Mark and Sheryl Atkinson and family have been showing cattle at Melbourne from their Drouin-based stud for 15 years - and while they’ve picked up ribbons in the interbreed, they’ve never quite nailed the top gong.

But this year all the pieces fell into place.

Their senior champion Angus bull Carrington Park Explosive C25 missed out on supreme in the breed judging – beaten by an impressive 12-month-old bull from Rossander for grand champion bull and a superb KO heifer that won supreme.

But in the interbreed Explosive rose to the fore, making the final four line-up with the KO Angus heifer, a Rellum Farms Simmental cow, shown with calf at foot and a Donna Valley Limousin junior bull.

Judge Rob Sinnamon, Yulgilbar Santa Gertrudis, Baryulgil, NSW, had high praise for all four of his champions but gave the nod to the Carrington Park bull, noting the structural soundness of this complete sire package.

It topped off a big week for Carrington Park which this week won Victorian bull and female of the year – the latter with a half sister to their supreme bull.

Yesterday the Atkinsons’ 15-year-old daughter Samantha showed she’d inherited her parents’ cattle sense, winning the VAS junior judging and junior paraders titles.

Interbreed winners:

Supreme: Angus, Carrington Park Explosive C25, Carrington Park, Drouin.

Junior female: Angus, KO Everelda Entense D154, KO, Bowral, NSW. Res: Beef Shorthorn, Malton Panwin Amanda 2786, Malton, Finley, NSW.

Senior female: Simmental, Rellum Farms Tabatha 5, Rellum Farms, Mt Gambier, SA. Res: Limousin, Mandayen Jill C877, Beckenham, Kyneton,

Junior bull: Limousin, Donna Valley Poll Dictator, Donna Valley, Holbrook, NSW. Res: Australian Shorthorn, Malton Engineer, Malton, Finley, NSW.

Senior bull: Angus, Carrington Park Explosive C25, Carrington Park. Res: Hereford, Tondara Blue Blood C141, Tondara, Urana, NSW.

*Full report, Stock & Land, October 1.