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Vale Warwick Watson

We pay our respects to Warwick Watson who passed away last Saturday at his home in the Hunter Valley. Warwick gave a great deal to the botanical world, the Red Poll breed, the RAS of NSW, and his family and many friends.

Warwick established the Bandaroo Red Poll stud in 1973 and over the next 30 years won more than 100 champion ribbons – with many of those successes being here at Sydney Royal.

In 1994 he was pivotal in organising the Red Poll World Congress Feature Show at the old Sydney showgrounds, where 100 Red Polls were exhibited before the judge Anthony Coates and Bandaroo Landlord was judged Grand Champion bull.

Warwick also served on the NSW and Federal committees of the Red Poll breed for many years and spent 15 years as either Chairman or Vice Chairman of the NSW branch and 2 years as National President.

Warwick Watson and the Bandaroo Red Poll genetics have left a lasting legacy here in Australia and in the United States where Bandaroo semen was exported to.

Thank-you Warwick Watson.

Economic Production

• Red Polls are one of the most productive British beef breeds.
• Red Polls are a great maternal breed, impart because of their early maturity and longevity. In the right conditions, they can be joined at 12 months and produce a calf every year for the next 12 – 15 years or longer. The Net Present Value (NPV) of such a productive animal is outstanding.
• The purity of the genetic legacy of the breed increases its value for heterosis.
• The Red Polls maternal characteristics make it ideal for crossing with other breed to increase milk quality and fertility.
• Red Polls have natural advantage of dominant polled gene.

Environmental and Social Benefits

• Red Polls have an advantage over most other British breeds for adaptability to challenging and changing environmental conditions.
• Red Polls have excellent temperaments. Current research by CRC has identified genes associated with good temperaments can better manage heat stress. Red coats are more desirable because they don’t retain the heat like black coats, and they’re not susceptible to sunburn and eye cancers like whiter coats. 
• Red Polls are well known for a high proportion of the slick gene that make them heat and tick resistant. Two breeds well known for this trait are the Senepol and Jamaican Red which originally co-opted the slick gene from Red Poll ancestry.
• Members of the ARPCBI foster a great social atmosphere. The Red Poll breed has a strong membership who show their cattle at local and Royal shows around the country. This is a great opportunity for members to showcase their cattle to the public, and to catch up with like-minded breeders and friends. 
• The Red Poll breed runs an annual youth camp where participants learn all about handling and preparation for shows and have a great time, often establishing lifelong friendships.
• Regional groups meet regularly to foster members input and hear of developments proposed by the national executive.