Beefy champion back in Oyster Bay after taking top title

SOUTH Africa’s beef queen is safely back in Oyster Bay after travelling all the way to Bloemfontein where she was crowned the Supreme Female Champion last week.

The prestigious Angus National Championship only takes place once every two years.

Milagro Power 1 324 faced a panel of judges, including Canada’s renowned beef sire analyst Dennis Serhienko, to walk away with the title.

More than 1 000 cattle competed in 12 different categories.

Power 1 324 initially won the Grand Champion Black Angus Female category, before going on to win the Supreme Champion Female and Inter-Breed Gold Cup.

Andrew Masterson, owner of Milagro farm and the three-year-old champion, said they were honoured to walk away with the sought after title.

“We hope to see Power 1 324 compete again in the 2019 championship, and by then some of her calves might be big enough to take part alongside her, or in one of the other categories,” Masterson said.

An Angus competition judge himself, Masterson said the animal’s overall condition, including its length and girth, are taken into consideration.

Despite it being a beef competition, the animal’s meat is not actually tested, but rather the quality of the live animal is judged.

Masterson said it was a tough field of competitors, but in the end Power 1 324 hit the bulleye.

“What sets Power 1 324 apart for us is her large udder. She has great breeding potential,” he said.

Picture: JAN VAN DYK UDDER POWER: Milagro Power 1324 was crowned Inter-Breed Supreme Champion at the National Angus Championship in Bloemfontein last week. Standing with her is owner Andrew Masterson, handler Danwill Daniels, Masterson’s wife and daughter Colette and Amy,...