Maverick best of the bulls at Hereford National Show and Sale

The beef world is focused on Wodonga, where the best Herefords go head to head — and one stud has won two top awards. See who breeds the best.

A maverick bull lived up to its name today when it scooped the pool in the Hereford National Show and Sale at Wodonga.

More than 80 bulls were paraded before judge Erica Halliday before she selected her champion, Kymarney Maverick Q009, a 1046kg bull exhibited by Scott Lewington from Uranquinty, NSW.

It was a stellar day for Mr Lewington, whose stud also collected the junior champion sash with the second of its team of two bulls, for a 100 per cent strike rate in the show component of the fixture.

Maverick Q009 was 24 months and had raw scan figures of 139cm for eye muscle area, 28mm of fat at the P8 site, 15mm of fat on the rib and a scrotal circumference of 41cm.

Grand champion Hereford bull Kymarney Maverick Q009 at the Hereford National Show and Sale at Wodonga with judge Erica Halliday, handler Hayden Green, Kymarney principal Scott Lewington and Herefords Australia chair Trish Worth. Picture: Fiona Myers

He was sired by Tobruk Maverick, and posted Breedplan figures of +4.4 for birthweight, +100 for 600-day growth (breed average 78) and plus 5.5 for eye muscle area (breed average 3.6).

The junior champion bull, Kymarney Maverick Q029, was bred from the same cross, and at 21 months, weighed 916kg, had an eye muscle area of 129 square centimetres and a scrotal circumference of 40cm.

The bull’s Breedplan figures were equally impressive with a 600-day growth figure of 109 (breed average 78) and an eye muscle area figure of 5.7 (breed average 3.6).

Judging at the Hereford National Show and Sale. Picture: Fiona Myers

Ms Halliday was full of praise for the showing, and said it was impressive to see phenotype and genotype match up.

“Normally, you love a bull, and you see its figures, and you go oh, or you see its figures and you look at the bull, and you go, oh,” Ms Halliday said.

“Today, we are starting to see bulls where the bull’s appearance matches the figures and that is really encouraging and there are some exciting prospects in the show here today for the industry.”

The senior champion bull was Kalludah Lotto Q261, a 1062kg bull exhibited by the Shelley family from Cooma, NSW.

The sale will follow the show, with all bulls being offered simultaneously on Auctionsplus.

Judging at the Hereford National Show and Sale. Picture: Fiona Myers