By Matthew Pearce
The Commercial Cattle judging has a long and proud history with the Rockhampton Agricultural Show, with the competition only growing in success following a hiatus of 17 years.
Commercial Cattle Committee chairman Ben Geddes said no commercial cattle had been able to compete at the show after the old cattle yards were condemned in the early 2000s.
Commercial cattle judging was reinstated at the show in 2019 thanks to a set of yards donated by Greensteel, but the return was short-lived, with the Rockhampton Show cancelled in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The following year, the show returned, but the committee didn’t want to compete with Beef 2021.
Finally, the Commercial Cattle Section permanently returned last year.
Commercial Cattle Committee chairman Ben Geddes said cattle was the heart of the show – which is only natural for the beef capital of Australia.
“Commercial cattle has been part of the history of the show for the whole 150 years… one year in the 1940s they had 214 entries and in the 50s there were over 700 head of cattle judged,” he said.
“But without yards, you can’t have cattle and that’s the reason they stopped coming.”
Up to $7000 in prize money is up for grabs this year, with a record number of entries since the return of commercial cattle in 2019.
More than 120 trade cattle will compete in 19 classes for Grass Fed, Unrestricted Feeding and Replacement Heifers, with nine different cattle breeds represented.
While most of the cattle will be from Central Queensland, there will also be producers coming from around the state.
Mr Geddes said the success of last year’s junior judging had led to the Commercial Cattle Committee nominating to host the regional finals of the state’s Commercial Cattle Junior Judges Competition this year, prior to the final at the Ekka.
“Last year we had 120 students take part, but we’re expecting more this year given its the finals.”
Mr Geddes said the event wouldn’t be possible without the support of volunteers and businesses like Greensteel.
“Greensteel supplied all the yards when we returned in 2019, which were then purchased by the council, but as the event gets bigger each year we continually need more panels and more gates, which Greensteel has also supplied.”
The Capricornia Correctional Centre supplied labour to help get the Commercial Cattle Committee set up the yards and the Acton family donated the auctioneers’ box.
Mr Geddes encouraged show goers to come and check out the cattle yards at the showgrounds, particularly those who aren’t familiar with cattle and livestock.
Judging will be held on the morning of Wednesday, 14 June, followed by presentations that night at the Rockhampton Cattle Club building and a cattle auction the following day.
The schools junior judging of pens of four head will be held on Thursday afternoon, with Jessica Chapman from Rockhampton Girls Grammar School serving as junior associate judge.
A ladies high tea will be held at St Aubins Village on Friday.