Simmental-Fleckvieh breeders were celebrating a significant win at this year's Royal Easter Show.
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For the first time in 39 years the breed took out the coveted Stan Hill Trophy for a pen of three purebred led steers based on their carcase scores.
The team than included two steers from the Upper Hunter outscored the Angus team and in third place was the Shorthorns.
Being the breeder of two of the steers greatly pleased Jason and Jacqui Impey, Mala-Daki Simmentals, Bunnan. The third steer in the team was breed by Nicole and John Hopkins, Illabo.
Much like the breed the Impey family and their stud cattle have been coping with one of the worst droughts on record in the district.
The family relocated from Crookwell to Bunnan 30 months ago and during that time it hasn't rained making life and running a stud cattle operation extremely difficult.
So the win in Sydney was special. Jason said he had been breeding Simmentals for 25 years and today concentrated on the Red and Black genetics to achieve consistency of type.
Something clearly evident in their steers with their middleweoght entry scoring 89 points on the hook and a silver medal and the heavyweight scored 88pts and also a silver medal.
In 2018 at the same competition their steers also achieved two silver medals with similar results in the two previous year - certainly highlighting the consistent carcase traits they are looking for in their Simmentals.
"We like the steer and carcase competitions because they provide us with the feedback we need to know our breeding program are heading in the right direction," he said.
"With more cattle being sold over the hook you have to know the seedstock cattle you are producing meet those specifications."
Unfortunately for the family the ongoing impact of the drought means they are forced to sell a number of their stud females and relocate once again to manage a property with a Charolais stud near Tamworth.
They expect to retain around 60 females and continue to market bulls with excellent commercial and carcase traits.