Gympie Braford stud breeder makes triumphant return to Ekka judging ring
Gympie-based Braford breeder Brendan Lau is celebrating a triumphant return to the breed after claiming top honours at the 2025 Royal Queensland Show on Friday, August 8, taking out both grand champion male and female titles in this year's Braford judging.
Mr Lau, who owns Kaydeeay Brafords stud at Munna Creek near Gympie, only brought just three head of cattle, including a junior bull and cow and calf unit, and still walked away with broad ribbons for both entries.
A total of 18 Braford cattle were entered in this year's judging and were judged by Tania Hartwig of Tanic Charolais, Monto.
Mr Lau's grand champion female, Kaydeeay Glenda, and her three-week-old bull calf, Kaydeeay Kurt, placed first in the cows 30 months and under 60 months class, and later won senior champion female.
The pair went up against Georga Newitt's Braford heifer entry.
In her remarks, judge Tania Hartwig praised both females but ultimately awarded the title to Mr Lau's senior female.
"I really do like both these females," Ms Hartwig said.
"Both have plenty of length of body, plenty of depth of body. They're both very structurally sound, very refined females.
"I think today the little heifer is going to have her time, but I'm going to go for the senior champion for grand champion."
Mr Lau's junior bull, Kaydeeay Jagger, entered in the eight months and under 16 months class, faced off with senior champion bull Camdun Tornado, exhibited by St Joseph's Nudgee College, in the final showdown.
In the end, Ms Hartwig awarded the grand champion title to the junior bull.
"Both the junior bull and the senior bull out here, you look at them from the side, plenty of length of body, plenty of capacity, very structurally sound, just very good replicas of the breed," she said.
"So congratulations to the owners of both of these bulls.
"For the grand champion Braford this year, I've actually gone with a junior champion bull. I really do admire this bull, he's quality from nose to (hoof) and I think he's got a big future ahead of him."
Mr Lau said it was a great result for his stud.
"I've been breeding Brafords for 20 years. I got out of them and into Brangus, and I've just come back into the breed. I've just got serious in the last few years. I'm stoked with the result," he said.
He said the junior bull was sired by Chadwick Downs Graphite, while the cow's bull calf, Kaydeeay Kurt, was sired by Little Valley Kurt.
"I've been showing here since I was seven years old, showing Jersey cattle," he said.
"Three years ago at the Ekka, I showed Brangus and Brafords."
The top Braford exhibit overall, was Kaydeeay Glenda, and her three-week-old bull calf, Kaydeeay Kurt, who won the supreme exhibit.
Asked what his future plans were for the junior bull champion, Mr Lau said he'll return to the stud and with later plans to sell him.
"I'll keep him and put him over some stud cows, and then I'll sell him," he said.
"He's an outcross of everything I own at the moment and I really like him."
Brendan Lau also took home the win for the breeders group
Results:
Judge: Tania Hartwig, Tanic Charolais, Monto.
No. of exhibits: 18 exhibited from the 22 nominated
Junior champion male: Kaydeeay Jagger, exhibited by Brendan Lau
Reserve junior champion male: MCN Soldier, exhibited by St Joseph's Nudgee College
Senior champion male: Camdun Tornado, exhibited by St Joseph's Nudgee College
Reserve senior champion male: Cabhigh Riptide, exhibited by Caboolture State High School
Junior champion female: Kaydeeay Junee, exhibited by Brendan Lau
Reserve junior champion female: Little Valley Barbara-Anne 3738, exhibited by Georga Newitt
Senior champion female: Kaydeeay Glenda, exhibited by Brendan Lau
Reserve senior champion female: Ascot Dell 3206, exhibited by Georga Newitt
Grand champion male: Kaydeeay Jagger, exhibited by Brendan Lau
Grand champion female: Kaydeeay Glenda, exhibited by Brendan Lau
Breeders group: Brendan Lau
