Taieri farmer on the hook for top prizes
Taieri farmer Geoff Edgar won both of the top prizes at the recent 2025 Otago-Southland Hoof and Hook Beef Competition.
Mr Edgar, of Outram, won the hoof class for cattle 321kg and heavier for his Charolais and Belgian blue-cross steer.
Hoof judge Jimmy McAllister said the steer was crowned the supreme hoof champion and Doug Lindsay Memorial Trophy winner due to its "conformation and sheer weight for age".
The steer also won the "most valuable animal on the day" category in the hook section.
An Angus steer Mr Edgar entered was crowned the supreme hook champion and AH Dodd and Family Trophy winner.
Other hook categories Mr Edgar won were best on fork, best marbling and best of British.
Exotic breeds could grow to heavy weights if given enough feed, Mr Edgar said.
As beef prices were good, he was keeping cattle on farm longer so they were put on the truck at heavier weights.
The 16-month-old steer had been given a diet of only grass and autumn had been favourable for growing it.
"It has been a great season."
Farmer Clark Scott, of Moa Flat, won the hoof class between 271kg and 320kg for his pure-black Limousin heifer.
"I'm ecstatic," he said with a smile.
Another gold-coloured Limousin heifer placed third in the same section.
Mr Scott entered the competition because it showcased the different cattle breeds in the South.
A point of interest in the competition was how much an animal weighs on the hoof, compared to on the hook, and the ratio of meat to bone of a carcass.
Limousin cattle had been his preferred breed for 30 years and the relationship would continue.
"I find them lovely quiet cattle to work with. They're easy care and good foragers. The cows can live on nothing and I'm not going to change breeds now.
"I'm getting too long in the tooth."
Autumn had been great for growing pasture on his sheep and beef farm.
"It has been very mild and growthy and product prices have turned an unbelievable corner so it has been a nice change for farmers to finally get some money in their pockets."
Competition committee chairman Barry Gray, of Owaka, said the 30 competition entries, a mix of 12 steers and 18 heifers, were from farms between Outram, Owaka and Wyndham.
"The 30 entries is a good result."
The cattle were judged on the hook at Alliance Group's Mataura plant.
Fat colour on the carcasses this year was a lot whiter than last year's entries, he said.
This year, 14 carcasses scored maximum points for fat colour compared with no carcasses scoring peak points in the same category last year.
One of his Maine Anjou steers scored maximum points for fat colour.
Nearly twice as many carcasses were given maximum points in the "muscle class" compared with last year.
Cattle with a "nice, big, round beefy backside" usually scored maximum points for muscle.
Two of his pure Maine Anjou cattle, a heifer and a steer, scored maximum muscle points.
Mr Gray was crowned the reserve champion in both the hoof and hook sections.
"That was nice." OTAGO-SOUTHLAND HOOF AND HOOK BEEF COMPETITION
Hoof section: Class 1 (220kg to 270kg): Geoff Edgar (Outram) Charolais and Belgian blue-cross steer, 1; Barry Gray (Owaka) Angus and Maine-Anjou-cross steer, 2; Mike Thompson (Waikaia) Limousin steer, 3.
Class 2 (271kg to 320kg): Clark Scott (Moa Flat) Limousin heifer, 1; Jorge Story (Wyndham) Charolais and Hereford Angus-cross heifer, 2; Clark Scott (Moa Flat) Limousin heifer, 3.
Supreme hoof champion and Doug Lindsay Memorial Trophy winner: Geoff Edgar (Outram) Charolais and Belgian blue-cross steer.
Reserve hoof champion: Barry Gray (Owaka) Angus and Maine Anjou-cross steer.
Supreme hook champion carcass and AH Dodd and Family Trophy winner: Geoff Edgar (Outram) Angus steer.
Reserve hook champion carcass: Barry Gray (Owaka) Angus and Maine Anjou steer.
Best of British: Geoff Edgar (Outram) Angus steer, 1; Max Nicol (Outram) Angus steer, 2; Brian Thomson (Allanton) South Devon heifer, 3.
Best new entrant: Jorge Story (Wyndham).
Best owner-bred animal: Barry Gray (Owaka) Angus and Maine Anjou-cross steer.
Most valuable animal on the day: Geoff Edgar (Outram) Charolais and Belgian blue steer.
Best marbled carcass: Geoff Edgar (Outram) Stabiliser steer.
Best on fork: Geoff Edgar (Outram) Angus steer
shawn.mcavinue@alliedpress.co.nz
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