Technical Conference

2023 Hosted by Czech Republic

Charolais and Charbray breeders met in the Czech Republic for the bi-annual International Technical Conference. Thirteen countries were represented with three delegates from Australia. Charolais breeders and staff from the Czech Republic delivered a great event with an excellent program fostering global cooperation.

After the frustration of postponing their planned 2021 Technical Conference, Charolais breeders in the Czech Republic had the opportunity to deliver their program in April this year. Delegates from thirteen countries assembled in Prague for the event. For the hosts this was the second time they have conducted an International Charolais event after hosting the 2008 World Congress. The event had delegates from Australia, Canada, Estonia, France, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, Slovakia, Sweden, USA and local Czech breeders. The first night saw most of the delegates arrive to the central Grandium Hotel in Prague where welcome drinks and dinner was held. Here we met Jiri, one of our guides and received a briefing on the next few days.

This hotel was close to Wenceslas Square, which in November 1989 became the cradle of the movement that swiftly ended four decades of communist rule in Czechoslovakia. (During the tour we were given an insight into the effects of the Communist era especially in regard to land ownership.) An officially sanctioned march in the city, commemorating the death of a student at the hands of Nazis in 1939, resulted in police violence and public disorder. Indignation at the current regime kindled further unrest, and in the second half of November some half a million people demonstrated in the streets of the capital.

Subsequent pressure led to the resignation of the entire Communist Party leadership and the formation of a coalition government headed by noncommunists. When Czechoslovakia itself was dissolved into its constituent republics on January 1, 1993, Prague maintained its prominent international status as capital of the Czech Republic.

To start the second day of the Conference, delegates enjoyed a historical walk from the Castle downhill to the Old Town with our guide a fountain of information. From the high set castle grounds, the spires that make the city famous made a great vista. Our guide provided a broad insight into the history of the city and the influences over the centuries. Prague has been settled since the Palaeolithic Age with trade routes connecting southern and northern Europe passing through the area and adding influences. Prague although in the centre of Europe has over 600 years of architecture virtually untouched by natural or war disasters.

Starting from the Castle we toured cathedrals, the palace grounds and other historical buildings as the tour meandered down to the river. We crossed over the Vltava River on the historical 14th century Charles Bridge heading into the Old Town. A highlight in the Old town was the Prague Astronomical Clock. The clock was first installed in 1410, making it the thirdoldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest clock still in operation. The walk continued to the Vltava River where delegates enjoyed a luncheon cruise on the river. Unfortunately, due to water levels the cruise could not access all areas but the scenery and catering was very enjoyable.

The tour then headed to our next base, Brno in the eastern area of the country. The tour visited the Kozel Brewery on the way and were given an insight into beer, a subject close to the Czech’s heart. The annual volume of beer consumed in the Republic in 2021 was 129 litres per capita. The first batch of Kozel, a dark beer was brewed in a 60 hectolitre cauldron on December 15th 1847 in the village brewery in the Velké Popovice. The water for brewing is sourced from a well at a depth of 141 metres. In 1919 a French painter gifted the brewery a painting of a billy goat for giving him food and shelter. Since the 1930’s a dedicated Billy Goat mascot has grazed the brewery grounds. Every Billy goat that been named Olda with the current mascot “Olda XV”. The brewery has been extensively modernized and the automated production systems were very impressive. A small tasting on site confirmed their brewing credentials.

Brno is the second largest city in the Czech Republic with just under 400,000 inhabitants and around 200 kilometres from Prague. Our tour was in early spring with trees just budding however pastures and some crops seemed very advanced. Along the freeway were considerable forests with forest areas covering 33 percent of the Czech land area.

Brno hosts the Czech National Beef Cattle show. This is a biannual event and is the largest livestock show in the Czech Republic. The next hotel, the Quality Hotel Brno Exhibition Centre for the next five nights was on the exhibition grounds boundary making it very convenient on show day. Approximately 350 head of beef cattle were displayed including 70 Charolais.

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