Sonny Bill a world-class beast

Sonny Bill is an award winning bull.

Sonny Bill the blue-ribbon bull of Wairarapa narrowly missed out on a medal at the hereford world championships at 'Cowtown' in Texas at the weekend.

Otapawa Station owners Stuart and Maria Robbie said Sonny Bill took fourth place at the Fort Worth show and had vindicated his status as a world-class beast after the couple paid $40,000 for the Okahu hereford bull at the AgInnovation 2014 bull sales last year.

It was the top price paid at the event, at which then 2-year-old Sonny Bill was named Supreme Champion Hereford and all-breeds champ before going on to clinch the Hereford Champion of Asia/Africa gold medal that earned him a shot, via photographs and video, at the world championship title at the weekend showdown in Texas.

Sonny Bill was lined up in Fort Worth against counterparts from three other global regions, and four international title-winning cows and heifers as well, with South America winner Kamikaze taking the hereford world championship title, silver going to the North America champion and bronze to the Europe victor.

Mr Robbie said yesterday he had been certain Sonny Bill was "something special" when he judged the animal at the New Zealand Beef Expo last year and the showing in Texas was testimony to its individual merit and genetic value.

"It's a big accolade for the bull - he's pretty special.

"To get that sort of recognition is a big honour for him and for New Zealand genetics."

Mrs Robbie, speaking from Texas, said she and Linda Shailer, New Zealand Hereford Association registry officer, had attended the Fort Worth show, at which an international panel of judges and public votes had decided the medal winners, and she remained in awe of Sonny Bill and his much-deserved recognition as one of the best hereford bulls in the world.

"We were all winners from our regions in the world and we each had a presentation for winning our regions, and Sonny Bill is a world-class hereford. We invested in a very good bull, literally one of the best."

She and Ms Shailer were at the last day of the Fort Worth stock show and were today at the Texas Christian University, where each of eight delegates from around the world including the two New Zealand women would make presentations on farming practices to ranch management class at the varsity.

The pair were to also spend three days touring ranches in the Fort Worth region.

Sonny Bill was today "running with some cows" at Okahu with breeder Kelly O'Neill, she said, and she agreed the Robbie family had enjoyed a silver-lined run of fortune over the past fortnight.

Stuart's dad Donald, 80, escaped serious injury when the brakes failed on a gravel-laden truck he was driving down a steep hill.

The 80-year-old Tiraumea farmer remained at the wheel of the runaway vehicle and successfully steered the truck to a stop.

"It's been a good month.

"The truck crash could have been really bad and we've been very lucky I think. With Sonny Bill it's been good management as well, and with the truck too I guess."