Lynne Mowbray | Geoff Jones of Holiday Coast Meats in South Grafton has done it again, winning two years in a row in the ‘on hook and carcass competition, at Casino Beef Week. “The Led Steer competition [a Hoof and Hook competition] has four classes and at the auction I bought one steer in the Class 1 [339 kilos] and two steers in Class 2 – all Speckle Park’s,” Geoff said. “I’ve been buying these Speckles because of the carcass qualities and traits that they’ve had. They are placing very well in these competitions and the meat eating quality of them is very high. “It’s been very good and I’m very happy with the quality of the meat and I have customers waiting for more of it to come into the shop. “I had a gentleman phone me before the auction had taken place to see if I’d bought any yet. Last year he bought nearly all the T-bones “So I purchased the three Speckle Park’s hoping, fingers crossed, that I may just be lucky enough to snare a position with one of my purchases. “Anyone can purchase or bid at the auction for an animal and ask for it to be sent to Holiday Coast Meats and we will cut it up for them. “But for me I’m out there to try and find the best carcass for the shop and it’s going to give me something to brag about, a bragging right, that I’ve purchased the winning carcass – which I did. “I got a 1st place in Class 1 and a 6th position in Class 2. The third one didn’t get a position but the boys in the shop reckon it had the best body. “I was absolutely delighted when they rang through the results and I’m thrilled to think that I picked up another winner this year. It just doesn’t happen – it’s rare to win two years in a row,” he said. Geoff said that he will have the Speckle meat available in all cuts this week, but you will have to ask for it. “I might even make Speckle snags,” he said laughing. “It’s great to win with the Speckles, but what I’d really like to do is to take it to a greater level and encourage the Clarence Valley schools to get on board as part of their agriculture program. “We have a sister town as in Casino with an industry (the meat works) that is reliant on local stock for its viability, otherwise it will be gone. “The Clarence Valley is a food bowl within itself and this needs to be identified and recognised. Let’s get the schools interested. “I’ve already had talks with the Clarence Valley Anglican School and they seem really keen,” he said. Geoff says that he loves the Speckle Park breed and even has a Speckle in his eye, when he talks about them. “At home on my farm, my base herd is F1 Brangus (Brahman and Angus) and the idea is to put the Speckle Park bulls over those F1’s – that’s where I’m heading in the future,” he said.