The Balls, well-known steer and carcase exhibitors from Grenell Bowmans Creek near Singleton, bred the purebred champion steer, Thumper, who weighed 491kg steer at 12 months of age.

He won his class and went on to the beat the other 120 led steers and heifers in the competition to win the grand champion ribbon.

Judge Jason Strong who is Australian Agricultural Company chief executive and managing director said the steer had a tremendous balance of meat and function.

This is the competition’s second year and is described by the organisers Landmark as the richest steer competition in Australia.

Held on the last weekend in August the event attracted a strong field on entries from schools and individuals keen to win some of the lucrative prizemoney.

Thumper, by a stud bull, went on to score 82.581 on the hook which took place at Bindaree Beef, Inverell.

The Balls have been exhibited in steer and carcase competitions throughout eastern Australia for more than two decades.

They have been consistent winners with their charolais and charolais cross entries. 

Greg  and Leonie established their own charolais stud a number of years ago to breed stock for their own breeding purposes and to supply a number of clients with stud and commercial bulls.