Six years after coming close to winning an interbreed title at Beef, Paul Forman could not wipe the smile off his face when an outstanding Limousin bull he bred and paraded was called out of the line up for supreme male exhibit.
Oakwood Cutright delivered the Limousin breed its first interbreed silverware at Beef since the event began in 1988.
Even better for the Bundaberg based breeder, the 27 month old was a son of that special cow from 2018, Oakwood Native Cutt, which was runner-up interbreed female.
"It is a good legacy for her- she is eight years old and still breeding the house down," he said.
Mr Forman who described Cutright as a "one of a kind bull" has been exhibiting regularly at Beef for more than 20 years.
"To be recognised against all the other great breeds is unbelievable, you won't go up as much hard competition anywhere else as here at Beef."
There were hugs all round with owners David and Jess Eagleson, Ulster Limousins, Murgon, who bought Cutright at the Performance Limousin sale last year for $30,000, in partnership with Red Oak Genetics from Kapunda, SA, and Lindesay View Limousins, Kyogle, NSW.
Cutright has in the AI centre being collected for export but Mr Eagleson said they "owed it to the breed" to show him.
"He has sheer volume and meat with that softness is what we want and he is a terrific natured bull," he said.
Prior to Beef semen rights in Cutright were sold to South Africa, Canada and New Zealand with more negotiations occurring with other countries.
Mr Eagleson says he knows Cutright will breed on.
"A full sister to the bull got injured which is a shame, that would have been really special if she had been shown too. she is a special cow, just like her mother and the bull," he said.
The three interbreed judges- Scott Dunlop, Dunlop Santa Gertrudis, Proston; Wayne York, Karragarra Simmentals, Emerald and Ian Galloway, Coothabara Beef Genes, Roma, picked the 1040 kilogram bull from the seven finalists for being "easily the biggest capacity bull".
Its other figures included an eye muscle area of 143 square centimetres and rib fat of 10mm and rump fat of 15mm.
"If you look at him through that girth, that fullness, spring of rib and length of body and then you get in behind in him here and look over the top, he has squareness through the hip but he doesn't just carry it there he gets wider again down through the stifle," he said.
"You can't put any more meat in that bull."
Mr Dunlop said Cutright had a tremendous combination of muscling as well as fat that was "so soft and so deep in the flank".
As the rain came down ringside he commended the breeders of the other six finalists- Brahman, Brangus, Charolais, Hereford, Red Angus, Simmental - saying as judges they were "spoilt for choice".
"The cattle we have got out here today no matter what your production system is, no matter what your country type is - the bull was here for you today," he said.
Mr Dunlop said judging elite stud cattle was like judging "commercial cattle on steroids".
"At the end of the day it is red meat on the hook we want," he said.
