Speckle Park International magazine - 2022 edition
Beef Australia 2021
Speckle Park International on the radar at Australia’s beef industry mecca 2021 proved a milestone for Speckle Park International with the first formal presence at Beef Australia at Rockhampton to showcase the breed to the nation. The Speckle Park marquee was manned by chief executive officer Hannah Bourke, Board members and SPI Youth members, greeting existing and potential breeders. “The site received a large amount of foot traffic, particularly from the commercial breeders curious to know what sets Speckle Park apart from the rest with a lot of discussion around carcase attributes and data,” Hannah said. “Such discussion really buoyed what we know and love about Speckle Park and where our focus in this breed should be in the future to drive further commercial adoption. “We also offered a free commercial membership sign up for the week.” SPI launched its first range of branded trucker caps with 100 caps sold in less than six hours on the first day. With networking a key focus at Beef Australia, Hannah caught up with many industry representatives to propel Speckle Park International further into the commercial sphere, having discussions with AuctionsPlus, JBS Australia, Gallagher, Nutrien Ag Solutions, Elders and more. Hannah said the turn-out of Speckle Park cattle for the led classes was something to be proud of.
Lot 60, AAA Starbank Q6, a heifer by Wattle Grove 10K Traffic Jam G26 sold for $18,500. In the carcase results, Minnamurra Speckle Parks entered steers in the ANZ National Beef Carcase Competition announced at Beef Australia 2021. Two pens of Minnamurra Speckle F1 steers finished fifth and eighth in the grain fed export class. Stud principal Dennis Power said it was a great way to benchmark steers against the other 87 teams entered from all around Australia. The steers had been processed at Teys Australia Wagga, had done it tough during the drought, but Minnamurra’s top team finished on 269.73 points (out of 300), just two points behind the winning team. Coggan Partnership entered purebred Speckle Park steers, milk and two tooth, and averaging 643.5kg liveweight, in the pen of 10 commercial steers, 100 days grain fed and suitable for the export market. Banana Station entered Brahman/Speckle Park steers, two and four tooth, and averaging 600kg liveweight in the pen of 10 grass-fed steers, 520-760kg, HGP free. The Nutrien Livestock Commercial Cattle competition drew over 1600 head and was judged at the Central Queensland Livestock Exchange on May 2, and sold at the Sale of Champions the next day.
“We cannot thank the individual breeders and exhibitors for making the stellar effort to prep and transport cattle to Beef 2021 to represent the breed,” she said. “Speckle Park certainly held their own in the interbreed and supreme groups on the Thursday, and were a testament to all involved. “We were thrilled to see several young paraders and led steers with purebred and infused cattle out in the ring.” Hannah also attended the career conversations evening session where SPI was a sponsor. Students from participating schools had the opportunity to interact with professionals from the agribusiness and beef industries to talk about the many and varied career pathways.
A Speckle Park entry comes under the judge’s eye in the led steers at Beef Australia 2021.
“The Youth members were a standout for SPI. Feedback was glowing and their passion for the breed and promotion was hard to miss,” Hannah said. “The youth committee developed an Instagram frame and carted it all over the grounds, getting photos with various patrons and attendees. They also ran a successful scavenger hunt for the week of Beef. “Overall, the inaugural venture for SPI at Beef 2021 was a success and the planning for 2024 has already begun with fresh ideas about how we can come back to Rockhampton bigger and better.” Success in the ring spilled over into the sale barn for Matt Sowden, Sowden Speckle Park, when Sowden Rumour Hazit R23 was knocked down for $29,000, the sale top at the inaugural Beef Australia 2021 AuctionsPlus stud cattle sale, to Millstream Springs Cattle Company. The eight-month-old homozygous polled heifer was a full sister to Matt’s female calf champion, Sowden Eva TH Diva, and is a foundation heifer for Brett and Mandie Scott, Millstream Springs, Ravenshoe, Qld, alongside their Brangus stud.
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Wattle Grove Dust n Smoke P07 was grand champion Speckle Park bull.
