Palgrove Charolais show winning Formula

THE powerful genetics of the Bondfield family's Palgrove Charolais stud at Dalveen came to the fore once again at Beef Australia 2012 on Thursday with the 958kg entry Palgrove Formula winning the junior champion bull title before claiming the prized grand champion bull award.

Judge Spencer Morgan from The Grove, Condamine, praised the Charolais breeders for their 2012 display which he believed were well on track to meet industry specifications and maturity patterns.

"It is clearly revealed in the show-ring today that Charolais seedstock producers are listening to and adopting market requirements," Mr Morgan said.

Palgrove Formula, 20 months, was sired by Silverstream Performer from a Palgrove dam.

The senior champion Charolais female Crathes Estella 3 with a heifer calf at foot was shown by Keith and Ros Glasson, Crathes Charolais, Greenmount. The homebred champion has carried her stellar career to Rockhampton after being judged the 2011 interbreed champion female at Sydney, Toowoomba and Brisbane Royal Shows.

Ros Glasson said the family established the Crathes stud 12 years ago and run 30 breeders to sell in-demand stock throughout eastern Australia.

• Other Charolais championship awards: Reserve junior champion bull: Elite Frontier, Glen Waldron and Alyce O'Donnell, Murwollock, Meandarra, Qld; senior champion bull: Moongool Fletcher, Moongool Charolais, Yuleba, Qld; reserve sen bull: Advance Epic E77, SB Hayward and K L Smith, Allora, Qld; junior champion female: Palgrove Estella 388, D and P Bondfield, Palgrove, Dalveen, Qld; reserve jun female: Branchview Questionable F98E, Postle Past Co, Branchview stud, Dalby, Qld; reserve sen female, Palgrove Reckon 67, D and P Bondfield, Palgrove, Dalveen.

Mojo stars in top Senepol showing

AT 17-months old and tipping the scales at a healthy 690kg, 5 Star Mojo certainly had his mojo working to earn the Beef Australia 2012 grand champion Senepol bull award.

Fourteen Senepol stud exhibitors from Far North Queensland to central Victoria paraded cattle before the judge Burnett Fahey, Riverlea, Condamine, whose family operate the successful Bizzy Brahman stud at Copmanhurst, NSW.

Mr Fahey said he had no hesitation in awarding the junior champion bull with the grand championship honours as 5 Star Mojo by Antigua Kingston was well muscled with a great topline.

It was a fitting win for foundation Senepol breeders Geoff and Alison Maynard, 5 Star Senepols, Mt Eugene, Jambin, who have contested the past four Beef Australia events with tremendous success.

The Maynards, who entered a team of six head this year, run 950 Senepol breeders as a part of their extensive bull breeding operation. They also clinched the reserve senior female championship with 5 Star Princess; reserve champion junior heifer with 5 Star Quality; and reserve champion junior bull with 5 Star Mocha.

Grand champion Senepol female was Boomerang Park April with her first bull calf at foot and was shown by Warwick district breeder John Brandon, Boomerang Park stud, Yangan.

Mr Brandon said the 40-month-old breeder was also grand champion at Brisbane Royal last year where she was shown with her current bull calf when it was just two hours old after she calved at the Ekka. Boomerang Park has been breeding Senepols for eight years after making the transition from Murray Grey cattle.

Gympie district Senepol exhibitors Ian and Pauline Manly, Antigua stud, took home the senior champion bull award with Antigua El Viga; reserve senior Antigua Falcon; calf champion male Antigua Guasave; reserve calf champion bull  Antigua Galvez; calf champion female Antigua Ghio and reserve Antigua Gava.

Junior champion female was Silverleigh Cover Girl, 14 months, shown by Gary and Lee-anne Porter, Kingsthorpe, who have been breeding Senepols for ten years. It was their first showing at Beef Australia.

Results for all breeds can be viewed on the Beef Australia website by clicking here