Stockyard Beef has kicked off the 2023 award season with four medals at the annual Wagyu Branded Beef Competition, hosted by the Australian Wagyu Association (AWA).

kiwami by Stockyard secured Reserve Champion, a gold medal within the Fullblood Japanese Black Steak category and a silver medal within the Purebred Wagyu Steak category. Boasting marble scores over the Aus-meat standards which peak at 9, kiwami by Stockyard is the company’s pinnacle Wagyu brand. The win has taken kiwami by Stockyard’s total gold medal tally in the last four years to 23.

The Champion article was produced by Longford Station, one of Stockyard’s long-standing suppliers of high-performance wagyu. Based in Bendemeer, New South Wales, Arthur and Pam Dew have been producing award-winning Wagyu animals for decades. A Longford Station animal won gold at last year’s AWA Awards in the Open Crossbred category.

“That is wonderful news and justifies all of the hard work we have invested into our breeding program and confirms we are on the right track,” said Arthur. “We are very pleased to partner with Stockyard who provide us with the essential data feedback enabling genetic decisions to be made.”

Arthur and Pam have been early adopters of Stockyard’s Net Feed Intake technology. This innovation is designed to uncover the genetics that convert a grain ration the most efficiently to weight, without compromising on marbling. This collaboration across the supply chain allows Stockyard to produce extraordinary beef more sustainably and the data sharing supports Longford Station in their genetic selections.

Considered one of the leading branded beef awards for Wagyu brands in Australia, the competition seeks to promote excellence in Wagyu beef production. A panel of 36 judges consisting of sponsors, chefs, restauranteurs, food critics, Wagyu producers, butchers and industry personnel put over 58 branded entries through their paces. The judging was based on five criteria: visual appeal (visual and cooked), juiciness, flavour, aroma, and the physical sensation when eaten.
Stockyard Black was also awarded gold in the Crossbred Category. This label is reserved for the company’s Wagyu genetics achieving a marble score between 8 to 9. Judges described the winning article as “beautiful and silky, succulent and moist with buttery tones.”

The additional winning Wagyu pieces came from cattle bred and raised by Tom McLeish’s beef grazing operation, Diamond Cattle Co in Queensland and then finished at Stockyard’s Kerwee Feedlot. Over the last several years, Tom has been in pursuit of the genetics that will drive a product that end consumers love and his collaboration with Stockyard has been a key driver of this goal.

“Stockyard has been very open and transparent and shared the carcase feedback data back to us. This has allowed us to identify genetic lines which will perform not just in the feedlot, but also on the dinner plate. We are laser-focused on integrating data into our practices and genetic selections. Awards like this one are proof that we are achieving some of the goals we have set.” said Tom McLeish.

The latest awards take Stockyard’s tally of medals to 45 since the AWA’s competition inception in 2012.

“Part of the success of Stockyard’s long-standing award wins and consistent quality lies in our genetics, whether that is investing in our breeding herd, or partnering with key producers upstream who offer consistently high-performing genetics and those who share Stockyard’s mission for sustainable beef production.

“Each year these awards get more and more competitive as the standards set by Australian brands continues to increase,” said Stockyard’s General Manager of Sales, David Clark. “It makes taking home not one but two golds and our first Reserve Champion even sweeter.”

Stockyard breed, raise and feed premium grain-fed Wagyu and Angus cattle from their properties located in Queensland and New South Wales. Stockyard branded beef can be found in award-winning restaurants, leading hotels and amongst family and friends here in Australia and in over 20 international markets.

Media enquiries
Lisa Sharp
General Manager of Marketing and Innovation
07 3623 2844