Laurie Willett has been voted in as President of the World Shorthorn Council, preceding Australia hosting the next World Shorthorn Conference in 2019.
Laurie and Helen Willett are long term Shorthorn breed members from Gundaroo in NSW and Laurie was a favourite amongst attendees at the recent 2016 World Shorthorn Conference held in Uruguay.
Laurie is an excellent leader and communicator and well respected within the Shorthorn family.
Laurie will play a key role in the development of the upcoming Australian hosted 2019 World Shorthorn Conference.
The following is a report from Laurie regarding the recent 2016 World Shorthorn Conference.
THE WORLD SHORTHORN 15TH CONFERENCE AND TOUR 3rd to 13th April 2016 URUGUAY
Seven Australians together with Shorthorn Breeders from Argentina, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the USA were shown around Uruguay. We visited eleven properties and some tourist destinations.
The tour started in Montevideo, a city of about one and a half million and the capital of Uruguay. Uruguay has a population of about three and a half million. It was great to again meet up with our Shorthorn friends from around the world. The first function was a reception at the British Embassy hosted by the Ambassador.
The properties visited included Santa Maria owned by the family of Walter Mario Damboriarena. Mario was the President of the World Shorthorn Conference, and he and his wife Ileana accompanied us on the tour. We also visited Rudolfo Lugaro’s property Rincon de Cora Stud. He is the President of the Uruguay Shorthorn Society.
The properties visited ranged from large to small, included stud and commercial breeders and many had sheep and cropping as well. Many had been in the family for four or five generations. There had been heavy rainfall and some flooding before our arrival, so the bus was unable to get into four properties. In some cases the owners had brought cattle to the roadside and in one case to an auction yard complex, for us to view. On two properties we were ferried in 4WDs to the house area. We viewed cattle in groups brought past us by gauchos.