From Lekenik to the Top of the World

The Black Bull Ranch farm from Lekenik has achieved a result that very few can boast of. At this year's World Steak Challenge, a global competition that gathers the best beef producers, meat from the Lekenik farm won two medals – gold for ribeye and silver for sirloin.

The competition was held in Amsterdam this year, and Black Bull Ranch participated for the first time among producers from numerous countries with a long tradition of top-quality beef production. Representatives from Argentina, Chile, the United States, Ireland, Australia, Japan, Scotland, Spain, France, and other countries were among the roughly 450 producers in competition.

For the Lekenik farm, run by father and son Siniša and Luka Birčić, this is an especially valuable result because it was achieved on their very first appearance.

The Birčićs entered meat from an F1 category young bull into the competition – the first generation crossbreed of a Wagyu bull and a Black Angus cow. This specific crossbreeding has been one of their main breeding goals from the beginning, alongside raising purebred Wagyu.

One of the World's Most Important Beef Quality Competitions

The meat was obtained from a steer, a castrated bull weighing just under 800 kilograms, and was dry-aged for 45 days prior to the competition.

In the ribeye category, this exact steak won the gold medal, while in the sirloin category, Black Bull Ranch took home the silver medal.

The result is all the more significant when taking into account the strength of the competition. The World Steak Challenge is considered one of the most important global beef quality competitions. The competition was launched in 2015, and the results are decided by an international jury composed of 80 members. Different cuts of meat are evaluated, including fillet, sirloin, and ribeye, while Wagyu also has a special category.

In addition to medals, the competition announces the best steak in the world, as well as winners of individual categories, feeding regimes, and continents.

Great Recognition for the Lekenik Farm

Two medals from one of the world's toughest competitions represent a confirmation of the quality of Black Bull Ranch's work, but also a significant success for Lekenik. It is especially worth highlighting that the gold medal for ribeye is the first gold medal a Croatian producer has ever won at the World Steak Challenge.

Until now, valuable recognitions from this competition had been brought to Croatia by the Black Angus breeders from Kordun, M Brothers, who won bronze for their ribeye in 2023 and silver in 2025.

Black Bull Ranch has now taken it a step further – and did so right upon their first appearance. The gold and silver from Amsterdam have thus arrived straight in Lekenik, serving as major international recognition for the Birčić family's work and the quality of beef produced on their farm.

Source: lekenik.info

Translated by Branko Lozančić