The South Coast Beef School Steer Spectacular, a beef cattle competition for NSW secondary schools, was once again a major hit in the Shoalhaven, as students came from far and wide to show their cattle.
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With an almost 100 per cent increase in attendance, this year was dubbed a great success with students from Narooma High School, Pymble Ladies College, Vincentia High School and more among those involved.
Ulladulla High School has claimed gold and become champions alongside Narooma and St John the Evangelist in the Steer Spectacular educational component.
South Coast Beef, executive officer Rob Stafford said the quality of cattle on show was fantastic and with 20 school's among the 2024 line up, student enthusiasm was at an all time high.
"We've got over 250 students and a line up of 90 cattle, so it's really fantastic and the really good thing about it is the students love it, it's really all about the students."
With more students joining the event this year than ever before, Mr Stafford said it was encouraging for the future of the industry, in a time when more young people were needed.
"The enthusiasm from the students is palpable, I stayed over with some of them while they were waiting their turn and everyone's so excited, that's what gives us a real buzz."
"We've had students from here go on to study agriculture or animal science at Charles Sturt University or somewhere, and that's what we love to see, we're here to show students that there is a career path in agriculture and that's really all we can ask."
"The pathways to success in agriculture are many and varied, you don't have to be a farmer to start off, there are a whole range of careers."
Booroowa High School took out Champion Steer of the show, St Gregory's steer Angus Pursehouse was awarded champion parader and Ulladulla High School took out champion report writing.
Meanwhile in the student cattle judging component, St Gregory's student Massimo Pisciuneri from Camden won overall junior cattle judge champion, sponsored by ECM livestock.
Mr Pisciuneri said he was surprised by the win and loved how the competition opened pathways for students interested in agriculture.
"It's so great to come back to shows like this and be able to judge," he said.
"There was a difference in types of cattle today which made it quite challenging to judge, but I got there."
He hoped to one day follow a career on his families farm of Charolais cattle, who run a commercial herd and stud of their own.
Vincentia High School student Maddeline Booth from Wandandian took part in the junior judging competition and said despite never trying it before, she was eager to give it a go.
"It was my first time ever judging and I was excited to do cattle and to get more involved in everything," Miss Booth said.
I've watched alpaca and sheep judging before but never cattle, it was pretty awesome to walk around and be able to spot the differences between them all."
"You can pick out what animal had a great frame and ask them questions to see which cow would do the best.
"I don't have a background in farming, but I really like the class I'm in and we've done some pretty amazing things, like the time I went to Dubbo for a Merino competition."
Holly McGuinness
Holly is a journalist for Australian Community Media, covering South Coast, NSW. As a born and bred Shoalhaven local, she's passionate about covering community concerns and amplifying local voices. To get in contact, email holly.mcguinness@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
Holly is a journalist for Australian Community Media, covering South Coast, NSW. As a born and bred Shoalhaven local, she's passionate about covering community concerns and amplifying local voices. To get in contact, email holly.mcguinness@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
