[PRESS RELEASE] Last call for entries in the Royal Adelaide Show Heifer Challenge

Adelaide, SA - Entries are closing soon for the 2026 Royal Adelaide Show Heifer Challenge, with stud cattle exhibitors of all ages and breeds invited to compete for the title of overall champion on Thursday 10 September. Entry costs $100 per heifer, with exhibitors competing across four age classes before an overall champion is decided.

The competition returns for its second year after a strong debut in 2025, when around 40 entries competed across the four classes, with $4,000 in prize money and 15 frozen embryos on offer from sponsor Vytelle.

Vytelle, global bovine in vitro fertilisation (IVF) company, returns as sponsor for a second year, with cash and embryo prizes on offer across all four age classes. The overall champion will also take home a $1,000 cash prize and embryos from a Vytelle donor female.

"We saw the impact this competition had in its first year and wanted to back it in a bigger way," said Alastair Rayner, strategic account manager for Vytelle Australia/New Zealand. "Backing the champion award means we're directly rewarding the standout exhibitor with real genetic value they can take home and put to work in their own breeding program."

Alastair Rayner will represent Vytelle on the ground on Thursday 10 September to present the champion award and address the Beef Cattle Exhibitor BBQ.

The 2026 Royal Adelaide Show runs from 5 to 13 September at the Adelaide Showground.

Entries for this year's Beef Cattle & Led Steers classes close Monday 20 July at 5pm.

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Caption: Olivia Baker, Woonallee Simmentals, with the winner of the inaugural Heifer Challenge: Woonallee Dakota V569

About Vytelle: Vytelle is a precision livestock company reshaping how cattle producers worldwide optimise their herds through an integrated technology platform combining hormone-free IVF with feed efficiency data collection. Operating in 23 countries with 21 labs globally, Vytelle helps producers identify their most genetically valuable animals, reproduce them rapidly through in vitro fertilisation, and track genetic progress with precision. 

About Royal Adelaide Show: Running for more than 180 years, the beef cattle competition is one the richest of its kind in Australia. More than $30,000 is up for grabs in this prestigious event as competitors showcase some of the best beef genes across Australia. Whether you're exhibiting rising stars of your stud herd, highlighting proven breeding lines, or bringing forward your most competitive bulls and heifers, this year's program is designed to showcase the excellence of dedicated beef cattle breeders.