108 young cattle handlers from rural and urban backgrounds across NSW and Queensland paraded 120 cattle, learnt new skills and cemented friendships at the Herefords Northern NSW Youth Camp.
Hosted by Herefords Northern NSW Youth Group, the camp was held at Glen Innes, NSW, on January 12-14 and drew a large percentage of new competitors.
Northern NSW Youth Group president Emily Taylor said the camp encourages, promotes and provides a learning platform for young people aged between seven and 25 years interested in the Australian beef cattle industry, especially Herefords.
“While the event encompassed competitions aligned with cattle preparation, handling, showing and judging, a focus was placed on the educational sessions on Friday including speakers on artificial insemination, genetics and meat science, a tour of the Lotus Hereford stud and other team building activities designed to encourage and inspire the next generation to remain active in the beef industry,” Miss Taylor said.
Lily Gavenlock, Taminga Poll Herefords, Cliftleigh, NSW, won the prestigious Most Potential Breeder award, taking home Glenwarrah Satisfaction T267, an October 2022 drop heifer donated by David and Kate Collins, Glenwarrah Herefords, Bundarra, NSW. The heifer was halter broken and prepared by fellow camp competitor Drew Weller, and was sired by Mountain Valley Quantum Q016 and out of Glenwarrah Satisfaction M012.
Lily took four heifers to the camp, winning reserve senior champion female with Rayleigh M Queenie T112, was a buddy mentor for the weekend for the peewees, and thoroughly enjoyed the educational activities, especially the farm visit.
Young stud principal Mitch Taylor, MT Livestock, Quirindi, showed his versatility by winning champion senior and overall grand champion junior judge, grand champion herdsman, third in the senior paraders, and first in the photography competition. In winning the champion junior judge, Mitch won a scholarship to attend the Tocal Ag College beef cattle judging school.
Mitch went on to parade the grand champion bull, Eclipse Optimus Prime U010 and had the best presented team over five head, while Eclipse Poll Herefords exhibited the champion futurity female, Kanimbla Irish Rose P160 (led by Sam Roche, Timor, and Marcus Wythes, Bathurst), reserve champion commercial heifer, Poppy, led by Jaslin Boyd, Whittingham.
Eclipse principal, Emily Taylor, received the New England Hereford Youth Club Member of the Year Award.
Lucy and Charlie Crowley, Armidale, led The Cottage Countess S001 to reserve champion futurity female, with Lucy receiving the Bred and Owned award, and the coveted Will Tanner Memorial Award.
Drew Weller, Weller Bros Herefords, Hodgson Vale, Qld, won a scholarship to the 2024 Herefords Australia National Youth Expo after being named as the Northern Breed Ambassador. Drew was senior champion and grand champion parader, reserve senior champion herdsman, and exhibited the champion commercial heifer, MVP Javerline (led by Lily-Grace Sleeman).
Jacob Merrick, Singleton, received a $1000 educational scholarship, was sashed as reserve champion intermediate parader, and placed third in the intermediate junior judging.
Over judge for the junior judging, Scott Hann, Truro Herefords Bellata, awarded Hunter Will, Delungra, champion pee wee junior judge and reserve champion to Harry Durkin, Warialda.
Logan Scott, Inverell, was junior champion judge and Mia Mackay reserve champion while Annabelle Jones, Roseville, took out the intermediate champion and Jackson Emery, Inverell, the reserve. Breanna Bourke, Mudgee, was reserve senior champion judge.
Brodie Scott, Inverell, was champion peewee herdsman with Sophie McDonald, Upper Hunter, in reserve, Logan Scott also picked up champion junior herdsman with Skye McIndoe, Inverell, in reserve, and Amelia Miller, Walcha, was intermediate champion with Isla McIndoe, Inverell, in reserve.
Maddison Bailey, Tamworth, was senior champion herdsman.
Encouragement awards were presented to Baz McDonald, Inverell, in the peewees, Annabelle Dean, Mallanganee, in the juniors, Annabelle Jones, Roseville, in the intermediates and in the seniors, Macey Davis, Tingha.
Paraders judge Rachael Constable awarded the champion pee wee to Sophie McDonald with Brodie Scott, Inverell, in reserve. Logan Scott was in the winner’s circle again with champion junior and Hudson Emery, Inverell, in reserve, Rhani Dorey, Casino, was champion intermediate, and Macey Davis, Tingha, reserve champion senior parader.
Chilcotts Creek Poll Herefords, Tamworth, received the best presented team under five head.
Ben Monie, Thornleigh Herefords, Little Plain, NSW, judged the cattle classes, awarding the champion steer to Infinity Milybar led by Benjamin Towner on behalf of Infinity Poll Herefords, Tamworth. Reserve champion steer was Hunter Lakes Uber led by Max Sternbeck, Broke, and owned by Hunter Lakes Poll Herefords, Greenhills, NSW.
The reserve champion bull was Reevesdale Tutankhamun paraded by Damon Murphy, Inverell, and owned by Reevesdale Poll Herefords, Gum Flat, NSW.
Skye McIndoe paraded the champion junior female, Jindalee Miss Minerva U018 for Jindalee Herefords, King Plains, NSW. Reserve champion junior female was Mountain Valley Matchless U003 led by Lilygrace Sleeman and owned by Mountain Valley Poll Herefords, Coolatai, NSW.
Chilcotts Creek South T028 was sashed as the champion intermediate female and paraded by Georgia Bailey, Tamworth, and owned by Chilcotts Creek Poll Herefords. Yalgoo Persistence T247 was paraded by Marcus Wythes, Bathurst, to reserve champion intermediate female for Yalgoo Partnership, Walcha, NSW.
Bella Hannaford, Tamworth, paraded champion senior and grand champion female Tycolah Grace T011 for Tycolah Poll Herefords, Barraba, NSW.
The incoming executive elected at the annual general meeting of the Herefords Northern NSW Youth Group were Riley Weller, president, Damon Murphy, vice president, Lucy Crowley, secretary, Macey Davis, assistant secretary, Jessica Kernahan, treasurer, Makaala Dodd, publicity officer, Morgan Hay, sponsorship. General committee members are Drew Weller, Grace Stuart, Lilygrace Sleeman, Logan Scott and Bree Bourke.