Toodyay’s Yosts celebrate a Charolais class clean sweep

This year's Wagin Woolorama cattle competition was a clean sweep for Toodyay's Liberty Charolais stud.

Kevin and Robin Yost, of Liberty, took home multibreed champion bull and female, as well as champion male, female and grand champion in the Charolais class.

The family also won in the progeny group of three category.

Judge Bill McNair described champion multi-breed bull Liberty Gumboot as displaying good "overall balance and style".

Champion multi-breed female Liberty Eclipses All also took out the grand champion in the Charolais class.

Liberty's champion bull and champion female competed together in the progeny group of three category, along with a Liberty heifer.

Cattle in the progeny group were all sired by Liberty Below Zero.

Stud principal Kevin Yost said the 34-month-old heifer, with calf at foot, stood out for her excellent breeding quality.

A total of 115 stud cattle from 13 breeds were on display at Woolorama this year.

Announcer Lindsay Johnson said cattle numbers were similar to the last few years.

Mr Johnson said strong competition made it a challenging event for the judges. "The judges did really well - they had some tough choices to make," he said.

Feature breed Simmentals were well represented, with 23 entries across five studs.

Wagin's Bullock Hills Simmental stud won champion bull and grand champion Simmental with Gladiator.

Mr Johnson said an air of positivity was felt among producers.

"I think there's optimism there," he said. "On the back of a tough going last year it was nice to have a season where feed was easier to come by and prices are starting to improve."

Mr Johnson said WA's record grain harvest for the 2011-12 season contributed to cheaper grain prices for cattle farmers.

He said farmers were still feeling the flow-on effects of the suspension on live cattle exports, but it was still a good time to be in cattle.

A total of 30 studs exhibited cattle across seven classes at Wagin.

_CHAROLAIS _

Liberty Charolais stud dominated the Charolais class at Wagin this year.

The Toodyay stud's heifer Eclipses All won the champion female and grand champion.

Judge Lachlan Fry remarked on the 34-month-old heifer's "beautiful wedge shape".

Liberty's Kevin Yost hoped to sell the heifer at this year's Sydney Royal Show. "She is going to Sydney at the end of the month to be sold," he said.

"We looked at her overall length of body, her volume and tidy udder."

Champion bull Liberty Gumboot originated from the same sire as the heifer - Liberty Below Zero.

Mr Yost said two of Liberty Below Zero's sons topped the WA Charolais bull sale this year, selling for $8250 each.

Judge Mr Fry described Liberty Gumboot as well balanced and stylish.

_SIMMENTAL _

Wagin's Bullock Hills Simmental stud took out top honours in the feature breed class at this year's Wagin Woolorama.

The stud's 11.5 month old bull Gladiator won champion bull and grand champion Simmental.

Judge Bill McNair described the bull as close to perfect.

"There is nothing wrong with this bull," he said. "He has a lot of softness, is good through the shoulder and walks well."

As Mr McNair awarded Gladiator the grand champion prize, he described the bull as the complete package.

Champion Simmental female went to Bettina 335 of Margaret River's Topweight Simmental stud.

Topweight's Sam Weightman said the cow carried herself extremely well considering her weight.

"She weighs almost a tonne but she carries herself really well," he said. "She is a nice wedge-shaped cow."

_MURRAY GREY _

Grand champion and champion bull in the Murray Grey class went to Gladiator of Katanning's Southend Murray Grey stud.

Judge Lachlan Fry described the 13-month-old bull as an outstanding example of its breed.

The bull was sired by all breeds supreme senior champion beef bull at the Perth Royal Show 2008, Southend Braveheart.

Southend stud's Clinton Wise said Gladiator would be retained in the stud for breeding.

"He is well put together, with good softness and balance," he said. "He is very smooth all over and also has a good growth rate - at 685kg."

He said the bull would go on to show at the Esperance and Albany shows.

Newdegate Murray Grey stud Willawa took out champion female with Angel A26.

_SPECIALTY BREED _

Paragon Miniature Hereford stud cow Lady Dana won the champion specialty breed female and champion specialty breed grand champion.

Paragon's Denise Warner, of Waroona, said the 48-month-old cow was one of her standout breeders.

"She has a beautiful temperament and is everything a miniature Hereford should be," she said.

"She is small and broad and is doing a good job with her calf."

Judge Lachlan Fry commented on Paragon Lady Dana's overall balance and style as her asset. "The way she blends through her parts is what got her here today," he said.

Paragon bull Lord Charles won the champion bull specialty breed.

The five-year old bull will go on to be part of Paragon's breeding herd.

Paragon was the only stud represented in the speciality breed showing.

_ALL OTHER BREEDS EURO _

Summit Gelbvieh stud dominated the all other breeds Euro class at Wagin this year.

The Narrikup-based stud won champion bull with Trump and champion female and grand champion with Lady Bird.

Judge Bill McNair described Summit's 14-month-old bull as good footed and strong through the spine. "I can't find much wrong with this bull," he said.

Mr McNair selected Summit's heifer as the grand champion, for her breeding potential.

"She will have a long and illustrious career in the herd," he said.

Alexandra Riggall of Summit Gelbvieh said the heifer, in calf to Canadian bull Grand Prix, was one of the stud's finest.

"She is one of the best heifers we've bred," she said. "We would like to use her in our stud as much as we can."

Sired by Victorian-based Ebony Lodge Freedom Fighter, Summit Lady Bird competed against her mother Summit Swallow to win the class.

Mrs Riggall said Summit bull Trump would be used in the stud this year.

Sired by Summit Krump, the bull's mother won junior interbreed female champion at the 2010 Perth Royal Show and champion female at last year's Sydney Royal Show.

_ALL OTHER BREEDS BRITISH _

Mason Valley Angus stud, of Albany, won champion bull and grand champion in the all other breeds British class.

Mason Valley bull Rolling Thunder F3 took home both awards.

Judge Bill McNair said the Angus bull was a "very complete package".

"He is good footed, walks really well and is good through the shoulder," he said.

Red Poll cow Red Sands Jill won champion female in the class.

Mr McNair described the eight-year-old cow as a well balanced animal.

"She is a lovely long balanced cow and is doing a good job with her calf," he said. "She is in production, has the runs on the board, and will be able to do it for a few more years yet."

_BOS INDICUS TYPE _

Boyup Brook stud Morialta brought five of their best Santa Gertrudis cattle to Wagin Woolorama.

Fifteen-month-old bull Morialta Glory took out champion bull and grand champion in the Bos Indicus class.

Judge Bill McNair said the 15-month-old bull's softness was a standout feature.

"He has got a lot of fleshing and is good through the shoulder," he said.

"I like his softness and depth in his hindquarters, and I think he will go on to be an asset to any Santa Gertrudis breeder."

Morialta stud's Donna Gentle said the 470kg bull would go on to be sold in the near future.

Champion female Morialta Colleen was commended on her depth.

"She is a lovely bodied heifer, with a lot of depth and a wonderful wedge shape," judge Mr McNair said.

Morialta was the only stud represented in the show ring for the Bos Indicus type.