Community & Business
22 July, 2021
Plenty of quality at Cairns Show Sale
NUMBERS may have been down a little at this year's Cairns Show Sale due to the dreadful weather conditions on the Tablelands, but according to sale coordinator, Liam Kirkwood the quality of the cattle offered was exceptional across every class.
BY SALLY TURLEY
NUMBERS may have been down a little at this year's Cairns Show Sale due to the dreadful weather conditions on the Tablelands, but according to sale coordinator, Liam Kirkwood the quality of the cattle offered was exceptional across every class.
“The three weeks of miserable winter rain knocked the cattle around a bit and caused the cancellation of 40 head prior to the sale, but the generosity of sponsors like the NQ Sale yards, Malanda Meat Company, Cross Custom Meats and WW Group Transport Ltd had a huge impact,” Mr Kirkwood said.
Exhibitors were vying for a piece of the $10,000 prize money on offer after judging and the five meat-works buyers in attendance ensured solid prices at the sale that followed.
There were eight competitors and a crowd of around 50 to 60 spectators in the gallery for Sunday's Junior Judging and Judging competitions.
“Considering it was our first year running the sale and it was held on a different date at a new venue, I think it went quite well. The Cairns yards were on the verge of being condemned and the Cairns Show Society approached us at Ray White Rural Townsville, to organise the 2021 event,” Mr Kirkwood said.
“I do a lot of work up this way and between attending the Mareeba sale every week and working with clients, many of whom were old connections from my time at the meat works, I am around the Tablelands from Sunday to Tuesday each week.
“The Show Sale will continue being held at the Mareeba Sale yards going forward, and hopefully we can build it into a blue ribbon event attracting lines of cattle in 3-6 deck lots in the future. It was great to hear the Jonsson children were so excited about their family's win that they were fighting over who would take the trophy to school the next day.”
Sale Class Winners were as follows – Single 0/2T Ox - Anthony Ball; Single 4T and Single 6T Ox - GE and JA Elmes; Pen of 3-6 0/2T Ox - North Qld Hay; Pen 3-6 4T Ox - Edmonton Plumbing; Pen of 3-6 6T Ox - BAH Cattle Co; Pen of 10 Dryland Ox - Diamond 4J Farming Trust and Pen of 10 Coastal/Tableland Ox - WP and A Tranter.
In the female section, winners were Single Trade Heifer 0-4T - WP and A Tranter; Single Export Cow 6-8T, Pen of 3-6 Trade Heifers 0-4T and Pen of 3-6 Export Cows 6-8T were all won by Diamond 4J Farming Trust, as was the award for Most Successful Exhibitor at the show.
Champion Bullock of the Show went to GE and JA Elmes; Champion Tableland/Coastal Exhibit – WP and A Tranter; Champion Dryland Exhibit - Diamond 4J Farming Trust; Best Brahman Exhibit - BAH Cattle Co and Champion Pen of Bullocks of the Show - WP and A Tranter.
In the sale results – Best price steers sold on account GE and JA Elmes to average 690kg and 358.2c/kg to return $2,471.58/ hd; Best pen of 10 steers sold on account WP and A Tranter to average 568kg and 353.2c/ kg to return $2,004.41/hd; Best pen of heifers sold on account Diamond 4J Farming Trust to average 480kg and 345.2c/kg to return $1,656.96 and 1 cow sold on account BAH Cattle Co at 525kg and 298.2c/kg returned $1,565.55.
