This photograph shows the Champion Poll Hereford Bull at the 1969 Royal Melbourne Show. The animal is exhibit 536, Springfield Hiawatha, exhibited by S, K & C Hawkins. The people in the photograph are Thea Manson and Terry Ryan, who was stud-groom at Springfield Poll Herefords in Finley NSW.This item is a part of a larger collection of 4,500 Frank Johnson photographs and negatives donated to Melbourne Royal by Frank Johnson’s daughter, Francis Beatty Wallace in 2016. This collection spanning from the 1930s to the 1980s holds important social and historical significance in preserving and sharing Victoria’s agricultural history and community. The photographs capture the local, regional, and state’s shared relationships developed through agriculture and the importance of farming and husbandry to the population and development of Australia. A large proportion of these photographs depict events from the Royal Melbourne Show, including livestock competitions, exhibitions and awards ceremonies. Dating back to 1848 when the society first began, the Royal Melbourne Show has held a special place in the hearts and minds of Victorians, allowing for extensive showcasing and celebration of agricultural excellence, bridging the divide between metropolitan and rural Victoria.A black and white, landscape photograph printed on card.royal melbourne show, manson, thea manson, ryan, terry ryan, springfield poll hereford, poll hereford, hereford, cattle, beef cattle, bull, livestock, blue ribbon competition, beef cattle competition, agricultural show, champion, grand champion, grand champion bull, winners, 1969 royal melbourne show

Improving meat production In 1905, the English firm Thomas Borthwick & Son set up operations in Australia. Borthwick was a major meat exporter and ran freezing works as well as having its own cattle stations in Australia. From the early 19th century, Borthwick encouraged the production of quality beef by awarding prizes at agricultural shows throughout Australia. In the early 1950s the Australian Meat Board and The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (RASV) also took steps to encourage beef producers. Perpetual Trophy For the Coronation Show in 1953, Borthwick introduced a perpetual trophy. The Borthwick Trophy was awarded to the Fat Cattle Champion with the winner being judged from the best team of three steers under three years old. The winning team was the one that gained the highest aggregate score from both the live and carcase judging. Initially, the relevant winning Breed Society retained the trophy for a year and returned it for the following Royal Melbourne Show but the Borthwick Trophy is now displayed at the Melbourne Royal offices on the Melbourne Showgrounds. (Mandy Bede) The competition is now known as the competition between teams of three purebred steers in the Beef Carcase competition. There can be one team per beef cattle breed in the competition.Large silver cup with three handles, each flat at the top and then curving around the outside of the cup and rejoining before the cup's stem.THE BORTHWICK TROPHY. / PRESENTED TO / THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA / BY / THOMAS BORTHWICK & SONS (A/ASIA) LTD, / FOR / ANNUAL COMPETITION BETWEEN TEAMS OF / FAT STEERS, / REPRESETNING BEEF CATTLE BREEDS / AT / THE MELBOURNE ROYAL SHOW / [various winning breeds]cattle, beef carcase, melbourne royal beef carcase competition, beef, perpetual, perpetual trophy, borthwick, prize, blue ribbon competition