Written by Helen De Costa. 2024 Harris Farm Markets Herefords Australia National Youth Expo, media sponsor.
A feeling of disbelief ran through 20-year-old Emily Taylor after hearing her name announced as the Most Potential Breeder Award Winner at the 2024 Harris Farm Markets National Hereford Youth Expo.
The young Quipolly Hereford breeder was one of 30 applicants to enter for the award who had a chance to take home JTR Golden Vanity U034, a 12-month-old heifer, donated by Tim and Jemma Reid, JTR Cattle Company, Roslyn.
After attending her first Hereford heifer show Wodonga in 2018, Miss Taylor hasn’t looked back, now being able to add Canadian sire Harvie OVHF Medcalfe 55J and 2021 Miss World competition runner-up, Wirruna Golden Vanity M261, to the pedigrees within her genetic pool.
“I’ve always had an interest in the Herefords,” she said.
“My grandfather always ran Hereford bulls over every type of cow, so I’ve seen what Herefords can do in that sense.
“I have been to a few other heifer shows with different breeds and it just consolidated that I want to be in the Herefords and where I want to stay for a very long time.”
Now with a growing stud of her own breeding, Miss Taylor said hearing she had won Golden Vanity U034 was unbelievable.
“When he – Tim Reid – called my name, I actually didn’t believe it at first, then I just started shaking,” she said.
“It will take me a while before it hits me that I did win her.
“For me, she’s really going to be a big part of my herd, she’s going to go right to the top.
“She’s going to bring in genetics that I would have never been able to afford or source myself, so this is really going to take my stud to the next level.”
Most potential breeder award sponsors Tim and Jemma Reid were no strangers to the youth program, both fourth generation producers, while coming up though the ranks of the youth movement.
Mrs Reid said Miss Taylor had put blood, sweat and tears into her program and was really starting to gain traction.
“We feel that the heifer would really help propel Emily forward and she’d be able to do a lot for the heifer as well,” she said.
“Emily works really hard for her team, a lot of youth competitors look up to Emily, I know our two children do.
“We’re really proud to be able to offer Emily the heifer because we know that she is going to go to a very, very good home.”
Mr Reid said the couple were passionate about the youth and where it was heading, while striving to grow as many exhibitors in the Hereford industry.
“We wanted to find someone that was going to use this heifer and support the youth and we thought that Emily was the right applicant who was going to utilise the heifer to help grow the youth,” he said.
“Emily and her brother Mitch brought a team of cattle to provide ballot animals to other kids at this expo, both being young and competitors themselves, that’s to be commended.
Mrs Reid said throughout the applicants there were 10 front runners who could have potentially taken the heifer home.
With the main prize being the heifer, the Reid family also donated straws of semen from Harvie OVHF Medcalfe 55J to Queensland’s Drew Weller.
“We actually decided we wanted to provide a second prize,” she said.
“We were lucky enough to have Drew on our team – the JTR team here at the expo this year – and he did an absolutely amazing job leading our team and also assisting kids from other teams.
“He’s just a great young man who has a bright future in the industry.”
Drew Weller, Hodgson Vale, Qld, Harry, 6, and Tim Reid, JTR Cattle Company, Roslyn, Emily Taylor, Quipolly, and Jemma and Molly Reid, JTR Cattle Company, Roslyn. Picture by Helen De Costa
Most potential breeder award recipient Emily Taylor, Quipolly, with Jemma and Tim Reid, JTR Cattle Company, Roslyn, with JTR Golden Vanity U043. Picture by Helen De Costa
Tim Reid, JTR Cattle Company, Roslyn, Emily Taylor, Quipolly, and Jemma Reid, JTR Cattle Company, Roslyn, with JTR Golden Vanity U034. Picture by Helen De Costa
