Winners! Brooke Rutledge from Wondai’s Midas Gelbvieh stud and Corey Evans from Kingaroy’s Jen-Daview Limousins took out 2nd and 1st places, respectively, in the 12-15 months Bos Taurus division148 top quality cattle were entered in this year’s Goomeri Beef Bonanza
June 30, 2012
Cattle breeders from as far afield as Roma, Biggenden, Mundubbera and Bundaberg converged on the Goomeri Showgrounds at the weekend for the Goomeri Show Society’s annual Beef Bonanza.
The breeders had brought their best cattle along to compete for more than $4000 worth of prizes.
More importantly, though, they were competing for recognition of their favourite breeds in an industry that’s been flattened in the last few years by droughts, floods, the disruption of the live export trade to Indonesia, the high Aussie dollar and – most recently – by falling beef prices.
Still, cattlemen (and women) are a hardy lot and if any were doing it tough it was hard to judge it from the good-natured camaraderie that was evident in the main ring all day.
Competitors were put through their paces by judges Matt and Anna Ahern, from Roma, and Clint Whitaker from Mundubbera.
The three judges said they were very impressed with the standard of cattle brought along to this year’s Beef Bonanza, and cited several animals as outstanding exhibits with very few faults.
Many well-known South Burnett studs were on hand to test their best cattle against imports from further afield, and many walked away with ribbons and major prizes for their troubles.
The surprise of the day, though, was Les Lee from Antrim Lincoln Reds in Murgon, who took the Supreme Exhibit Of The Show sash for his Lincoln Red, Antrim Herbie.
Wife Leanne said that although Lincoln Reds are an ancient breed, they’ve only been in Queensland for about three years. However, they’re slowly catching industry attention because they appear to do quite well here.
The couple currently run about 40 head on their property, down from the 95 they ran a few years ago.
This drop in numbers is largely due to the 2013 floods, and the couple hope to expand herd numbers again when conditions improve.
Susan Grundy, from Kingaroy, is presented with a Grand Champion sash by judge Clint Whitaker from Mundubbera for ‘Billabong Arabella’, 14 months
Mark Geiger from Midas Gelbvieh, Wondai
Paul Forman, Oakwood Limousins, Bundaberg
Mark Geiger later went on to win a Grand Champion sash, presented by judge Matt Ahern from RomaLes Lee took out the Supreme Champion sash for his Lincoln Red, which judges Matt Ahern, Clint Whitaker and Anna Ahern agreed was ‘an outstanding exhibit’Malcolm Beresford from Bonyville Limousin Stud in Biggenden, and son Hayden, brought along their bull Frank and his little sister Hannah to compete
