This years Royal Adelaide Show Led Steer Championship Awards proved to be a very successful competition for Carolyn Mudge of Maildaburra Poll Hereford Stud and the students of the Karcultaby Area School.
The competition was hotly contested, with 199 entries from 14 different breeds presented across a variety of classes. Carolyn’s steer, entry number 114 excelled in the hoof and hook competition, being awarded Reserve Champion Heavy Domestic carcase, scoring an impressive 89.30 points in a class of over 70 entries. He scored maximum possible points for P8 fat, rib fat and meat colour as well as an excellent 19 out of 20 for EMA. He was also awarded the Herefords South Australia Prize for Highest Scoring Hereford Domestic Steer on Hook.
Exhibited by Karcultaby Area School students Mikayla Carey and Kimberly Coleman, Carolyn’s steer placed first in the Schools Heavy Domestic class, also winning the Herefords South Australia prize for the School Exhibiting Highest Scoring Hereford Steer on Hoof and Hook.
Carolyn selected this particular steer for the Show based on the high performance carcase traits of both his sire (Mount Difficult Kent K8) and dam. She recognised that not only was he a good looking steer on hoof, but his EBV’s augured well for his future performance.
Carolyn contributes the Hereford “doability” in all conditions and excellent temperament as part of the success story. She was disappointed that the long haul to Adelaide resulted in her steer losing 35kg, but was still pleased with his live weight of 470kg.
Dr Alex Ball stated: “The result shows that leading Hereford cattle bred for high performance can be highly competitive in carcass performance with any breed in Australia.”
In conjunction with running her own Poll Hereford Stud, Carolyn also operates a small feedlot with some of her own Herefords and some that she buys in. This allows her to provide a high quality and consistent product to Woolworths and the regional Streaky Bay butcher.
Congratulations to Carolyn, Mikayla and Kimberly on breeding and showing such a high quality Hereford steer.
Carolyn Mudge, her son Seth, Mikayla Carey, and Kimberly Coleman with Carolyn’s prizewinning Hereford steer.
Carolyn’s steer, entry number 114 in the Royal Adelaide Show Led Steer Championship Awards.
