Mayura Station and Rangers Valley take out big wins
The pinnacle of Branded Beef competitions for the best Wagyu brands in Australia – the Wagyu Branded Beef Competition – is presented by the Australian Wagyu Association. The award winners for the best brands in Australia were celebrated at the Wagyu Sectors Gala Dinner evening last night, in front of 400 of the industry’s leading producers, experts and brands. Now in its 11th year, the renowned Wagyu Branded Beef Competition saw an enormous 46 entries, from 31 world-class brands judged by a panel of 32 food and beef industry experts. The WBBC represents the very best Australian Wagyu has to offer, with truly exceptional world-class entries. Judged across three classes – Fullblood Wagyu, Crossbred Wagyu and Commercial Wagyu – with judges scoring visual appeal (raw and cooked), juiciness, flavour, aroma and the physical sensation in your mouth. The WBBC promotes excellence in the production of Wagyu beef and the advancement of Wagyu – the world’s luxury beef. In an outstanding line-up of top Wagyu brand entries, more than 10 of the entries had extremely high and fine marbling that exceeded 50% visual marbling. This making this year’s entries, the highest and most competitive ever.
Grand Champion
The 2022 Wagyu Branded Beef Competition, Grand Champion brand was awarded to the winner of Class 1 – Fullblood Japanese Black – Signature Series by Mayura Station.
Upon receiving the award, Mr Scott deBruin, principle of Mayura Station said “The level of quality produced by our fellow brands is absolutely exceptional and this year’s entries really raised the bar on what can be achieved. I am very proud of our team at Mayura to be named Grand Champion Australian Wagyu Brand for 2022, in what is the most prestigious Branded Beef competition in Australia.”
The 2022 Wagyu Branded Beef Competition, Grand Champion brand awarded to Mr Scott deBruin from Mayura Station pictured with Terry Donohue, Managing Director of Ariat Operations Australia/NZ
Class 1 – Fullblood
Class 1, Fullblood Japanese black steak, had a total of 17 superb entries for the judges to work their way through. Judges commenting that the entries they tasted during the judging day were some of the best Wagyu they have ever tasted. 6 gold medals, 3 silver medals and 1 bronze medal were award in Class 1.
The Class 1 winner was described by the judges to be world class with extreme marbling, juiciness and flavour that dissolved in a rich beef and butter succulence with an exotic caramel and sweet fresh finish. Mayura Station’s, Signature Series took out class 1, achieving a total of 976 points out of 1040 total points. With an astounding digital marbling of 61%, a digital marble score of more than 16 as measured by the Japanese camera developed for Wagyu – the Meat Image Japan digital carcase camera. This entry also had a digital marbling fineness of 93.1, which is the highest ever recorded marbling fineness in the history of the WBBC. The Mayura entry was also the leading entry for ribeye area, with an enormous ribeye steak of 145cm2.
Full list of results
Sponsored by Ced Wise AB, Class One Champion
Signature Series by Mayura Station Gold Medallists
Gold medallists
Signature Series by Mayura Station
Jade Wagyu by Kilcoy Global Foods
Stone Axe Wagyu by Stone Axe Pastoral Company
Cobungra Station by Stone Axe Pastoral Company
Macquarie Wagyu by Direct Meat Company
Infinite Fullblood Wagyu by Rangers Valley
Silver medallists
Kiwami by Stockyard Beef
Master Selection by Mort & Co
Bronze medallists
Jack’s Creek Wagyu by Jack’s Creek
Matt George, Bovine Dynamics with Andrew Moore from Rangers Valley – 2022 Class 2 – Crossbred winner with their WX9 entry and Melissa George also from Bovine Dynamics.
Class 2 – Crossbred
Class 2 saw of total of 17 entries judged, with 7 gold medals, 5 silver medals and 2 bronze medals being awarded. The 2022 Class 2 – Crossbred winner was Rangers Valley with their WX9 entry. This entry achieved a total of 905 points, with a digital marbling of 51% and a digital marbling fineness of 82.2, with a ribeye area of 103cm2. Judges commented on the rich and toasty aroma with creamy and silky fine texture, umami and savoury long lasting flavours with exquisite succulence and ultimate quality Full List of Results Sponsored by Bovine Dynamics Class Champion: WX9 by Rangers Valley Gold Medallists.
Sponsored by Bovine Dynamics Class Two Champion
WX9 by Rangers Valley Gold Medallists
Gold medallists
WX9 by Rangers Valley
Carrara 640 by Kilcoy Global Foods
Jack’s Creek Wagyu X by Jack’s Creek
Stockyard Black by Stockyard Beef
L’GROW by Lotte International
Connors Wagyu by Direct Meat Company
Poll Wagyu
Silver medallists
Kiwami by Stockyard Beef
Master Selection by Mort & Co
Omino by Harmony Agriculture & Food Company
Tajima by Andrews Meat Industries
Eight Blossom Beef by Starzen Australia
Bronze medallists
The Phoenix by Mort & Co
Black Opal by Harmony Agriculture & Food Company
Class 3 – Commercial Marble Score 5-7
Class 3 consisted of 12 entries, with a total of 2 gold medals, 4 silver medals and 2 bronze medals awarded. The Class 3 Champion was again awarded to Rangers Valley with their WX entry. This entry achieved a total of 781 points, with a digital marbling of 31% and a digital marbling fineness of 61.2, with a ribeye area of 121cm2. Judges comments were that the entry was deliciously caramelised savoury and sweet notes, silky tenderness and fresh creamy flavour with lasting juiciness and depth.
Sponsored by Hughes Pastoral Class Three Champion
WX by Rangers Valley
Gold medallists
WX by Rangers Valley
Icon XB Wagyu by Paradigm Foods
Silver medallists
Jack’s Creek Wagyu by Jack’s Creek
Tajima by Andrews Meat Industries
Eight Blossom Beef by Starzen Australia
DMC Black by Direct Meat Company
Bronze medallists
L’GROW by Lotte International
Omino by Harmony Agriculture & Food Company
“I would like to thank the Australian Wagyu Brands for the continued growing support they are showing for the Australian Wagyu Branded Beef Competition,” said Ron Fitzgerald, AWA Branded Beef Competition Coordinator. “I count it a rare privilege to be in a room where so many extremely high-quality steaks are displayed together, representing the best beef Australia has to offer. It is great to see the depth and quality of the Australian Wagyu Industry being demonstrated in the entries. The awards and publicity are an appropriate recognition of the excellence these brands are achieving as they provide the Australian Wagyu Producers a conduit to supply the Australian public and the rest of the world the best beef that can be produced.”
“The level of quality and range of brands continues to increase year on year, highlighting the high level of competition and the continual focus on excellence in producing Wagyu, the world’s luxury beef,” said Australian Wagyu Association, CEO, Matt McDonagh.
“We congratulate Mayura for achieving the 2022 Grand Champion brand for the second time, including being the Champion Fullblood entry for 2022. We congratulate Rangers Valley for their WX brands being the Champion entries for the Open Crossbred and Commercial Classes.
“With ever increasing numbers of entries, I would like to thank Mr Ron Fitzgerald, Dr Alex Ball, the Chief Steward, the organising committee and Judges for their time to make this happen. I would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Prime Cut Meats and Comcater Brisbane for hosting the event for preparation and judging to give such a stellar outcome.”
Catch up on all the action from the awards ceremony – WATCH NOW