It’s his first year in the show ring but already 17-month-old Glenlands D Vancouver is collecting broad ribbons.
Exhibited by the Childs family, he came west with eight other entries from their Bouldercombe base to support the Droughtmaster feature show held as part of the Longreach show, and quickly caught the eye of judge Matt Welsh.
“He really commands your attention when he walks into a ring, and he’s certainly going to put his stamp on his progeny,” Matt said in awarding him the junior champion bull ribbon.
He went on to claim the grand champion bull ribbon from older stablemate, Glenlands Upton, and calf champion, Rondel Ultimate, shown by the Carrington family at Winton.
A couple of weeks earlier Glenlands D Vancouver took out the hotly contested interbreed super bull competition at the Taroom show, as well as the grand champion Bos indicus ribbon there.
His sire is Glenlands Pacific, who won the sire’s progeny class at Longreach.
According to Darren Childs, this is his first season of calves and they hold out a lot of hopes for good results into the future.
Fabulous females
Judge, Matt Welsh, and his associate, Madeleine Waterford, couldn’t go past the fertility traits of Vale View Yang when they were choosing their senior champion female on Saturday.
Shown by Kevin Woolcock from the Mostyndale stud at Springsure, Vale View Yang had a calf at foot and was pregnancy tested in calf again, earning her grand champion female honours as well, beating off challenges from junior winner, Glenlands D Vogue and Rondell Ugg Boots, the female calf champion.
They were part of a 30-head led competition, which also encompassed Amalfi and Birch Droughtmaster studs.
Winton’s Carrington family showed both the bull and female calf champions, Rondel Ultimate and Rondel Ugg Boots.
Matt Welsh described the former as a future champion and the calf female as a “no nonsense” female.
Birch Droughtmasters, Clermont, had the reserve female calf champion, Birch Quilla.
Drought help
Darren Childs said it had been a great experience to travel to Longreach and help out the drought-stricken community.
A similar feature took place at Winton some years ago, and Droughtmasters Australia CEO, Neil Donaldson, said the breed wanted to support western Queensland producers doing it so tough.
“A pleasing number of spectators showed interest in the breed,” he said. “They’ve been designed for harsh western conditions, and the cattle here showed that aptitude.”
Bruce and Val Childs put in a mammoth effort to drive out from a similar feature show at Gympie, held a couple of days earlier, to Longreach to show their support.
“We’ve got a good clientele in the west and good memories of the last time this happened,” Bruce said.
The show’s associate judge, Madeleine Waterford, is a Year 11 student at the Longreach State High School and is putting credits towards a veterinary nursing degree.
Breeders showing unled cattle at the feature show were Rob and Donna Atkinson, Katandra, Hughenden, Jack and Kylie Stewart-Moore, Dunluce, Hughenden, Katrina and John Paine, Daintree, Winton, Cam and Sharon Tindall, Darr River Downs, Longreach, and Dean and Julie Allen, Tarcombe, Longreach.
Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
