Cut above: Boyup Brook’s Blackwood Valley Beef wins top gong at this year’s Perth Royal Branded Meat Awards

A Boyup Brook-based grassfed cattle business has been rewarded for decades of hard work after winning the top beef award and two other major accolades at this year’s Perth Royal Branded Meat Awards. Wyloo Pastoral Co., owned by Warren and Lori Pensini, claimed multiple honours at this year’s awards — including overall champion WA beef, champion grass-fed beef and champion single origin beef. It was the first time the business had entered the competition with its Blackwood Valley Beef brand, with the wins a fitting tribute to a business founded in the South West in 2001 after the Pensinis migrated from a cattle station in the Pilbara. Mr Pensini — who farms across 664ha at his farm called Paraway — said winning three trophies was a “pretty amazing” result. “It’s a real acknowledgement of years of hard work,” he said. “Producing consistent grassfed beef in WA isn’t easy, and we have invested a lot in regenerating our pastures and refining our system. “This was our first time entering, and the results genuinely surprised us.” This year’s competition drew a record-breaking 245 entries from 44 exhibitors located across WA, South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, with a total 16 champion trophies, 42 gold medals, 68 silver medals and 76 bronze medals awarded. The branded meats categories, spanning beef, pork and lamb, were assessed by a panel of five judges led by head judge Stephen Clarke — award-winning chef, restaurateur and consultant. Mr Pensini, who was on hand to accept the award at a presentation night on November 7, said the Perth Royal Food Awards were a “great benchmark and a valuable marketing tool for small businesses. Entries were judged on tenderness, juiciness, flavour and overall eating experience. Each year, the Royal Agricultural Society of WA crowns the finest food and beverages from across Australia, across a range of categories including dairy, branded meats, smallgoods, bread and pastry, chocolate, wine, beer, and distilled spirits. Blackwood Valley Beef wasn’t the only WA brand recognised at this year’s awards, with Futari Wagyu at Albany winning the champion export beef accolade for its Signature MS 8/9 line. Futari Wagyu managing director Peter Gilmore said it was an honour to take home the award as well as a raft of gold medals. “The Perth Royal Food Awards are really important for local producers,” he said. “It really adds that extra impetus to try harder, produce better — it’s genuine recognition of what we do in our supply chains.” In the lamb category, Gingin-based Wakedale Farm won the top prize of champion WA lamb as well as champion open lamb, while Busselton and Fremantle-based Amelia Park took out the award for champion export lamb. Queensland producer Stockyard, based in Toombu, maintained its national reputation for excellence, winning champion grain-fed beef for its Stockyard Gold and champion Wagyu for its Stockyard Kiwami. RASWA chief executive Robyn Sermon said the awards aimed to celebrate the producers responsible for bringing “world-class produce to our plates”. “Their work not only feeds Australia and beyond, but it also sustains many rural industries and livelihoods,” she said. “Our mission is to grow the breadth and impact of the awards each year. “As Australians start planning their Christmas feasts, it’s worth taking a moment to think about where your festive favourites come from. To ensure you’re buying quality, look for the Perth Royal Food Awards medal winners and support Australian products.”