The Shorthorn team has won the Borthwich Trophy for the second consecutive year.
The award is given to the best team of three purebred steers with 25 per cent of total points allocated for live judging and 75pc of total points allocated for carcase appraisal.
The Shorthorn team was made up of exhibits from three educational institutions – Finley High School, Longerenong College and Yanco Agricultural High School.
Judge Neil Goetsch awarded the team 62 points out of a possible 100 in the live section. The team made up ground in its carcase points, receiving 88.36, 91.13 and 78.19 points respectively, all given out of a possible 100. The total carcase points of 257.68 was 25.86 ahead of its competitors.
These scores were combined to give the Shorthorn team a total of 319.68 points.
In second was the Angus team with 306.82 points, and in third was the Beef Shorthorn team with 305.94 points.
Scott McKay, Marschay Shorthorns, Dean, bred the steer presented by Longerenong College, and said winning the Borthwick two years in a row demonstrated the consistency of the Shorthorns.
“Their meat content to weight ratio and ability to MSA grade very highly, always puts us in the mix in carcase competitions,” Mr McKay said.
“And the quality has been shown with the 1000 Guineas (Shorthorn Beef) program winning awards across Australia and being in high class restaurants.”
The 19 year-old Jack Nelson, Jackungah Speckle Park stud, Pine Lodge, won grand champion carcase with a Speckle Park-Angus cross, bred by his family.
Mr Nelson said this was the first time they had won grand champion carcase in the seven years they have participated. The family runs the stud and a commercial operation using their Speckle Park bulls.
He said the Speckle Park’s caracse attributes is what first appealed to him, including their ability to lay down fat compared to other breeds.
Gundagai High School agriculture teacher Dale Chadwick said winning the champion medium domestic carcase and second place in the Steer Bonanza was “awesome”.
“It tops off all the kids’ efforts. They work out all the feed rations and whether they will leave or shift the animals in their classes – to estimating the dressing percentage,” Mr Chadwick said.
“We get a lot of support from the local rural community, including donated feed from the Nicholls family and Gundagai Meat Processors gives money to help with getting the kids down here.”
2017 Royal Melbourne Show Beef Carcase Competition
The Borthwick Trophy: Shorthorn team
The Shorthorn team was made up of:
- Finley High School (Poll Shorthorn), September 13 2016, sire: Finley High School Kai, dam: Finley High School Kate
- Longerenong College (Shorthorn), bred by: Marschay Shorthorn - Scott McKay, July 28 2016, sire: Marschay Holmes, dam: Marschay D50
- Yanco Agricultural High School (Shorthorn), bred by: Kingsley Vale Shorthorns, September 1 2016, sire: Kingsley Vale Horatio, dam: Kingsley Vale H1
Live champion awards
- Grand champion steer or heifer (led): Lewis Bruggemann (Black Simmental), bred by Glental Partnership, born May 30 2016, sire: Woonallee Kenya, dam: Barana Elizebeth
- Champion medium domestic steer or heifer (led): Yanco Agricultural High School: (Limousin X Shorthorn/Hereford), Bred By: Ross and Sue Fairley, September 30 2016, sire: Le Martres Herd Bull, dam: Fairley 100
- Res: Scott Bruton: (Beef Shorthorn), October 6 2016, Sire: Ocean King lucky Zues, Dam: Roly Park Miley
- Champion heavy domestic steer or heifer (led): Yanco Agricultural High School: (Limousin), bred by Mrs M Pierce, June 13 2016, sire: Le Martres Edwald, dam: Belangalo Park Black Lady
- Res: Jack Nelson: (Speckle Park X Angus), bred by the Nelson Family, August 23 2016, sire: Rose lea D36 Legendary G3
- Champion export steer or heifer (led): Lewis Bruggemann (Black Simmental), bred by Glental Partnership, born May 30 2016, sire: Woonallee Kenya, dam: Barana Elizebeth
- Res: St Mary of The Angels College (Limousin), born May 15 2016
- Champion school and college steer or heifer (led): Yanco Agricultural High School: (Limousin), bred by Mrs M Pierce, June 13 2016, sire: Le Martres Edwald, dam: Belangalo Park Black Lady
- Res: Yanco Agricultural High School: (Limousin X Shorthorn/Hereford), Bred By: Ross and Sue Fairley, September 30 2016, sire: Le Martres Herd Bull, dam: Fairley 100
School and college winners
- The Bott-Burston perpetual trophy (highest total number of points in school and college paraders): Yanco Agricultural High School
- The Marcus Oldham College trophy (the highest scoring carcase entered by a school and college): Longerenong College: (Shorthorn), bred by Scott McKay, Marschay Shorthorns, born July 28 2016, sire: Marschay Holmes, dam: Marschay D50
- The Melbourne Polytechnic Trophy (highest scoring school or college bred and prepared carcase): Longerenong College: (Simmental/Angus x Red Angus), born August 31 2016, sire: Coolana SimmAngus 2321, dam: Longerenong 2.09
- Supreme champion schools and college steer or heifer parader: Georgia Nelson, St Mary of The Angels College, Nathalia
Carcase champion awards
- Grand champion carcase: Jack Nelson (Speckle Park X Angus), bred by the Nelson Family, August 23 2016, sire: Rose lea D36 Legendary G3
- Champion medium domestic carcase (181-240kg): Gundagai High School (Angus), October 18 2016, sire: Bongongo NGX K547, dam: Commercial Cow
- Champion heavy domestic carcase (241-300kg): Jack Nelson (Speckle Park X Angus), bred by the Nelson Family, August 23 2016, sire: Rose lea D36 Legendary G3
- Champion export carcase (300+kg): Longerenong College: (Shorthorn), bred by Scott McKay, Marschay Shorthorns, born July 28 2016, sire: Marschay Holmes, dam: Marschay D50
- Champion schools carcase: Longerenong College: (Shorthorn), bred by Scott McKay, Marschay Shorthorns, born July 28 2016, sire: Marschay Holmes, dam: Marschay D50
Steer Bonanza
- 1: Longerenong College: (Shorthorn), bred by Scott McKay, Marschay Shorthorns, born July 28 2016, sire: Marschay Holmes, dam: Marschay D50
- 2: Gundagai High School (Angus), born September 7 2016, sire: Bongongo NGX K547, dam: Commercial Cow
- 3: Team H Cattle Care Mt Lilydale Mercy College (Angus), bred by: Old School Angus, born May 20 2016, sire: Ej H33, dam: Aberdeen Estate Thelma F38
