IT'S that time of year again – school holidays. But while many parents have spent the past two weeks prying their kids away from computer games and Facebook, the next generation of Victoria's beef cattle industry have been hard at work.
And having a bucket-load of fun of course.
The Stud Beef Victoria annual cattle handlers camp wrapped up on Sunday, with about 100 people participating in the four- day event at the Melbourne Showgrounds.
Despite several big days of looking after their animals and attending education sessions on everything there is to know about cattle, most were still smiling broadly during the final presentations.
Especially 18-year-old Michaela Glasser who took home the grand champion parader award.
In a great family connection Michaela's grandfather, Brian Alford, started the handlers camp 26 years ago and was there to present her with the prize.
Organiser Gary Turnham said Michaela's win was a standout moment of this year's camp.
"She had never won a first place in any handlers competition in her life and not only did she win her class, but then won overall – it was quite moving in the end," he said.
The champion paraders judging was an all-female affair, with senior champion Jennifer Isedale, intermediate champion Michaela Glasser, sub-intermediate champion Natalie Grylls and junior champion Tiffany McLauchlan going up for the prize.
Prairie Falls Cattle Co's Crystal Bell, 18, went home the EJ Angus award, which will see her attend the Angus Youth roundup in Queensland next year.
Junior judging accolades went to Rachel McLucas, Ryan Bajada and Paula Perdon, while the Angus were the champion breed team, with the Hereford family in reserve.
With a focus on preparation for show and all the education aspects to go along with it, Mr Turnham said the ringcraft exhibited was a credit to the industry.
Click here for some snapshots of the event
"The seniors, most of who were very new to it, presented their animals and themselves impeccably – it was a real credit to how they had implemented what they had learnt in the past few days," he said.
"The intermediates were also fantastic but the quality of the character and the skill in the ring of the young people coming through the sub-intermediates and juniors is incredibly promising for the industry in general."
Also promising for the industry was Thomas Osborn, winner of the Stud Beef Victoria Education Award.
- Full story in the Stock & Land July 11 edition.
