Emotional wins for jackpot champions at Canberra Royal 2025

A showing debut has been made one to remember for a young Limousin breeder after winning the heifer jackpot at the 2025 Royal Canberra Show.

In a field of 39 heifers it was Brentvale Gayle U44 who claimed the jackpot of $1850 under the eyes of Tony Starr, Starrs Limousin and Angus, Yass and Adam Macrae, Coonamble.

What was initially an entry by 18-year-old owner Layla Den, Mac River Limousins, Narromine, to help build numbers in the class quickly turned into an unexpected moment.

Miss Den purchased the heifer from South Australia stud, Brentvale Limousins, Senior, South Australia in November last year as a foundation to her newly formed stud.

"I saw her in an auction along with her two sisters that are here while I was in Canada," Miss Den said.

"She's the start of Mac Rive my stud, I didn't think I would start off this good."

Miss Den aims to continue the young heifers show career throughout the year going to the Sydney Royal in April, with hopes for her to produce quality show steers and females in the future.

The Limousin heifer took home the top prize after being into the front line along with Kianma Last Day V004, Kianma Poll Herefords, Forbes, Summit Cauliflower V34, exhibited by Summit Livestock, Crookwell and AJM Jeda Express U139, exhibited by Cherrylock Cattle Company, Tallygaroopna, Victoria.

Judge Adam Mcrae said the work of judging the class was tough.

"We have a couple of younger heifers that are on the up and up; there is a lot of potential there as they mature and become matrons of a breeding operation," he said.

"To get to this front line, these heifers are tremendously sound, with lots of capacity, lovely little wedge shapes, beautiful and feminine.

"Then we have the two bigger girls and they're just further along their journey, they're more developed, the potential for them to pass that performance onto their progeny is here for everyone to see."

In a field of 16, it was a Poll Hereford from JTR Cattle Company, Roslyn, took out the $800 jackpot bull prize.

The 18-month-old bull, JTR Unleashed U033, 804 kilograms, was crowned the winner ahead of a top three also comprised of a Simmental bull K4 Under Cover Radar, 692kg, exhibited by K4 Simmental, Bunnan, and Limousin bull Summit Genius U807, 742kg, exhibited by Summit Livestock, Roslyn.

Mr Starr said the winning bull was a "good, bold, strong moving, free flowing Poll Hereford".

"[He is] moving around the ring very freely, carrying a large amount of carcase," he said.

Tim Reid, JTR Cattle Company, said he was "one of the best bulls we have ever bred".

"We cannot rate him high enough," he said.

The bull was sired by Tycolah Queenscliff and out of Gfc Bolt Vanity.

Mr Reid said they had purchased the dam as a calf at foot of another cow and the breeding had always worked well for them.

"We have been really excited about this bull," he said.

"He's a bull with so much softness and muscle capacity, a big stretchy front and moves so sound for a bull with so much power and capacity.

"I really love the length and depth in this bull."

Mr Reid said he was a bull they had been trying to breed.

"A bull that's got the phenotype, capacity and sire appeal that's still got data behind him," he said.

JTR Unleashed has already had success in the show ring, claiming grand champion Poll Hereford bull at Crookwell show recently.

Mr Reid said after Canberra he would be their lead bull at Sydney Royal, before being sold at Dubbo National.