Four young industry leaders have been announced as members of the Herefords Australia team to compete on the youth cattle showing world stage at the 2025 Young Breeders Competition USA.
The Young Breeders Competition is hosted by the American Hereford Association on October 19-26 as part of the 2025 World Hereford Conference program.
The Australian team comprises Herefords Australia Youth president, Cassie Bush, Cootamundra, NSW, Tabby Cross, Indigo Valley, Victoria, Emily Taylor, Quipolly, NSW, and William Van Gend, O’Connell, NSW.
Alastair James, CEO of Herefords Australia, oversaw the selection process and commended the quality of applications from Herefords Australia Youth members.
“It was pleasing to see the number of Herefords Australia Youth members applying for a position on the team. The calibre of the applications was very high, and while the successful candidates were clear standouts, the future of the breed is very bright,” he said.
“I’d like to thank everyone that submitted an application and congratulate those selected. I look forward to seeing the success that Team Herefords Australia will achieve at the World Hereford Conference Young Breeders Competition next year.”
Each participating country represented at the World Hereford conference is eligible to have a team of four young breeders to take part in the competition hosted at Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas on October 19-26 and Kansas City on October 22-26.
Contestants aged between 21 and 26 years will take part in a variety of skills-based events centred around the United States agriculture industry. The program includes the Kansas State University animal science tour, attendance at the World Hereford Conference, and Building the Pipeline of Leaders luncheon.
To conclude the competition, youth will take part in a fitting and showmanship competition at the American Royal National Junior Hereford Show on October 25. They will also have the opportunity to see the National Hereford Show on October 26.
The members of the Australian team were chosen through a written application and online interview process. The successful candidates will attend scheduled training days and the Herefords Australia Youth National Expo 2025, prior to representing the breed and Herefords Australia internationally.
Cassie Bush has completed a double degree in Laws and Agriculture at the University of New England, and works as a graduate lawyer in Sydney with the aim to contribute to and achieve better policies for the Australian agricultural industry.
She attended the 2020 Miss World Hereford championships in Texas and is excited to be heading back to the US as part of the Herefords Australia team and attending the World Hereford Conference.
“It will be nice to be with other young people who are excited about the Hereford breed. It is a great opportunity for us all to develop our skills more as American seedstock enterprises are so different from Australia,” Cassie said.
“I’m looking forward to how we can bring back ideas for the youth events in Australia.
“From a competitive perspective, Australia will have a one up as we have our National Youth Expo a few months before and that will be a great practice run for the team members.”
It has been a big year for Tabby Cross as she was named the winner of the Jason Sutherland award and Herefords Australia Travel Scholarship at the 2024 Herefords Australia National Youth Expo.
Miss Cross plans to use her scholarship to tour US studs, feedlots, nutrition plants and the World Hereford Conference to learn more about livestock processing, saleyards, meat works, and how the US industry is addressing climate change, market volatility and consumer behaviour.
“Being part of the team and competing together will be a highlight – none of us has experienced showing cattle in the US before so it will be an eye opener for everyone,” Tabby said.
“I will be looking at stud cattle and genetics to see how the breed performs under different climatic conditions, plus the commercial side of saleyards and feedlots.
“In the lead up there will be training days honing our judging and fitting skills plus we will have a couple of shows and youth competitions under our belts.”
Emily Taylor was named as the Most Potential Breeder at the 2024 Herefords Australia National Youth Expo from 30 applicants and operates her own Eclipse Poll Hereford stud.
Emily was also adjudged the 2024 National Grains Young Judges champion by the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW and Agricultural Shows Australia.
She said selection in the Australian team was the cherry on the top of a great year.
“Meeting new people with the same aspirations as I do, learning different skills and being part of a team will be a highlight,” Emily said.
“I will be doing some work on preparing my fitting skills at the Royal Shows before I go over.”
Emily attended the Herefords Australia Future Leaders and Breeders Forum in Queensland in October and is now working with her own cattle and for Rayleigh Poll Herefords, Narrabri.
“There was a lot of information I will be able to use within the next five years to help get the best economic value out of breeding cattle. I particularly enjoyed the Neogen tour as I have an interest in animal genetics,” she said.
William Van Gend has his own Hereford stud, Broken Arrow and works for the Llandillo Poll Hereford stud at The Lagoon.
He received the Wild Bear Scholarship to attend the 2024 SA Junior Heifer Show. Last year he won the grand champion parader, and champion senior herdsman and parader at the Herefords Australia National Youth Expo.
In his interview Will highlighted his plans for his future in the industry.
“We need to promote and highlight the positive traits of Hereford cattle. Their fertility, fattening calves quicker and the sustainability of running a Hereford herd.
“I have a cross bred cows and commercial calf operation which I want to grow. Growing the Hereford component in the herd is my main aim and getting the opportunity to attend an event like the Young Breeders Competition in the US will give me more experience to be able to achieve this.”
Herefords Australia Youth President, Cassie Bush, Cootamundra NSW
2024 Jason Sutherland Award and Travel Scholarship recipient, Tabby Cross, Indigo Valley, Victoria
2024 Most Potential Breeder Award and RAS National Grains Young Judges Champion, Emily Taylor, Quipolly, NSW
2024 Wild Bear Scholarship Recipient and 2023 National Youth Expo Grand Champion parader, William van Gend, O’connell, NSW.
