Downland’s College students Anna Kemph and Paddy Wallis with this year’s charity donation steer, Kakadu.

BRISBANE Royal Show gets underway later this week, with the unofficial start of the show on Wednesday, when more than 200 led steers line up before judges.

Stud beef follows on Thursday and Friday, August 6 and 7, with the interbreed culminating events on Friday afternoon.

A tradition for the past six years has been the auctioning of a donated steer from Wednesday’s led steer competition for the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Queensland.

This year a purebred steer bred and donated by Kelynack Red Angus and prepared by students from the “Cattle Club” at Downlands College, Toowoomba will go under the hammer for the charity.

Auctioneers Goetsch & Sons will be looking for bids during the steer auction in the Main Arena on the afternoon of Wednesday August 5.

Apart from raising valuable funding for the M S Society, the Kelynack steers have had consistent high scores in the hoof and hook phases of the led steer competition at the Ekka over the years.

Last year’s donated steer was purchased by A La Carte Meats, Brisbane’s largest portioner and steak-cutter.

The led steer auction will get underway around 1.30pm.

More Ekka reports later this week.