Bringing the best young beef brains in Australia together
Announcement posted by Writers Who 10 Jul 2021
Australia and New Zealand’s seven sharpest young beef cattle judges and the most skilled beef cattle paraders have been announced today by Agricultural Shows of Australia (ASA) as eligible to compete in the national finalists of the prestigious annual competition to be judged next month.
National finalist beef cattle judges:
18 year old James Wasley of Dandaragan will represent Western Australia.
18 year old Mackenzie Leeson of Moura will represent Queensland.
16 year old Grace Burns of Towamba will represent New South Wales.
24 year old Courtney Davies of Auckland is the representative for New Zealand.
18 year old Angus Llewellyn of Keith will represent South Australia.
21 year old Sarah Sutton of Sulky will represent Victoria.
25 year old Alice Hall of Scottsdale will represent Tasmania.
National finalist beef cattle paraders:
24 year old Rachel Williams of Albany will represent Western Australia.
17 year old Maya Threlfall of Tully will represent Queensland.
24 year old Tayla Miller of Parkville will represent New South Wales.
21 year old Cara Doggett of Palmerston North is the representative for New Zealand.
21 year old Alizah Fogden of Loxton will represent South Australia.
17 year old Lochie McLauchlan Glenormiston North will represent Victoria.
21 year old Demi Bird of Sheffield will represent Tasmania.
Dr. Rob Wilson is chairman of ASA, the peak body overseeing 572 agricultural shows in Australia which attract six million visitors annually and contribute nearly $1billion to the national economy, and says the competition is designed to recognise the best new talent in livestock judging and presenting nationwide.
“It’s an extremely prestigious event and positions at the nationals are keenly contested,” Dr. Wilson explains.
“These young people are the future of agricultural show competitions which are crucial to the continual improvement of Australia’s food and fibre. The national competition is a coveted opportunity to grow personally and professionally by practising skills against the cream of the crop.”
The national competition is held in a different location each year to promote livestock judging, parading and the industry as widely as possible throughout Australia. This year it will be hosted by Queensland Ag Shows at the 143rd Royal Queensland Show (the “Ekka”), Brisbane from 7-9 August 2021.
Queensland Ag Shows president Kerri Robertson explained that in a beef cattle judging competition it is important for the assessor to relate the form of the animal to its function.
“Livestock producers, breeders, feeders and buyers all judge and evaluate livestock for their potential as either breeding or market animals,” Mr Robertson explained.
“The task of judging is a subjective one, based on selected production systems and changing market conditions. Entrants use their skills to adjudicate the placings of the stock and then must articulate their approach.”
The beef cattle paraders competition is designed to determine who most effectively presents and parades an animal before a competition judge.
“Competitors have one hour to prepare their animal for presentation at judging. They have to wash, clip, groom and then finally parade the animal before the judge.”
Overall there are nine categories for judging and parading each year under the ASA national competition program: beef cattle, dairy cattle, alpaca, poultry, Merino sheep, meat sheep breed and Merino fleece judging, as well as parading competitions in beef and dairy cattle.
Previous national winners of the national beef cattle judging competition are Georgia Whitworth in 2019 representing New Zealand, Harris Thompson in 2018 representing Western Australia, Damon Englund in 2017 representing Tasmania, Sarah Peters in 2016 representing Queensland, Jonty Hemmingway in 2015 representing New South Wales, Nancy Crawshaw in 2014 representing New Zealand, Jake Phillips in 2013 representing SA, Kurt Wise in 2012 representing Western Australia, Erin Goldsworthy in 2011 representing New South Wales, Samantha Atkinson in 2010 representing Victoria, Natalie Burke in 2009 representing Western Australia, and Tania Hartwig in 2008 representing Queensland.
Previous winners of the national beef cattle paraders competition are Sam Parish in 2019 representing New South Wales, Mason Galpin in 2018 representing South Australia, Pyper Page in 2017 representing Tasmania, Ruby Canning in 2016 representing Victoria, Nicole Muller in 2015 representing South Australia, Madalan Page in 2014 representing Tasmania, Nicole Hartwig in 2013 representing Queensland, Maddie Jonas in 2012 representing South Australia, Jemma Robertson in 2011 representing New South Wales, Stephanie Frankham in 2010 representing New South Wales, Kate Murfett in 2009 representing Tasmania and Patrick Halloran in 2008 representing Victoria.
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For more information about the competition head to agshowsaustralia.org.au/youth-in-agriculture/national-young-judges. ASA will issue a press release to announce the results as soon as they are announced. Media are welcome to attend the national finals.