It’s fair to say that Truro Whiteface has re-entered the showring in 2023 with a big bang after an extended break.
And, the star of the show has been Truro Sherlock S188 (P), with multiple judges across all breeds describing the Hereford bull as a “game-changer”.
“It was time for us to start marketing again and we knew we had a very good article to show,” said Scott Hann, Truro Whiteface, Bellata, NSW.
“You can’t sell a secret!”
Since Sherlock’s debut at Glenn Innes in January, he has dominated the showring, culminating in a stunning victory at Taroom in May against 242 head across all breeds.
The 960-kilogram 20-month-old bull is the son of Yalgoo Peacemaker P034 (PP), a sire Truro bought with the first sons sold in the stud’s autumn sale topping at $22,000.
His dam Truro Daffodil M066 is one of the stud’s best performing cow families.
“She is a beautiful, moderate-framed, perfectly-uddered cow who came out of the drought and is certainly performing now,” Mr Hann said.
While the bull had potential at weaning – and was picked early for the show team – Sherlock shone once he hit the showring.
“He is a calf that just seems to keep getting better and better as he gets older,” Mr Hann said.
Professional fitters Steve Hayward and Kellie Smith, Allora, have prepared the bull throughout his show career and both rate Sherlock among the top six bulls they have ever worked with.
At Glen Innes, the 16-month-old was reserve champion junior Hereford bull and won the interbreed sweepstakes bull of the show.
While at Inverell in February, he won grand champion Hereford bull, supreme champion interbreed bull and supreme beast of show against 75 Hereford cattle exhibited.
With Scott Hann on the halter, the bull stormed through Sydney Royal taking junior and grand champion Hereford bull and supreme Hereford exhibit, under judge Alastair Day.
Sherlock weighed 898kg then and scanned with a raw eye muscle area of 131sqcm.
It was Truro’s first grand champion bull at Sydney after previously winning champion female with cows there and in Brisbane.
Sherlock was also called forward into the top five in the interbreed bull of the show.
“The number one thing when we are breeding cattle is structure and balance,” Mr Hann said.
“And this bull has carcase, thickness and roundness yet maintains softness.
“On BREEDPLAN, he is of moderate birth, high growth, positive calving ease, over +6.0 for eye muscle area and +1.0 for intramuscular fat.
“When we bought Yalgoo Peacemaker (PP) he had good solid data and now has all four indexes in the top one per cent of the breed.”
Taroom judge Andrew Bassingthwaighte, Yarrawonga Cattle Co, described Sherlock as a “breed changer” and gave him the nod from 242 head, along with fellow judges Kirrily Johnson-Iseppi, GK Livestock and Scott Waldron, AA Company.
Sherlock was the junior bull challenge winner, Bos taurus and interbreed grand champion bull before claiming the 2023 Super Bull Challenge, nudging out the Charolais, Brahman and Simmental champions.
Sherlock was the first bull to win all three major categories at the Taroom Show.
The Hann family has collected semen from Sherlock, selling some to show steer producers to cross with various European and British breeds and will flush selected Truro donors to the bull.
“Judges have said it doesn’t matter what colour you paint this bull, he is a good one,” Mr Hann said. “He is without doubt the best bull we have ever bred.
“It was amazing to win at Taroom as it was a Charolais feature show – I’m still pinching myself.
“The road ahead is Sherlock will be rested before going to Brisbane Royal as his swansong and then sold in our on-property sale on August 28.”
