'Masculine' bull from Gippsland takes out intermediate Hereford championship
A renowned Victorian Hereford stud and veteran exhibitor at the Herefords Australia National Show and Sale has taken out the intermediate champion bull at the 60th anniversary of the show.
Mawarra Genetics, Longford, took home the intermediate champion sash for their 21-month-old bull, Mawarra Magnificent U250.
The champion bull was sired by Mawarra Influential Q162, who also sired the junior champion bull from earlier in the day.
International judge PJ Budler, Texas, US, praised the intermediate champion's masculinity, mass and muscle.
Mawarra stud co-principal Deanne Sykes said it was an "absolute privilege" to have their cattle judged by someone like Mr Budler.
"The judge said he had tremendous volume and a really sound strength of spine," Ms Sykes said.
The bull weighed 930 kilograms, had rib and P8 fat scans of 11 millimetres and 18mm, respectively, and recorded an eye muscle area (EMA) of 130 square centimetres.
Mawarra had strong representation across the entire show and was awarded most successful exhibitor on the day.
Ms Sykes, with husband Peter and three generations of their family, brought a sizeable show team of 12 bulls, eight of which were presented in the intermediate classes.
"We've had incredible success here over the years," she said.
Mawarra celebrated its 50th on-property sale in 2023, and has been showing at the event for nearly as long as it has been breeding.
"We've been strong supporters of the show and sale since the 1980s," Ms Sykes said.
The family has won all three division championships twice in their time, once in 2011 and then again in 2024.
With big shoes to fill after their clean sweep last year, Ms Sykes said the family was extremely happy with the intermediate champion win.
"It's a fantastic event, but it's also a great opportunity for any potential buyers to come and see the bulls walking around and hear the judge's comments before the sale," she said.
Granite Hill Herefords, Bungendore, NSW, won reserve intermediate champion bull, with their 22-month-old bull, Granite Hill Redford U010.
The bull weighed 802kg, had rib and P8 fat scans of 10mm and 17mm, respectively, and recorded an EMA of 124sqcm.
It was the second reserve win for Granite Hill stud principal Danny Hill, who took out the intermediate reserve sash last year with a bull from the same Injemira Robert Redford Q287 sire.
"It meant a lot to win that again today," Mr Hill said.
"You're up against a lot of very big and very good studs."
Mr Hill runs both a Hereford and an Angus stud, Hillview Angus, at his Bungendore, NSW, property.
He said his passion for Hereford breeding was a result of his attendance at the Herefords Australia National Show and Sale over the years.
"I was coming here for 10 years with friends and then I decided to breed a few so I could bring some bulls of my own to the event," he said.
