2012 Woodburn Murray Grey Youth Ambassador Awards

In a repeat from 2010 & 2011 another aspiring young South Australian Murray Grey
breeder has been named the 2012 Woodbourn Murray Grey Youth Ambassador. In her second year as a participant, Brooke Crowell, Yorke Peninsula, SA has added another feather to her cap by winning the Senior Award.

The 2012 Woodbourn Ambassador Awards had ten young Murray Grey Youth Enthusiasts from New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia converge on the Wodonga Exhibition Centre during the Murray Grey National Show and Sale on April 23rd & 24th. The entrants all eager to compete for priceless opportunities including the top prize of six weeks studying with the Texas A&M livestock judging team, Texas, USA.

The Woodbourn Murray Grey Youth Ambassador Awards provides a valuable educational opportunity for young beef industry enthusiasts. During the two days the Ambassador entrants were put through their paces with presentations and assignments on current issues facing the Beef Industry, beef carcase appraisal, junior judging, self development, cattle markets, BEEFCLASS structural assessment and preparing the official Murray Grey Youth fundraiser heifer which went on to sell for $2,000 at the National Show and Sale.

Following an interview, as well as a submission of a resume, an essay on a selected topic and a score for overall participation during the event, Brooke Crowell was named the 2012 Senior Woodbourn Murray Grey Youth Ambassador by a panel of three judges.

Winning the Senior Ambassador Award sees Brooke receive return economy airfares to College Station in Texas as well as six weeks studying and travelling with the Texas A&M livestock judging team.
Brooke, also the winner of last years Encouragement Award which allowed her to purchase a heifer and start her own Murray Grey Stud, was a stand out competitor with all the judges commenting on Brooke’s outstanding effort at the event, demonstrating the knowledge and skills the program teaches the young entrants.

Brooke sees the opportunities that arise out of being the Murray Grey Youth Ambassador as valuable learning tools for her to build her own stud and career as an agricultural teacher in South Australia., Brooke also hopes to promote the Murray Grey breed throughout Australia.

Runner up senior Ambassador went to Trent Storm, Barham, NSW. Trent, a Red Poll breeder and butcher by trade, is keen to learn about the Murray Grey breed and sees it as an ideal breed to run in conjuction with the Red Poll cattle at home. Trent is awarded two weeks work experience on S Kidman and Co’s Morney Plains station west of Windorah in the Channel country of the Darling downs in outback QLD. Home to more than 12,000 cattle and a unique Murray Grey bull breeding program the experience is set to be a life changing opportunity.

The 2012 Junior Woodbourn Murray Grey Youth Junior Ambassador award went to Keiley O’brien from Dubbo, NSW. Courtesy of the Woodbourn Murray Grey Stud and Murray Grey Youth, Keiley wins a trip to either the South Australian Junior Heifer Expo or Dubbo all breeds heifer show with all gear and a heifer supplied.

The Murray Grey Youth Future Murray Grey Breeder Award awards a young Murray Grey Enthusiast with $1,000 to purchase an animal or genetics from the Murray Grey Breed to help them form the basis of their own stud or build on an already existing stud. Following judging of essays as to why the entrants would like to win the $1,000 and what they would do with it, Courtney Fabris from Western Flat in South Australia was the lucky recipient of this award. Courtney would like to use the $1,000 towards the purchase of a Murray Grey female to start up her own female line in her parents herd, Beeamma Murray Grey Stud.

Organisers of this year’s event were happy to see such high quality entrants take part in the Woodbourn Ambassador Awards and are looking forward to building towards another successful event in 2012.

Special thanks must go to the Woodbourn Murray Grey Stud for staying on as the major sponsor in 2012.

Results & Awards:

Woodbourn Senior Ambassadors:
– 1st Prize: Brooke Crowell, SA – Six weeks studying with the Texas A&M livestock judging team in the United states, including return economy airfares.
– 2nd Prize: Trent Storm, NSW – Two weeks work experience on Morney Plains station which is part of the S Kidman and Co chain of properties

Woodbourn Junior Ambassadors:
– 1st Prize; Keiley Obrien, NSW – Entry and use of a heifer and gear to the South Australian Junior Heifer Expo or the Dubbo all breeds heifer expo and $300 farmers mailbox vouchers
– 2nd Prize: Harris Thompson, WA – $300 farmers mailbox vouchers

Special Awards:
– Champion Junior Judge: Amelia de Blauw, VIC
– Encouragement award: Courtney Fabris, SA