The 2022 Gingin Heifer Competition, held 7 April, saw Bullrush Farms (Alan, Margaret and Sean Greenwell) take out the top prize for the best pen of four Commercial Heifers classed by the judges on the day.
In the hotly-contested competition, 19 pens of the region’s best commercial heifers were assessed across 11 Gingin farming properties with a pen of Speckle Park stud heifers exhibited by the Howard’s at Wannamal.
2022 Commercial Heifer winners were:
1st prize – Bullrush Farms (Angus) Alan, Margaret and Sean Greenwell
2nd prize – The Grant Family, Gingin (Red Angus) Ed and Paul Grant
Equal 3rd prize – Old Bambun Grazing (Angus) and Benalong Grazing (Angus)
2022 Stud Heifer winners were:
1st prize – Howard Family, Kamarah Speckles, Wannamal (Speckle Park)
The Greenwell Family are renowned for their purchasing of quality angus bulls and have won the competition in the past. The crowd of over 55 onlookers were impressed with the quality of the pen of four black angus heifers aged 12 months which scored 94 points out of a possible 100.
The heifers are judged on their suitability as future breeders. Points are awarded for temperament, structural soundness, femininity, carcass quality and evenness of pen.
This year’s judges were impressed with the quality of heifers in the 38th annual competition. For the second year, Alexandra Riggall and Clare King of Summit Gelbvieh, Narrikup travelled to Gingin to judge both the commercial and stud sections of the competition.
Ms Riggall and Ms King said, “Our focus was on structural soundness which will aid the longevity of the young females. The top half dozen pens were extremely impressive which made it an extremely close competition again.”
For the 23rd consecutive year, lunch was prepared by Beermullah local, Selga Beckwith. It was sponsored by Bendigo Bank and the travelling crowd heard a wonderful presentation of the complexities of Pesti virus and cattle fertility from Enoch Bergman, Swans Veterinary Service, Esperance. Enoch also covered Fix Time AI in beef heifer herds and was supported by Jarvis Polglaze from Zoetis.
Ed and Paul grant won the prestigious “Closest to the Judges award”. Murray Butler was very winner of the “Guess the weight” award and the “People’s choice” was won by the Bullrush Farms and Old Bambun.
Competition winners were announced at the wind-up event hosted by Megan and Leigh McCallum and sponsored by AWN Livestock and W & J Greenwell.
Competition coordinator Mr David Roe of Benalong Grazing said, “The Gingin Heifer competition continues to be a great day for local cattle breeders. Breeders take on board the judge’s comments to aid their selection criteria for their future breeders and this can only be good for their cow herds.”
Mr Roe also extended his thanks to all competition entrants, and the generosity of sponsors who make the day possible, W & J Greenwell, Gingin Districts Community Financial Services Ltd – Bendigo Bank, Gingin Fuel and Tyres, AWN Livestock, GBG Rural Services, Elders, Zoetis and Boehringer Animal Health. He is also very appreciative of the great work Annette Howard did photographing all the exhibitors and cattle.
