Champion bull cements its legacy
The top bull at this year’s Beef Expo is charolais bull Timoho Legacy.
The bull was the best from the seven breeds on show at the prestigious annual awards to find New Zealand’s prime beef.
In its 28th year, the champion of champions attracted 150 interested spectators at Manfeild, in Feilding.
This is only the second time a charolais has won top honours.
The prize bull is owned by Simon and Wendy Collin from, Central Hawke’s Bay. They bought it as a yearling at Timoho Stud’s clearing sale, Simon Collin said.
On Tuesday, Timoho Legacy was sold for $10,000, still well short of the top prices reached at the expo.
‘‘I thought he had huge potential as a calf, but when you buy in a young bull calf, you are in the lap of the gods about the way he might turn out,’’ Simon Collin said.
But Timoho Legacy, a rising 2-year-old bull, turned out to be one of the best. ’’I am chuffed Legacy has won. Although we didn’t breed the bull he is a good representative of the charolais breed.’’
Collin said judges liked his soundness, mobility, growth rates, fertility and his softness. ’’They liked his masculinity. He just has a really good head and overall he has a good balance.’’
The runner up was the shorthorn bull, Long View Conquest. He sold on Monday for $8000.
Simon Collin is the chairman of the Beef Expo. ‘‘He has a good eye for bulls and the bull he owns is a worthy winner,’’ said lead auctioneer for PGG Wrightson, Bruce Orr.
Simon Collin said last year, 2000 people came to the stadium and a further 1700 viewed the beef judging and sales live on-line.