School mascot pops to the top in mammoth steer showing in Adelaide
Squeals of excitement rang out in the on-hoof steer judging on Sunday as 'Bubbles' the Limousin rose through the led steer ranks to take out grand champion for Mount Compass Area School.
This year there was 265 entries from 79 exhibitors in the led steer competition at the Royal Adelaide Show, compared with 155 last year from 68.
Ag teacher Kiara Edwards said she couldn't help herself, as they had been a "bridesmaid" in the competition numerous times, but had never achieved the big one.
"This is a career highlight for me," she said.
"We have been super fortunate to be in contention numerous times, so to finally win the big one has been pretty amazing.
"Especially with the calibre that we were up against.
"It has been such a team effort, from the students to the breeders, local community and businesses."
Led steer competition
Pictures by Alisha Fogden
Their 449-kilogram rising one-year-old steer from the school's purebred light domestic class (414-450kg) was bred by Chris and Marilyn Meade, Pelican Rise, Colac, Vic, and led by year 12 student Amarli Carmichael, Aldinga.
Ms Edwards said Pelican Rise Bubbles lived up to his name, being a "show pony" throughout the process.
"Amarli has worked extremely hard with him, and he just has the most beautiful temperament, so easy and relaxed," she said.
Ms Edwards said preparation of their steers was part of a mentor program at the school, which starts in year 10.
"Amarli has been in the program for three years, patiently waiting for her turn in the big white tent," she said.
"She is in charge of Bubbles, but has a team of year 10 and 11s under her that she has been passing down her knowledge to - so it's a credit to her and the team that surrounds Bubbles."
Ms Edwards said the next part of the competition would be interesting, with the steers going over-the-hooks today.
"That is the hard part - Bubbles has been our school mascot since he arrived," she said.
"But Amarli has studied this calf since he was delivered, talked to Chris numerous times on the phone, and has a full appreciation for the competition.
"She understands the importance of the art behind winning on carcase.
"She will be sad, but we can't wait to come back Wednesday to see how Bubbles has done over-the-hooks."
It was the best performance by the school, who had a team of six steers. They also had two thirds and a fourth placing.
Another two Pelican Rise Limousins were shown by Paul Bruggemann, Glental Partnership, Mallala, which became reserve champion purebred lightweight (Pelican Rise Tosen Stardom V57) and champion purebred heavyweight (Pelican Rise I Love This City V62).
Mr Bruggemann said it was their first time buying from Pelican Rise, and the three they brought back became the three champions mentioned above.
They were all sired by Ulster 1 Rain Man - a bull the Meades bought for $13,000 three years ago from Ulster Limousins, Qld.
"I had been looking for a homozygous, black bull that had some real shape about him, and his calves have all been really good," Mr Meade said.
"Marilyn certainly encouraged me to go hard on him."
It was the first time the Meades had provided steers for competition, and were definitely planning to continue.
They produce about 50 calves a year.
"This has been fantastic," Mr Meade said.
"Duane Wilson (Arabar Livestock, Balaklava) was preparing our animals for sale and he remarked that we had ideal animals for steer competitions, and it went from there.
"The grand champion was also out of one of our cows Pelican Rise Starbust - our Star family line that was built up from Mandayen Star, which we have had excellent results from.
"While Ulster 1 Rain Man goes back to a TMF Soho son - a bull I really admired."
Far better than normal showing in my mind - the feedback is priceless.
The Meades had also never been to the Adelaide Show, and were most impressed by the led steer competition.
"It is very competitive here at Adelaide, and interesting to see what they have to do to enter," Mr Meade said.
"Far better than normal showing in my mind - the feedback is priceless.
"We have always wanted to be connected to a schools program, so this was a real win for us.
"We couldn't have been happier with Amarli and the Mount Compass Area School ag program."
Bubbles won the big award ahead of a Limousin-cross steer - Spence's Brentvale Keajura Park VX51 - prepared by Keajura Park Limousins, Tarcutta, NSW, and part-owned by Brentvale Limousins, Senior.
The business partners had bought the Limousin-sired steer that was out of an Angus-Shorthorn-Simmental cow in the Spence's Show Steers inaugural online sale in March, paying the sale's top price pf $3300.
At the time, Brentvale's Jason Foote said he saw the potential in the October 2024-drop, which was sired by Mandayen Xtra Loyal S12.
"He has plenty of muscle with a big top - he was a bit harder muscle than some of the others, but we have a fair way to go 140 days on feed, so we will see what he turns into," he said.
Spence's Brentvale Keajura Park VX51 previously won champion steer at Keith and Penola shows.
He weighed 494kg and won his crossbred heavy (492-514kg) domestic class, before being named champion heavy crossbred steer and then overall champion crossbred steer.
Keajura Park's Hamish Maclure said the wins made the 12-hour trip from NSW worth it. He and brother Edward, were first time exhibitors at the Adelaide Show.
"I had previously come here for the Heifer Expo and had worked for someone else in the steers, so we thought it was time to bring our own over," he said.
They have competed in other steer shows across Australia, while also showing their stud Limousin cattle, mainly at Sydney and Canberra shows.
"We like the two different types of performance in the steers - judged on-hoof and on-hook, and the data you get back afterwards," Mr Maclure said.
When judging grand champion steer, judge Neil Goetsch, Kalbar, Qld, said it was hard to split the two exhibits, "very similar in type".
"Both with beautiful butt shapes, strength of spine, lovely thick tops, both with beautiful fat cover, very high yielding," he said.
"The squareness over the rump of both steers, and the thickness in the top line, is just tremendous for such young animals."
Mr Goetsch, who breeds his own show steers, said it was a pleasure judging in Adelaide, as the large amount of entries was well-managed compared to other major shows he has judged at.
"They split the classes here to 15 maximum, which gives the animals a fairer go," he said.
The steers were trucked out to TFI near Murray Bridge on Sunday and processed today, in preparation for the on-hook presentations on Wednesday night.
ON-HOOF STEER RESULTS
Judge: Neil Goetsch, Qld
Exhibitors: 79
Entries: 265
Grand champion, champion purebred and light domestic purebred: Limousin - Pelican Rise Bubbles, Mount Compass Area School
Res light domestic purebred: Limousin - Pelican Rise Tosen Stardom V57, Glental Partnership, Mallala.
Champion heavy domestic purebred: Limousin - Pelican Rise I Love This City V62, Glental Partnership.
Res: Limousin - Ricky Bobby, Sapphire Livestock, Balaklava.
Champion export purebred: Simmental - Woonallee Victor, Tom and Lizzy Baker, Furner.
Res: Simmental - Woonallee Versace, Tom and Lizzy Baker.
Champion crossbred and heavy domestic crossbred: Limousin-cross - Spence's Brentvale Keajura Park VX51, Keajura Park, Tarcutta, NSW.
Res heavy domestic crossbred: Limousin-cross - Spence's Looney Bin slow horse, Nathan Nutt, Laffer.
Champion export crossbred: SimmAngus - Woonallee Vegemite, Tom and Lizzy Baker.
Res: Crossbred - Spence's Villian, Haydn Boxall, Tintinara.
Champion light domestic crossbred: Speckle-cross - Trinity College Moosterious, Trinity College Gawler.
Res: Angus-cross - Goolagong Venture V576, Goolagong, Warnertown.
