6 minute read
The Champion Journeys
STONE AXE PASTORAL
Stone Axe was formed in 2016. The company is a relative newcomer, however the experience of managing director Scott Richardson, and business partner Mat Walker, have paved the way for the successful development of the Stone Axe herd. Expanding the herd has been ‘organic’ through embryo transfer, starting in 2017 with around 2,500 recipient cows, to a herd numbering 30,000 head, spread across the eastern seaboard and Western Australia.
The philosophy of the company is to establish a Fullblood herd, commercial herd and a corrected mating herd, where genetics play an integral role to find the best combination of high marbling, high carcase weight and excellent maternal traits. However, the company recognises that whole of life management of the cow and calf in terms of nutrition and animal welfare is a major component of Wagyu production. The first year of processing Fullblood Wagyu, Stone Axe Pastoral had 12 carcases to choose from to select an entry into the 2020 competition. “We chose this carcase based on its visual appearance, the marbling and fineness,” said Scott Richardson, managing director of Stone Axe Pastoral.
“The carcase had good conformation and we were pretty fortunate that all the carcases in that batch graded with marble score of 9+.” Further batches from separate cohorts shows that more than 95% are grading at MS9+, indicating that the approach to genetics and whole of life management is producing consistent results. “The award and promotion of the competition has meant that we have seen an increase in inquiries for our product in domestic and international markets. It has come at the right time and a great achievement for everybody concerned and has put our brand well and truly on the map.” “We are truly humbled and excited to be judged Grand Champion for this year’s competition. I can honestly say it was not anywhere near our priority list last year when we going through the drought and fires. We are committed to producing happy healthy cattle that go onto reward us with what we see as a beautiful piece of meat and eating experience for everyone to enjoy.”
Scott Richardson, managing director, Stone Axe Pastoral
WAGYU BRANDED BEEF COMPETITION
CHAMPION
2019 GRAND CHAMPION WAGYU BRAND GRAND CHAMPION BOARD award commenced in 2014
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Andrews Meat Industries AACo Pardoo Beef Corporation Andrews Meat Industries Mort & Co Mayura Station Stone Axe Pastoral Company
WAGYU BRANDED BEEF COMPETITION
GOLD MEDAL
2019 FULLBLOOD WAGYU 100 % GOLD MEDAL WINNERS 2012 - 2020 mulitple wins across steak classes
Stockyard Beef ............................. 12 golds AACo ............................................... 7 golds Jack’s Creek .................................. 7 golds Mayura Station .............................. 7 golds Mort & Co ....................................... 7 golds Rangers Valley .............................. 6 golds Andrews Meat Industries............ 4 golds Hamblin Strathdale ...................... 4 golds Pardoo Beef Corporation ............ 4 golds Direct Meat Company .................. 2 golds
JACK'S CREEK
Jack’s Creek and David Warmoll have been synonymous with Australian Wagyu since the pioneering days of the industry. Now under the stewardship of Patrick Warmoll, the family business specialises in grain-fed Wagyu and Angus through a vertically integrated structure that includes broadacre fibre and cereal farming. The Jack’s Creek brand is well recognised and has won a number of awards internationally, and reflects the commitment by the family to produce two Wagyu beef programs into the luxury beef market – Fullblood and Wagyu cross. In previous years, entries from Jack’s Creek into the Wagyu PARDOO BEEF CORPORATION Pardoo Beef Corporation is leading a shared investment in the Pilbara region of to develop a world-class sustainable West Australian Wagyu beef industry. The company has grown from a 3,500 mixed herd in 2015 to what will be a production of 7,000 premium Wagyu cattle per annum by 2025. With a goal of establishing a regional breeding herd of purebred Wagyu animals, and an extensive Wagyu Crossbred operation, Pardoo Beef Corporation’s vision is to create an extremely high quality and safe beef product ready to meet growing demand, whilst providing Pilbara pastoralists and indigenous communities with access to new Branded Beef Competition have been drawn from their own bred animals, but for 2020 made the decision to support and promote, the suppliers of the company supply chain. “Realistically, Jack’s Creek has supply chain partners extending across the country, from west of Mackay through to Tasmania,” said Patrick Warmoll, managing director of Jack’s Creek. “This particular entry was bred by the Hughes family at their Lake Nash property, grown at Caldervale, backgrounded at Glengowrie and fed out at Lemon Tree with the McNamee family. It is a big effort by all our supply chain members to bring this result to fruition.”
The award from this year’s Wagyu Branded Beef Competition strengthens the brand proposition in that it provides greater recognition to the consumer that the beef will be a consistent eating experience, explained Patrick. “All Wagyu brand owners are trying to supply the world with an affordable luxury beef, that sits somewhere between US Prime and Japanese produced Wagyu, so while we are competing, we are also peers and the Wagyu Branded Beef Competition enables us to benchmark against each other.” Looking forward, Jack’s Creek aims to work to responding to what the consumer demands – whether it be higher marble score, a different Wagyu content or different cuts. The brand is now established in the market which will allow for greater energy to be focused on production
and supply chains, particularly post COVID-19. markets and diversification from live cattle exports. Pardoo Beef Company is celebrating another champion win, the first back in 2016 with other gold awards in 2017, 2018 and 2019. This year’s success provides further endorsement by the Wagyu industry of the quality and authenticity of the company’s production systems. For domestic and international consumers, it brings a seal of approval and recognition of the supply chain. In accepting the award, Pardoo Beef Corporation chairman, Bruce Cheung, said that, “I am truly humbled and honoured to accept the award for the Champion of the commercial steak category at this year’s competition for Okan brand. “It is not only a successful outcome for Pardoo Beef, but I would like to acknowledge all the assistance we have received along the way. I would like to particularly highlight the following: the Pardoo team in WA, AWA past and present leaders; the Hughes family, Takeda-san my mentor and Peter Gilmour of Irongate Wagyu. “As an industry we are still endeavouring to get to the high standards of Japanese Wagyu. We will get there because of our willingness to innovate, collaborate and share.” Pardoo are developing a range of brand categories to satisfy customer needs in international markets that are seeking high-end Wagyu with a high marble score. A more personalised and proactive strategy will be used to target consumers who are more demanding on health and provenance, particularly in the Asian markets.
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