Alpha Show Spotlights Top Beef Producers
The Alpha Show Society hosted its annual Beef Dinner last night, bringing together the best of local cattle producers, industry experts, and the community for an evening of celebration and competition. The event, which followed the completion of a 100-day feedlot program, allowed producers to showcase their cattle. Points were awarded on key metrics including weight on foot, MSA grading, dressed weight, and a unique taste test that formed part of the final scoring.
This year, the three-course dinner was designed with the help of renowned celebrity chef Matt Golinski, who crafted a menu centered around local beef. Golinski prepared the entree in front of the crowd, turning the meal into an interactive experience. "It was a real highlight seeing Matt prepare the dish live and guide us through the flavors of locally sourced beef," said one attendee.
The centerpiece of the evening was a blind taste test, where a sample of each producer's beef was cooked and evaluated. This taste test contributed to the final score for each producer's beef.
Mark Wemyss, the steward in charge of the Prime Cattle event, explained the significance of the competition. "We run a feed-lot class as part of the Prime Cattle section at the Alpha Show. The cattle come in during the show, where they are judged on foot, then transported to a feedlot of our choice. We monitor their daily weight gains, carcass weight, MSA grading, and overall performance. It’s really about collecting data for the producers and the show," he explained.
For Wemyss, the event goes beyond the competition—it’s a vital part of keeping the Alpha Show alive. "The biggest concern for me is that if I stop doing this, will the show stop as well? The beef industry is the major industry in this area, and without it, what kind of show do we have? It’s why I volunteer—to keep the show going. Without that, I don’t think we’d have fireworks for the kids or anything else."
Sponsors like meat processor Teys played an important role in supporting the event. Ben, the Livestock Manager at Teys, emphasized their involvement. "We’ve been part of the Alpha Show’s prime and carcass section for several years. These local shows help us engage with producers, and we also process the feedlot cattle after 100 days of grain feeding. We provide the data back to the producers and the show committee, who then determine the winners."
One of the major winners on the night was Reid Bauman, a local producer whose family property is located north of Alpha. "We entered two pens—one with Charolais cross cattle and one with Angus cross, which we’re experimenting with," said Bowman. "Normally, we’re not on top, but this year we did well, and it feels great. I think everybody should be participating. There are only seven producers here tonight, but there must be 100 in the district. It’s a great benchmark for producers to see how their cattle are performing."
The Alpha Show Society Beef Dinner not only celebrated the hard work of local producers but also highlighted the importance of the beef industry to the region. With events like this, producers receive valuable feedback that helps improve their cattle for future competitions.
As Mark Wemyss concluded, "It’s just all about everyone trying to better their cattle and improve, moving forward together as an industry."
List of award winners:
Pen of Steers - Monklands, Reid Bauman
Pen of trade steers - Davidson Livestock Cheshire, Gordon Davidson
Pen of Heifers - Comiskey Family, Port Wine Laura Comiskey
Pen of Trade Heifers - Davidson Livestock Cheshire, Kelly Davidson
Highest Average daily weight gain - Davidson Livestock Cheshire, Kelly Davidson
Best Taste score of single cut - Clews Cattle, Cronulla, Josh Clews
Highest Average MSA Carcase Assesment - Davidson Livestock Cheshire, Kelly Davidson
Consumer Choice Award - Gleeson Family Beaufort, David Gleeson
