Judge Tim Lord with grand champion exhibit Llandillo Julie S24, handler Max White and Herefords Australia CEO Lisa Sharp. Image Kim Woods
Young cattle handlers from three Australian states and New Zealand honed their skills and gained new mates at the Herefords Australia National Youth Heifer Expo, resuming after a two-year hiatus.
The expo was held at the Wodonga Exhibition Centre on July 6-9 and drew 79 participants ranging in age from six to 25 years from NSW, Victoria, South Australia and across the Tasman.
Expo participants were treated to talks on structural soundness from Kerrie Sutherland James McWilliam, photography and marketing from Emily Hurst, Alicia Trovatello and Brett Tindall, and clipping demonstrations from Kierin Martin and James McWilliam.
Peter Godbolt and Jonathon Tink presented animal health, tattooing and breeding workshops, while business mentors Dianna Jacobsen, Deanne Sykes and Margareta Osborne spoke on mindfulness and team building skills.
The intermediate and senior participants had a field visit to Billabong Beef Company, Bungowannah, with topics on carcase selection by Marc Greening and Herefords Australia Breed and Business Development manager Kathleen Allan.
Herefords Australia Youth President Alicia Trovatello said the breed offered a large support network for the junior members.
“Hereford breeders are very supportive, and we are here to help out the next generation – breeders are here to genuinely help newcomers,” Ms Trovatello said.
“It’s a fun community and we are all wanting to invest in the next generation. By joining young people have access to the Youth Expo, field days and workshops throughout the year.”
Sixteen-year-old Georgia Wragge, Woomargama, NSW, received the Herefords Australia Youth President’s Award, a fully paid entry to the 2023 Herefords Australia National Youth Heifer Expo.
Alicia Trovatello said Georgia had shown passion, enthusiasm and was keen to help others.
Daryl Holder, The Cattle Shop, presented the Jason Sutherland Award in conjunction with the Sydney Regional Hereford Group to encourage, honour and celebrate the contribution the late Mr Sutherland had made to the industry.
A participant who came to the show with a team of 21 cattle to care for, William van Gend, Llandillo Poll Herefords, The Lagoon, NSW, received the award.
Mr Holder said William had a great mentor in stud manager Lee White and was outstanding in helping others in turn.
Two Herefords Australia Youth scholarships worth $2500 each for travel within Australia and New Zealand were presented by Herefords Australia deputy chairman Marc Greening to Brittany Abbott, Wagga Wagga, and Janet Cantwell, Mulloon Pastoral, Braidwood, NSW.
“We see these youth as the future of the breed and they are people who will get involved in the breeding side and also make a contribution back to the breed,” Mr Greening said.
“These scholarships are a fantastic opportunity for youth to aspire to.”
Receiving a heifer donated by Andrew and Serena Klippel, Sugarloaf Creek Herefords, Corryong, Katie Kerby, Coongulla, Vic, won the Most Potential Breeder Award.
Katie received the 11-month-old Sugarloaf Caroway S140, a daughter of Mawarra Hi Time P155 and out of Sugarloaf Caroway L136.
In the paraders, Sam Garvin, Orange, NSW, cruised through the heats to win champion junior and grand champion, making it back-to-back titles after taking out the grand champion parader at the 2019 Expo at Parkes.
Paraders judge Jamie Hollis, Killara poll Herefords, Pittsworth, Qld, rated Sam as the clear winner.
“He blew me away with how experienced and professional he was,” Mr Hollis said.
“I would be happy to have him on the halter of my animals.”
The 12-year-old Year 7 student paraded Kianma Matchless S04 and paid tribute to his father Chris Garvin for helping him hone his skills.
“I love the expo for its atmosphere, meeting people and learning new things,” Sam said.
He is now preparing for the National All Breeds Heifer Show at Blayney in September.
Elsie Stevens, Lancaster, Vic, and Samuel Guy, Llanarth, NSW, took out their respective heats in the pee wee division.
Elsie went on to be champion with Mr Hollis describing her as natural, neat and tidy, and making the class about her heifer and not herself.
Coming in as reserve champion was Samuel Guy aided by his buddy Elizabeth Farrugia.
In the junior paraders, Max White, The Lagoon, NSW, was reserve champion to Sam Garvin.
Mitchell Taylor, Eclipse Poll Herefords, Quipolly, NSW, came up trumps in the championship for the intermediate paraders with Alexi Carmichael in reserve.
Mr Hollis said Mitchell was “a professional parader, very cool, calm and capable.”
William van Gend was a popular winner in the senior division, taking out the championship and described by Mr Hollis as “cool, calm and collected”.
Lillian Oke was second in the heat to William and took out the reserve, with Mr Hollis praising her showmanship and sharpness.
In the cattle classes, Ella McWilliam paraded Kianma Matchless S006 to junior champion female with Sugarloaf Jewell S163, paraded by Layne Klippel, Corryong, Vic, in reserve champion.
Judge Tim Lord, KO Angus, Kangaloon, said Kianma Matchless S006 was a clear winner exhibiting natural balance, head carriage and power through the hips and pin.
Max White paraded the senior and grand champion female and grand champion exhibit, Llandillo Julie S24, while Harrison Guy was on the halter of the reserve senior champion, Llandillo Gladiola S16.
The autumn 2021 drop grand champion was sired by Grathlyn Pacemaker and out of Llandillo Julie P034, and exhibited by Llandillo Poll Herefords, The Lagoon.
Mr Lord praised the grand champion’s softness, rib shape and mass, udder and her movement.
“Max has been putting in the hard yards at home with that heifer and there are not too many holes in that female,” he said.
Thomas Holt, Urana, NSW, won the Futurity Female class with the 2019 drop Tondara Miss Sooner 161 Q005 and her six-month-old heifer calf Tondara Novelty 192.
Skye Hubbard, Shotgun Herefords, Cobbity, NSW, was in reserve with 2019 drop Shotgun Elsa Q004 and her five-month-old heifer calf Shotgun Elsa T001.
Judge Tim Lord, champion bull Llandillo Soldier S042, William Van Gend, grand champion female Llandillo Julie S24, Max White and Herefords Australia CEO Lisa Sharp. Image Kim Woods
In the bull class, William Van Gend led Llandillo Soldier S42 to champion with reserve champion going to Sugarloaf Scratchy S160 led by Sarah White.
Georgia Wragge led Glendan Park Sirloin S082 to victory in the commercial class, with Lily Gavenlock parading Hereford/Speckle Park heifer, Shotgun Snowball S100, to second and Annalise Abbott with Glendan Park Sheldon S073 in third.
The champion bred and owned class was won by Thomas Holt with Tondara Novelty 174 and Skye Hubbard in second with Shotgun Elsa Q004.
In the judging classes, Lucy Godbolt was the champion pee wee with Jake Lawton, Gunning, NSW, in reserve champion; junior champion was Henry Brewer and Sam Garvin in reserve; intermediate champion was Thomas Holt with Lily Gavenlock in reserve, and Will Van Gend senior champion with Janet Cantwell in reserve.
Grand champion judge went to Mitchell Taylor, who won an entry to the Tocal Beef Cattle Assessment Course.
In the herdsman, pee wee champion was Elsie Stevens with Hayden Tarlinton, Bannister, NSW, in reserve; Sam Garvin junior champion and Max White in reserve; Mitchell Taylor intermediate champion with Thomas Holt in reserve, and Lillian Oke champion senior with Lisa Bonenkamp, NZ, in reserve.
Grand champion herdsman went to William Van Gend.
Held at a dinner at the SSA&A Club, the Herefords Australia Youth Auction raised $6525 and was topped by a bidding duel to $1750 for a model Case harvester donated by Agrimac Warrnambool.
A voucher donated by Branded Ag Marketing fetched $750, JTR Cattle Co paid $550 for a cowhide handbag donated by Emigrace Poll Herefords and a Husqvarna chainsaw, also donated by Emigrace stud, sold for $500.