The first week of our winter school holidays always heralds the Junior Beef Show. A fun, learning experience hosted by the Australian Brahman Breeders’ Association that aims to expose the cattlemen & women of the future to some of the finer details surrounding the preparation, showing and judging of beef cattle. The kids, aged from 4 to 24, were give an insight into not only the live animal, but also what lies beneath the hide. How different muscles provide us with different cuts of beef. Add to this, loads of social interaction and frivolous fun and you will understand why we have made the journey to Rockhampton for the past 7 years!
A few days prior, this list appeared on the kitchen wall. Notice the segregation of jobs into “kids” and “adults”!
Now anyone living in Queensland this past week, will know that the weather was unseasonably wet meaning gumboots were the order of the day.
And being Junior Beef Show, a felt hat didn’t look out of place!
The live cattle were given a thorough appraisal by just over 100 pairs of eyes, and copious amounts of notes were taken down on the animals muscle pattern, fat cover, “kindness of eye”, suitability to environment and reproductive capacity.
The children were then handed the microphone to inform the crowd of their judgement and hopefully impress the over judge with their expertise.
Young and old listened on as their peers each offered their opinion…
This young cattleman was celebrating his 9th birthday but didn’t let birthday presents get in the way of the judging job to be done…
There was plenty of loads of sawdust and bedding removed and replaced in the cattle sheds.
Mums & Dads were left with not much to do other than conduct their business from a mobile type of office….
while the cattle were fed, bedded, washed, brushed, watered and paraded…
And in between all the caring for animals, educational sessions, public speaking and learning, there was plenty of time for good old fashioned fun!
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