Diamond heifer shines in Red Angus judging at Royal Adelaide Show
By Alicia Fogden, Stock Journal (Image included)
A young heifer with “old school” genetics rose through the ranks with her presence, to take supreme Red Angus exhibit at the Royal Adelaide Show.
Christie Lee Fuller, Cowra, NSW, only brought the one Red Angus female to the show – Diamond Catch The Red Wood – but judge Scott McKay, McKay Bros Shorthorns, Newlyn, Vic, said she was “hard to beat”.
“She has everything going for her,” he said.
“I admire her for her top line and depth right down through the back spine, she’s very square through the hip, and clean through the shoulders, she has terrific spring of rib, and despite an attitude problem, she walked around the ring very, very well.
“She was just a standout in the heifers, and it was her presence that won her grand champion.”
The August 2022-drop was by Canadian bull Red Bar Sequoia 202 – “very old genetics” that Ms Fuller found at a dispersal sale.
“Three straws of semen were offered in that sale – I like that he was old school and a bit different,” she said.
“We had been looking for another outcross pedigree, something a bit different we could put over a Ruba cow family we had, and we’re happy with the result.”
Ms Fuller said Diamond Catch The Red Wood would now head on to the Royal Melbourne Show.
The heifer was first chosen ahead of senior champion cow Jillangolo Robbie R81 from the Llewellyn family’s Jillangolo stud at Keith.
Three-year-old second calver Jillangolo Robbie R81 had a three-moth-old calf at-foot, which judge McKay commended her for “doing a very good job”.
“She has plenty of growth on her second calf and is still holding herself well,” he said.
The heifer then beat junior and grand champion bull Jillangolo Transformer T37 for the supreme exhibit title.
Judge McKay said the young bull also “ticked all the boxes, but was a little bit tight through the front shoulder”.
“But he was also adequately muscled right through, and got around the ring quite well,” he said.
“It was his depth and his thickness through the back was what won him grand champion bull [over Jillangolo Tonight Is The Night T105 in reserve].”
April 2022-drop Jillangolo Transformer T37 weighed 654 kilograms, and had an eye muscle area of 105 square centimetres, plus 11 millimetres of rib and 11mm of rump fat.
Jillangolo stud also won best breeders group and best pair of Red Angus.
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