An 1105kg beast bred by Dunsandel farmer John McDrury took first prize as the heaviest steer in the annual prime cattle competition, held in conjunction with North Canterbury Stock and Station Agents Association weekly sale at Canterbury Agricultural Park on Tuesday November 5.
Mr McDrury's steer exceeded last year's winning weight and was later sold to Seaton Farming for $2276.
Canterbury A&P Association president Mark Fleming presented the winner with the trophy and prize ribbon. saying the steer's size was ''quite impressive''.
Competition organiser John Honeybone. from Rural Livestock, commented on the quality of the winning steer: ''Good steer, nice beast, well finished by the fattener, he's a good steer regardless of the weight.''
The competition was sponsored by the Canterbury A&P Association, PGG Wrightson and Rural Livestock. Last Tuesday's was the last prime cattle sale before the annual Canterbury A&P Show starting today.
Prime cattle competition results: Heaviest steer: JG McDrury 1, Remington Holdings 2, Glenpark Partnership 3.
Best single steer: Rockford Farm 1, M & C McDermott 2, EH Lunn 3.
Best pair steers: JJ McCarthy 1, Rockford Farm 2, CR Timperley 3.
Best single heifer: RH & JC Adams 1, AJ & PJ Cockburn 2, RH & JC Adams 3.
Best pair of heifers: AJ & PJ Cockburn 1, DH & SM Rhodes 2, PJ Helps 3.
Best steer or heifer under 500kg: DH & SM Rhodes 1, A Quinn 2, PJ Helps 3.
Best pair of steers or heifers under 500kg: L McDonald 1.