What’s happening?
Regional Queensland producers have led the first phase of the Royal National Agricultural & Industrial Association of Queensland (RNA)’s prestigious Paddock to Palate Competition.
The competition, presented by JBS Australia, brought all five weight gain classes to Beef City in Toowoomba.
Producers from Beilba, Blackall, Burncluith and Moola secured leading results across the export, trade and Wagyu classes.
Simon and Myriam Daley won the 120-day export class with their pen of Charolais cross cattle. They also finished first and third in the HGP-free export class.
Russell Pastoral Operations won the 100-day trade class with Angus cross cattle. The Blackall producer also secured strong results in the export class.
Kireina Wagyu won the Crossbred Wagyu class, while LA & DL Henschell claimed the Fullblood Purebred Wagyu class.
Their results reflected the strength of regional Queensland genetics across commercial and Wagyu cattle production.
Why it matters?
Paddock to Palate allows producers to compare cattle performance under consistent feeding and judging conditions.
The results can help breeders assess their genetics and support future decisions involving bulls, females and breeding programs.
RNA Beef Committee Chair Gary Noller said strong results could provide an advantage when producers market their cattle.
“For seedstock producers, it translates to higher averages at their bull sales, with standout exhibitors in the competition achieving results above breed averages,” he said.
“On the commercial side, producers are using the competition to prove their genetics and confirm they are making the right decisions in their selection of bulls and females at home.”
Mr Noller said new commercial and seedstock exhibitors continued to join the competition each year.
“Every year we see new exhibitors take part in the competition, as they recognise that strong results in Paddock to Palate can give them a clear point of difference in the market,” he said.
Local Impact
The leading results have placed several regional Queensland businesses in strong positions before the remaining phases.
Beilba producers Simon and Myriam Daley secured two class wins with their Charolais cross cattle.
Russell Pastoral Operations represented Blackall with a class victory, a second-place finish and the leading individual result in Class 37.
Burncluith-based Kireina Wagyu won both the pen and individual sections of its Wagyu class.
LA & DL Henschell achieved the same result in the Fullblood Purebred Wagyu class for Moola.
Toowoomba also held an important role, with every weight gain class hosted at Beef City for the first time.
“I would like to sincerely thank our competition presenting partner JBS Australia, who expanded their support to include the Wagyu classes at Beef City, with all classes now hosted at the feedlot,” Mr Noller said.
By the numbers
- The 2026 competition attracted a record 1,358 cattle, reflecting growing producer interest across the five classes.
- Entries rose by 25 per cent from last year, setting a new participation record for the competition.
- Almost $65,000 in prize money will be awarded across the commercial and Wagyu classes.
Zoom In
Class 37A Best Weight Gain for Pen of Six
This class covered 120-day grain-fed export steers.
- First place went to Simon and Myriam Daley from Beilba, Queensland, with a 3.03kg average daily gain.
- Their winning pen consisted of Charolais cross cattle.
- Russell Pastoral Operations from Blackall, Queensland, placed second with Angus cross cattle, recording 2.98kg.
- Hinz Grazing from Miles, Queensland, placed third with Shorthorn Santa cross cattle recording 2.96kg.
- Russell Pastoral Operations from Blackall, Queensland, recorded the highest individual gain at 3.43kg.
Class 38A Best Weight Gain for Pen of Six
This class covered 100-day grain-fed trade steers.
- Russell Pastoral Operations from Blackall, Queensland, won with Angus cross cattle, recording 2.69kg.
- Gyranda Pastoral Company from Theodore, Queensland, placed second with Santa Gertrudis cattle recording 2.61kg.
- Aurelian Pastoral Co from St George, Queensland, placed third with Angus and Ultrablack cattle recording 2.55kg.
- Juandah Grazing from Guluguba, Queensland, recorded the highest individual result at 3.12kg.
Class 39A Best Weight Gain for Pen of Six
This class covered 380-day grain-fed Fullblood Purebred Wagyu steers.
- LA & DL Henschell from Moola, Queensland, won with Fullblood Wagyu cattle, recording 1.15kg.
- Hamilton Park Pastoral Company from Wallumbilla, Queensland, placed second with Fullblood cattle recording 1.12kg.
- Hamilton Park Pastoral Company from Wallumbilla, Queensland, also placed third with another pen recording 1.1kg.
- LA & DL Henschell from Moola, Queensland, recorded the highest individual gain at 1.439kg.
Class 40A Best Weight Gain for Pen of Six
This class covered 120-day HGP-free steers.
- Simon and Myriam Daley from Beilba, Queensland, won with Charolais cross cattle, recording 2.4kg.
- Palgrove Charolais from Bukkulla, New South Wales, placed second with Charolais cross cattle recording 2.27kg.
- Simon and Myriam Daley from Beilba, Queensland, also placed third with another pen recording 2.24kg.
- Palgrove Charolais from Bukkulla, New South Wales, recorded the highest individual gain at 2.76kg.
Class 41A Best Weight Gain for Pen of Six
This class covered 380-day grain-fed Crossbred Wagyu steers.
- Kireina Wagyu from Burncluith, Queensland, won with a 1.33kg average daily gain.
- Its winning pen featured Composite Wagyu and F1 Wagyu cattle.
- Red Hill Lands from Upper Manilla, New South Wales, placed second with Angus and Wagyu cattle, recording 1.2kg.
- Leeton Grazing from Halls Creek, New South Wales, placed third with Wagyu and Angus cattle recording 1.13kg.
- Kireina Wagyu from Burncluith, Queensland, recorded the highest individual gain at 1.50kg.
Zoom Out
Classes 37, 38 and 40 include three separate phases of competition.
The cattle are judged on aggregate weight gain, carcase performance and Meat Standards Australia eating quality.
The Wagyu Challenge covers Classes 39 and 41 and includes four phases.
It concludes with a beef taste-off judged by some of Queensland’s leading chefs.
The competition is presented by JBS Australia and supported by several agricultural and industry organisations.
Sponsors include Zoetis, Coopers Animal Health, the Australian Wagyu Association and Queensland Country Life.
Zee Tags, Thompson Longhorn, Black Box Co, and Thynne and Macartney also support the competition.
What To Look For Next?
Exhibitors who achieve the highest aggregate scores across all phases will be awarded the major prizes at the Paddock to Palate Awards Dinner at the Brisbane Showgrounds on Thursday, 6 August, during Ekka Beef Week.
