Carcase competitions are a fair test: the judges see the cattle on the hook, not in the ring. Australian Shorthorn breeders have had a good few years of them.
- 2020-21 Southern Grassfed Carcase Classic: out of 1 354 entries, in what is understood to be the largest grassfed carcase competition in the Southern Hemisphere, the grand champion was a Shorthorn steer from Inglewood Props on 95.49 points. That is believed to be the highest score in the competition’s history. The reserve champion, on 94.89, was a Shorthorn x Angus.
- 2024-25 Southern Grassfed Carcase Classic: Glenys and Evan Flint of South Bundara, Kingston SE, won grand champion carcase with a Shorthorn.
- 2025 Borthwick Trophy, Melbourne Royal: a team of three purebred Shorthorn steers took the top aggregate carcase score.
Grassfed results matter to us. Our cattle, and most of our buyers’ cattle, are raised on veldt, so a breed that grows and marbles off grass is worth having.
If you would like to see what that looks like in a South African herd, come and have a look, or give Allistair a call.
Source: Seedstock Central, “Shorthorn takes Southern Grassfed Carcase Classic”, July 2021
Source: Stock Journal, “Shorthorn triumphs in Australia’s largest beef carcase competition”, May 2025
Source: Australian Shorthorns, “It’s All About The Carcase”, October 2025