The carcase competition results for this year's South Coast Beef School Steer Spectacular have been announced, with St Gregory's College, Campbelltown, coming out on top.
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The school scored 96 points in the open competition for its medium weight Limousin steer, which it bred and prepared.
The carcase earned the grand champion carcase award, including a $500 prize sponsored by the South Devon Cattle Society of Australia.
Reserve champion carcase, with 94 points, went to a South Devon steer competing in the Manildra light weight class.
This animal was bred by Tannoch South Devons, Willow Vale, and prepared and paraded by Bomaderry High School.
The steer also won the Champion light weight carcase and champion Manildra carcase, which is for steers fed predominantly on Manildra dried distillers grain pellets.
Tannoch stud principal, Lee Pippard, who is also vice-president of the South Devon Society, arranged for the sponsorship of the highest point scoring carcase and noted that while South Devons were typically overlooked in the hoof component, they performed well on the hook.
"Full credit to the St Gregory's Limousin for winning the champion carcase prize - we're happy to be the runner up, still ahead of a very competitive field," Mr Pippard said.
The third highest scoring carcase, with 93 points, went to an Angus/Simmental bred by Toby and Helen Greenacre, Jaspers Brush, and prepared by Vincentia High School in the light weight Manildra class.
Another 12 steers scored 90 points or more, with 31 of 55 beasts scoring between 80 and 89 points, demonstrating the overall quality of the field.
Of the 15 highest scoring carcases, the corresponding hoof judging in the respective categories revealed one first, and two seconds.
Champion medium weight Manildra carcase went to a Limousin cross bred and prepared by Murrumburrah High School with 92 points.
Also on 92 points was a Manildra light weight Murray Grey, prepared by Boorowa Central School and bred by W Petrie and Javid Farm, Orange.
The Murray Grey also won champion Manildra light weight on the hoof.
Champion heavy weight carcase went to a Limousin prepared by Shoalhaven High School, Nowra, with 92 points. The steer also came second in the hoof component.
Manildra class steers featured heavily in the hoof judging and 10 of the top 15 carcase scores were also from that category.
The Manildra champion school prize, which was awarded for an accumulation of points in led cattle, carcase, report presentation and overall participation, was awarded to Shoalhaven High School.
Equal Manildra reserve champion schools were awarded to two first-time participants, Snowy Mountains Grammar and Braidwood Central School.
South Coast Beef executive officer Rob Stafford said the committee took its time to ensure the results were correct.
"The standard has been high with a good range of breeds being represented in all categories," he said.
"The overall carcase scores have shown a clear improvement over previous years."
The full results sheet is available from the South Coast Beef School Steer Spectacular 2024 web page.
