2 minute read
Cattle Club
BRUCE RUTHERFORD
Cattle Club Coordinator
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This year’s show cattle team has continued on the foundation of previous years. Mr Wilson and his team had organised a line of three steers to enable us a base to work from. There was a small contingent of boys and this varied with other sporting commitments taking precedence over the show team. A big thank you goes out to Mr and Mrs Wieland of Boonah and their son Benjamin who minded the cattle over the Christmas break, which ensured they had a good start for this year’s competition.
Also a huge thank you to Mr and Mrs Burey of Goondiwindi and sons David and Richard who donated two steers, which bolstered the numbers and opened us up to more classes of competition. These steers arrived at the start of Term Two and performed admirably considering what they had to adapt to from property to show. David Burey, show team’s leading hand, did a fantastic job in training them and preparing them for the Ekka, not an easy transformation in a short time.
Cattle competition is extremely tough in the south-east corner and ribbons are scarce. In saying that we did manage a third in its division of the prime cattle at the Ekka, which is awesome. The led steers never got up in the ribbons, but never looked out of place in their classes, and this was proven in the carcase competition were they came just out of the top 10 and in the top halves of their classes. Judging enables students to compete as an individual and as a team. Judging is what show team is all about, the boys learn skills useful and relevant in industry. The boys competed very well, selecting the correct order and public speaking is not easy. David was the only one to get a ribbon when he got third in the open age group at Boonah Show. Unfortunately the Ekka ends with led steers competing in carcase competitions and prime steers are auctioned off after judging is complete, which means you drive home with an empty trailer, so no more cattle to show. Next year we will compete at more shows and with a bit of luck be competitive.
