Jack gives back

Cheyne Twist, Senior Marketing and Communications Officer

As part of the awards of recognition presented by Angus Australia, the Cornell Shield is awarded annually to the Chairperson of the Roundup Organising Committee or a member of the Committee who has gone above and beyond in support of the running of the Angus Youth National Roundup event.

In 2023 Angus Australia was pleased to announce the recipient of the Cornell Shield is long time Angus Youth member and Roundup participant Jack Laurie of Knowla Livestock and Breeder Genetics, Moppy, NSW, following his contributions as part of the organising committee that brought the 2022 NH Foods Australia Angus Youth National Roundup to life. The award was presented to Jack at the recent Beyond the Beef Zoetis Angus National Conference, which took place in Tamworth in May. Introducing the award was Angus Australia Extension Manager Jake Phillips.

“The Cornell Shield is in the name of David and Kathleen Cornell. The Cornell’s had a long history with Angus Youth, particularly with the National Junior Heifer and Herdsman Contest, the Angus National Roundup, judging schools, bringing people from the United States out to Australia and also reciprocating that opportunity,” said Jake.

“More recently, the Cornell Shield has been awarded to people that have gone above and beyond for their assistance to the Angus Youth Roundup.”

Reflecting on the 2022 Angus Youth National Roundup, Jake had the pleasure of working one on one with not only Jack, but his fellow committee members.

“I get the great pleasure to watch our young people run the Roundup and together with Toni Nugent and Annie Pumpa (the 2022 Roundup Organising Committee Coordinator and Chairperson respectively), it's really quite an inspiring process to see a group of 22 or 23 year olds put on an event for 200 people.”

He continued, “The person that's been awarded this particular award this year certainly is one of the most passionate young people that you will meet.

Jack is not scared of bringing up a new or controversial idea and certainly putting the bit between the teeth to make events bigger and better than what we've had in the past.”

“It gives me great pleasure to award this to someone who I think has got an extremely bright future and is also already paying it forward at such a young age.”

Whilst accepting the award, Jack addressed why he continues to stay actively involved in the Angus Youth program, giving back to the opportunities and people that have impacted his life and development in the industry.

“It’s a real privilege to be awarded this this evening. I would like to thank the opportunities that the Angus Foundation has given me over the years, as I am without a doubt forever grateful and indebted to the Angus Foundation and Angus Youth for allowing me to meet so many wonderful people in this room tonight, but also allowing me to go where I've gone and do a lot of things that I get to do today,” he said.

“I really want to say thank you and as a member-based organisation, really a lot of this stuff that happens with our youth program doesn't happen without the members, their donations and the support.” “I'd really like to thank everyone as a collective for all their support. Those member levies certainly don't go to waste, and I think there's some really exciting stuff happening in the future.”