I had the chap who shot the X breed around the other night , as he heard I thought it was a X , I was talking to his Father in law , but told him not to tell him , as I didn't want to rain on his parade ,well he told him any way , turns out he had similar thoughts , I also told him it is more of a trophy as a Red X Samber than a 228Ds Samber stag (I have 1 just under & 2 over this size) which would be more common than a Red cross , as Flock House spent thousands trying to do it & only once were they successful !
He did say it was heard roaring in the Samber honking tone , I have been told this before from the
Northern herd (did not believe it), which share the same habitat with Reds , so interaction could be more frequent !

I may ask for some pics next time we meet .

On the size of Red Trophies , well 19 to 25 pionters were around from 1910 to the 1950's
they may not be common , but the blood line was here !

The NZ farmed heads now have even more large headed blood lines & selective breeding for 40 years also , added with good minerals (may be added to pasture as well) & feed , no droughts to speak of .

No trophy breeder that I know of adds anything else , no steriods or genetic splicing going on, LoL !