True colours of breeds on show in parade

When it comes to parading stud cattle in the city, the IGA Perth Royal Show attracts the highest numbers of bovines with origins back to many foreign lands and shows a variety of true-to-breed coat colours.

During the various interbreed cattle competitions, Show visitors were able to compare the different breeds as the judges explained why they made their decisions on which cattle would be their champions.

In the Breeders Group of Three Interbreeds Competition, judge Trent Johnstone said the Charolais breed, which originated in France, was very strong in performance and structure, with plenty of softness and capacity.

Liberty Charolais stud, in Toodyay, won all three group interbreed competitions, giving the Yost family, of Liberty, a leg up in the early running for overall points.

The Charolais breed made up the largest numbers exhibited at the Show, but it was the Dexter breed that came up trumps, winning most points in the cattle section. The Cabassi family of Billabong Dexter stud, Oldbury, won the Specialty Breeds Interbreed competition’s top ribbon with their junior bull, Billabong Mufasa.

Judge Gavin O’Brien said the 14-month-old bull had the structure, muscle and appropriate fat to win over Billabong Kinky, a three-year-old milk-oozing Dexter cow with heifer calf at foot.

Other breeds that vied for top honours during the SBI were Miniature Hereford and Highland cattle.

What is considered the main event, the RAS Interbreed Competition, had four individual stud winners exhibiting bulls and females in both junior and senior classes.

This year’s top ribbon winners were split between two Charolais studs and two English breed studs.

The junior bull stud exhibitor, Liberty Charolais, which competed against nine other breeds, was the unanimous winner for its entry, Liberty Major General, a 942kg 18-month-old bull.

Judge Sean Kallady said the Charolais had good muscle that carried all the way through its frame.

Judge Gavin O’Brien said the red-factor junior Charolais bull had growth rate, docility and would cross well over other breeds.

In the interbreed senior bull competition, it was an historic first interbreed win at the Show for the Speckle Park breed, which arrived to Australian from Canada and has its origins back in the UK.

Tungamah stud principal Garry Thomas said he could not breathe after the judges unanimously awarded his 948kg white and black speckle-coated bull, Tungamah Snowy Lacerta, the best of the three-bull line-up, with its completeness.

“I will need a bigger hat, my head is swollen,” Mr Thomas said.

Mr O’Brien said the newcomer Speckle Park breed was very popular and had good meaty traits.

Another Charolais stud came out best in the 11-head interbreed junior female line-up.

The Thompson family, of Venturon stud, were awarded the top prize for their smooth heifer, Venturon Josie.

Venturon also exhibited the best in the RAS Interbreed Calf Competition with its entry, Venturon Nugget, a five-month-old bull calf.

Judge Michael O’Sullivan said the Charolais bull calf had tremendous carcase and was structurally sound.

“It was very close between the Charolais and the Speckle Park entry,” he said.

Little Meadows Angus stud stood tall in the Interbreed Senior Female Competition with their entry, Little Meadows Emu Farm, a four-year-old cow with bull calf at foot.

While the Angus tied in points with a Liberty senior female entry, the judges awarded the winning ribbon to the Little Meadows stud for its entry, which had tremendous length and perfect wedge shape.

A crowd favourite was during the Interbreed Novelty Calf Competition when five-year-old Oliviah Maisey won the top ribbon parading her family’s seven-week-old Blonde D’Aquitaine calf, Makyia Napoleon.