Elite performance for Simmental breeder with 75pc of broad ribbon success

A southern Queensland stud presented an elite cattle display at Sydney Royal on Sunday, taking home three major broad ribbons in the Simmental-Fleckvieh classes.

Glen Waldron and his partner Kim Groner, along with their sons Casey and Beau, Elite Cattle Co, Meandarra, have been breeding Simmentals for 10 years.

Their haul of honours included the junior champion female, senior and grand champion female and junior and grand champion bull, which was later judged the best exhibit. They also exhibited the breeders' group and a pair of bulls not over 24 months old.

The supreme exhibit was Elite Uproar, sired by Elite Quittin' Time out of Elite Flirtin' For Diamonds N11.

The December 2023 calf weighed 756 kilograms and had an eye muscle area (EMA) of 117 square centimetres, 7 millimetres of fat on the rump and 5mm on the rib.

Mr Waldron said the sire of the best exhibit, Quittin' Time, was the senior and grand champion Simmental bull at Sydney Royal three years ago.

Overseeing the classes was Chris Knox, DSK, Coonabarabran, who has been judging cattle for 50 years.

He said Uproar's overall capacity and tremendous EMA-to-weight ratio indicated the sire-power the young bull would deliver to the breed.

The reserve junior bull was Settler Undaunted RWSU102, shown by Richard Wilkinson, Bringelly.

It was calved in August 2023, weighed 974 kg, had an EMA of 137sq cm, a rump fat of 10mm and a rib of 7mm.

The senior bull, Hartfield Domenico U020 was shown by Anthony Simonetta, Hartfield Simmentals, Sutton Forest. It was calved in July 2023 and weighed 824kg. It had an EMA of 126sq cm, 9mm of fat on the rump and 6mm on the rib.

Mr Simonetta was delighted with his Sydney Royal outing. It was the third year in a row he'd shown the senior champion bull and the third year he'd been showing cattle.

The reserve senior bull was Tennyson Unruffled, BXNPU023, shown by Ian and Cheryl Baldry, Tennysonvale, Illabo. It was calved in July 2023, weighed 768kg, and had an EMA of 115sq cm, 7mm on the rump and 5mm on the rib.

The senior and grand female was Elite Black Wendy T165, from the female, over 24 and not over 30 months class. Woonallee Missile Q476 sired her out of Elite Black Wendy P132.

"She's a wonderful cow with very sound feet and structure and a wonderful calf at foot," the judge said.

Mr Knox said the cow's ability to provide for the calf gave it an edge over the junior female, Elite Sugar Crush U157, sired by Yerwal Est State of War Q300 out of Elite Sugar Crush.

The reserve senior cow was VC Hyacinths S051, sired by VC Quick Money Q035 out of SBS Red Hyacinth.

Mr Knox selected Settler Ungrateful Grace RWSU111, which was calved in September 2023, and shown by Richard Wilkinson. It was sired by VC Super Soda out of Settler Nicky.

"I had wonderful cattle to adjudicate today and not much of a tail in them," Mr Knox said.

"The Simmental breed today has a lot of versatility, and you've got to have that in breeds today.

"I've seen cattle to suit all avenues here today."