Charolais bull wins Meat and Wool Cup

Press, 14 November 1985, Page 33

Charolais bull wins Meat and Wool Cup

A two-year-old Charolais bull won this year’s Meat and Wool Cup, at the Canterbury Show, its second top award in the last few weeks.

Silverstream Ulverstone, owned by B. T. Fisher of Greenpark, convincingly won the top award with 46 points. A Simmental bull, Avon Park Proud Flesh, owned by J. N. Guthrey, was second with 29 points. Last week the winning Charolais bull scooped the top award at the Royal Show in Hamilton, the Meat and Wool Cup. The Canterbury Show’s Meat and Wool Cup is awarded to the best registered purebred beef animal each year. Each of the nine beef breed judges selected one animal from his breed to contest the cup and the judges named their choice of top four beasts over all.

Six of the judges called to vote yesterday chose the Charolais bull first, two chose it as second and one as third.

Several judges said that the bull was an outstanding example of its breed. Although only 25 months old it already weighs in at 2355 pounds. One judge, Mr Jim Caldwell, said that although the Charolais was a big breed the size and growth rate of this bull was incredible. He and other judges commented on the good carcase and excellent balance of the animal. The bull was sound and well developed, clean fleshed and a very good mover, according to most judges. The judge of the Charolais section, Mr W. H. Jackman, said that the bull was an outstanding individual of any breed. It had a great set of legs and feet for a bull of its size and weight, he said.

However, transporting a bull of this size does have its problems. Silverstream Ulverstone was taken by horse float to Auckland [or a few days before being exhibited at the Royal Show in Hamilton. When it came time to put him in a horse float for the trip to Hamilton, however, he fell through the floor.

Fortunately he was unharmed and made the trip in a much stronger truck, to arrive in Hamilton in the middle of the night. The fall appears to have done little to affect the animal — he went on show the following morning to win top place in his breed and the Meat and Wool Cup the next day. The bull was first exhi-. bited last year at the Canterbury Show where he was named the junior champion. Judges awarded the Simmental second place for its length of body, its cleanliness, its soundness and its good movement. Angus The standard of the Angus cattle was very high, said the judge, Mr G. L. Hocquard, of Blenheim. He was, however, disappointed that there were not many entries and felt that the number was lower than usual. Mr Hocquard said that he was impressed with the excellent standard of the entries. He felt that exhibitors were now more aware of the judges’ requirements, and animals that did not measure up were left at home. The champion animals were big, upstanding, smooth, and had a lot of quality, he said. Beef Shorthorns The judge, Mr M. F. McLean, was disappointed with the of number of adult entries in this year’s Beef Shorthorn section, although found that the junior entries were challenging and interesting to judge. The Shorthorns had an important place in cattle breeding, he said. One of their main assets was their ability to thrive anywhere. Charolais The quality of Charolais entries this year was much higher than that of previous years, said the judge, Mr Bill Jackman. They were very lean and very good in the legs and feet for such a heavy breed. Mr Jackman said that the selectiveness of breeding and competition from other breeds would have contributed to their improvement. The supreme champion, Silverstream Ulverston, owned by B. T. Fisher, of

Greenpark, was an outstanding individual and very big for his 25 months, he said. The reserve champion, a two-year-old heifer, also owned by B. T. Fisher, was also of outstanding quality, he said. Friesian A “very strong showing” of Friesian cattle impressed the judge, Mr Rob Mclntosh of New South Wales. Mr Mclntosh said that he saw many fine cattle and that augured well for the future of. the breed. The top one or two animals. were outstanding. He has judged widely in Australia and recently judged at the Royal Show in Hamilton. He said that the top animals at the Canterbury Show compared favourably with those at the Royal Show. They would also compete well in Australia. The New Zealand cattle were the sort that the Australians were trying to breed, upstanding and not extreme in any feature. Mr Mclntosh said that he was also impressed with the number of entries. Some of the shows in Australia were not gettting the numbers, he said. Hereford The Hereford section was very competitive, said the judge, Mr J. D. Caldwell, of Winchenden, Cheviot. Mr Caldwell, who recently judged at the Royal Show in Hamilton, said that the number of entries was up on previous years and were of a particularly good standard. A feature of the class was the number of more modem, fat-free type of cattle beasts on show. The younger cattle were “quite outstanding,” particularly in the junior classes. Milking Shorthorns There was a good turnout of good quality milking Shorthorns exhibited yesterday according to their judge, Mr Neville Hall. The champion cow, Kai-iwi Daffidol, owned by W. A. and J. A. Austin, was very neat and well put together, he said. Mr Hall said he was pleased to see the quality of Shorthorns and also the number of young breeders exhibiting in the show.