bank Cattle Expo. Their Murray Grey Stud Southend Uptown U119 won the judge’s nod at the Wagin Woolorama cattle judging on March 8 and was named unled grand champion. Cattle judge Kevin Yost, of Liberty Charolais Stud in Toodyay, said it was a tough choice considering the “impressive” selection on the day, but the title ultimately had to go to Southend’s young bull for its “good length, structure and muscle”. “When he got out there and moved around in the ring, he was everything I was looking for in a bull,” Mr Yost said. “On top of this he had a good-hooded eye and a nice clean sheath and adequate testicles for a bull his age.” Southend Murray Grey stud principal Kurt Wise said he chose Uptown U119 for his coat type, overall outlook and being “structurally sound”. “He just has a really good appeal,” he said. The young winning bull is an early April 2023 AI-bred son of Southend Ralph R539, which sold for Southend’s previous record top price of $24,000. The grand sire of Uptown U119 is Southend Narcissus, an animal Mr Wise said was “one of the better bulls in the breed at the moment”. Southend also took home the grand champion unled heifer pair title, marking the fifth consecutive year in a row the Wise family have won the award. The pair of Murray Grey heifers were daughters of Southend Narcissist and Southend Roman. “I was looking for enough femininity in the pair, as well as them both retaining strength to be able to produce quality progeny which they fit well,” Mr Yost said. CHAMPIONS Grand champion, unled bull: Murray Grey, Southend Stud, Katanning Champion unled heifer: Murray Grey Southend Stud Champion paid of unled heifers: Murray Grey, Southend stud Reserve champion bull: Charolais, Quicksilver stud, Newdegate Reserve champion heifer: Angus, Venturon Livestock