King River’s Josh Rich holding the trophy at last night’s Darling Downs Beef Battle.

THERE was more marbling on the plates at last night’s Darling Downs Beef Battle than an Italian bathroom.

That was according to Meat & Livestock Australia corporate chef Sam Burke as he graced the stage to crown a new winner of the competition that has been tightly held by Stanbroke for the past five years.

Central Queensland-based Wagyu beef supply chain King River was the one to take the mantle off Stanbroke, winning the people’s choice award. Stockyard continued its dominance of the professionally judged section, taking that competition out for the third year in a row.

The beef battle pits 10 of the country’s leading beef brands against each other, with a crowd of about 500 people taste testing the steaks as they are randomly brought out across the night. It is judged on flavour, flavour intensity, juiciness and tenderness.

The same steaks are tested the night before by a group of professionals, with two separate awards presented.

Speaking to Beef Central, King River general manager Josh Rich said the competition showed the organisation was heading in the right direction.

“We are quite new into the industry, (the other brands in the competition) have set a really high bar and I look up to them,” Mr Rich said.

The Stockyard team claiming their award at the Beef Battle.

King River is a collaboration of the Rich and Kemp families, both with deep connections to the Australian beef industry. The Rich family have several stations across the north, while the Kemp family feed the cattle at their Lotus Park feedlot near Sarina.

The company also custom feeds at Lillyvale and Launcels feedlots on the Darling Downs.

Stockyard continues success

As already one of Australia’s most successful beef brands, Stockyard Beef continued to add trophies to its cabinet last night.

The company is fresh off winning two awards at the Melbourne Royal Australian Food Awards and being crowned the champions at the Queensland Royal Agricultural Show branded beef competition and the Sydney Fine Foods award.

Faces from the event

John Dee’s Peter Healy, Chris Leacy and James Erbacher. The company had beef in the competition.

Jason Keane from feedlot construction company PF Install Solutions with Matt Norton from AgDSA and Bruce McConnel from the Southern Queensland Drought Hub.

Anthony Szostak and Andrew Winterbottom from the Western Truck Group in Toowoomba.

George Lubbe from Premium Bovine Solutions with Gordon Stone from ABDI.

Yuri Astfiev and Emma Whitaker from DHL Global Forwarding.

Shawn Fletcher, Candice Prestorius and Reece White from Mort & Co.