South Australian Junior Heifer Expo: A Week of Learning and Competition for Youth

The South Australian Junior Heifer Expo (SAJHE) has once again concluded a successful event, leaving participants and organisers alike reflecting on a week filled with education, competition, and camaraderie. This annual event, held during the middle week of July, aims to inspire, connect, and educate young people aged 8 to 25 from across Australia, and this year was no exception.

A Nationally Recognised Event

The SAJHE is a highly anticipated event on the agricultural calendar, attracting participants from all over Australia, including regions as far away as Tasmania.

Participation and Achievements

This year’s expo saw 195 youth entries, with 24 participants using or borrowing an animal from one of nine Murray Grey studs. The participants included three from New South Wales and two to three from Tasmania, with the remainder from South Australia. The diverse representation underscores the national significance of the SAJHE and its role in fostering the next generation of agricultural leaders. Following is a list of participants that had or lead a Murray grey at the expo:

Day One: Bump in & Introductions

The four-day expo kicked off with the “bump-in” day, where participants and their cattle arrived and set up their stalls, sleeping lockers, and cattle beds. This initial setup day was followed by the official opening, where participants gathered to hear from the event organisers. Each age group met their group leaders and engaged in team-building games, setting the stage for the collaborative and competitive spirit that would define the week.

Day Two: Education and Skill-Building

The second day of the expo was dedicated to educational sessions, providing participants with invaluable knowledge and skills. These 50-minute sessions were led by industry leaders and covered a wide range of topics, including:

The interactive and engaging nature of these sessions ensured that participants were not only learning but also inspired to apply these skills in their future endeavours. Following the educational sessions, participants took part in junior judging, where they judged a line of cattle and presented their reasoning, honing their analytical and public speaking skills.

Day Three: Cattle Judging Classes

The third day of the expo focused on cattle judging classes. Cattle were judged in their respective age groups by an overall judge, with this year’s judges being Hayden Green of Summit Livestock and Phoebe Eckerman, the 2022 Champion Herdsperson. Participants spent the day preparing their cattle, showcasing their dedication and attention to detail. Although the grey cattle did not emerge victorious, they were proudly represented and demonstrated the high standards of their breed.

Day Four: Handlers’ Classes

The final day of the expo featured the handlers’ classes, where participants were evaluated on their leading, presentation, and animal preparation skills. Judges Jasmine Green of Summit Livestock and her associate, Emily Edwards, the 2022 Reserve Champion Herdsperson, assessed the participants. Many young handlers who led or had greys at the expo performed exceptionally well, highlighting the effectiveness of the training and education they received throughout the week.

Following are reports from some of the participants about how their week went, what their favourite part was, and what they took away from the event:

Georgina Buick:

Highlights: Being able to personally compete at the 2024 SA Junior Heifer Expo as a first time senior entry after coming up through the ranks since a junior competitor. A highlight that I was able to take away from the week was the experience of competing in the Herdsperson competition. The Herdsperson competition includes components in attending lectures, clipping, attending interviews, stockmanship and being allocated a junior buddy.

What I gained: From the week at the Heifer Expo I also gained and learnt so many new experiences and information. One lecture that I really enjoyed and would like to learn more about was the IVF talk from Vytelee. Vytelee talked about the advancing technology behind collecting oocytes and developing the oocytes into embryos. Learning more about this potential career field would enable me to strengthen my understanding on genetics. Strengthening my understanding on genetics would help me when heading into Veterinary Technology when doing preg testing and artificial insemination.

A quote I’ll take away: From the Heifer Expo I took away one major quote that will stick with me. “Hard work and dedication leads to success” is the quote that will stick with me. It was one of the many quotes from the week at the Heifer Expo. Quotes came either from committee members, fellow competitors, senior Herdsperson or non-Herdsperson.

I would like to congratulate all of the participating competitors that gave the SA Junior Heifer Expo a go. I can’t wait to personally see what next year’s Heifer Expo will bring.

Grace Jolly:

“I had the privilege of attending the South Australian Junior Heifer Expo with my Murray Grey. This expo is one of the best youth cattle camps, offering a week filled with educational opportunities, excitement, and engagement with individuals from all over Australia, as well as showcasing our animals and skills.

During the week, the expo featured many educational talks and activities. These experiences were designed to expand participants understanding of the agricultural industry. The activities were made for different age groups to ensure understanding. 

Throughout my time at the expo I gained a great deal of knowledge and versatile skills. Engaging in junior judging was one of the week’s most memorable experiences. Although the public speaking was scary at first, but I overcame it and spoke up with confidence.

Another highlight for me was the opportunity to meet new people and create friendships. Engaging with people who share similar interests and chatting their showing experiences was something I really enjoyed

The impact of this expo is deeply, positively influencing many participants by setting a foundation for future success and encouraging them to step outside their comfort zones. It inspires both novice and experienced individuals to expand their knowledge, connect with professionals in the beef and agriculture industries, and excel in a sport they are passionate about.”

Impact on Youth:

The SAJHE event has a significant impact on youth, inspiring, connecting, and educating them. It fosters a strong sense of community among caterers, educators, committee members, live-in parents, and participants. A key aspect is its educational component, where industry leaders deliver insightful talks, broadening participants’ perspectives on agriculture. This exposure opens young minds to new possibilities, igniting their passion for the field. The event also creates a supportive network that extends beyond the event, offering guidance and career opportunities. Overall, SAJHE equips youth with practical skills and knowledge, preparing them for successful careers in agriculture and developing future industry leaders.

Ally Peter

This year attending the heifer expo was a big achievement for me. In the past 18 months, I have started my own Murray Grey Cattle stud based in the Clare Valley of South Australia, it is called Eastwood Cattle. I have attended the Heifer Expo a few times before, but this was the first time bringing one of my own animals.

Tuesday was the education-focused day, this is when seniors attend lectures.  For the seniors, there were lectures on retail beef, cattle assessment, and my favourite IVF – Vytelle. The Vytelle lecture I think was everyone’s favourite. A few breeders from around the state bought a couple of their animals in, to be used in the lecture. The lecture gave an overview of what the company does and how it operates and a practical demonstration of collecting oocytes. This is the first time I had ever heard about oocyte collection. They had a big screen that projected the ultrasound image onto. It was so cool to be able to see it getting done and being able to watch it with the ultrasound.

For the seniors and juniors, there is a buddy program which is where a junior and senior are paired up together. This is such a fulfilling experience to see the juniors grow and learn so much in such a short period of time. The days at the expo are huge and pretty full on. Seeing their smiles especially when coming out of the ring makes it all worth it. I am so proud of how my buddy went.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Herdsperson competitors then had a clipping competition. The competitors were given only 45 minutes to get as much clipping done as they could. Honestly, it felt like about 10 minutes to me. This year was the first time I have competed for Herdsperson and completed the clipping competition. Later on, that night, everyone came together as a group to help everyone finish their clipping. This is something that I really enjoyed. Having everyone around and encouraging each other was so good.

On Wednesday it was onto junior judging and then cattle classes. There were some excellent cattle in the show ring with quite a lot of Murray Greys which was great to see. This was the first time for me taking Eastwood Top Flight U1 into the ring, which was pretty cool.

On Thursday it was onto the handlers competition, there was some serious competition. In the ring, there is the best of the best, and a lot of the people have worked their whole lives to master the craft of showing their animals.

One of my favourite memories from the week was when my junior buddy and I were leading her steer up to the wash bay. Gus the steer was pretty happy to be out of the shed and going for a walk. He was not really interested in getting lead around and would have much preferred if I let him go. My buddy turned to me and said ‘Good boy Gus you are running to the shower to get all clean’. I did have a little giggle it was so cute. Somehow I question if Gus was in fact running to the shower.

The SA Junior Heifer Expo is such an amazing event, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in cattle. You learn so many new skills about cattle but also life skills you can use in your everyday life. There are so many great people you get to meet and make contact with.

Reflections and Looking Forward

As the event came to a close, participants and organisers reflected on the many highlights of the week. From the comprehensive educational sessions to the spirited competitions, the SAJHE provided a platform for young people to grow, learn, and connect. The friendships forged and the skills gained during the expo will undoubtedly have a lasting impact on the participants.

For these participants to enter we couldn’t have done it without the generous sponsors of the breeders in SA that out forward the time and effort to prepare the cattle prior to. Special thanks to: Carrsview Murray Greys, Lakota Livestock, The Elms Murray Greys, Moorilla Rise Murray Greys, Sunshine Murray Greys, Bottlesford Murray Greys, Ballyvaughan Murray Greys, Mallbrae Pastoral Co and ARKI Murray Greys.

The success of this year’s SAJHE is a testament to the dedication of the organisers, the enthusiasm of the participants, and the support of the broader agricultural community. As the dust settles on another fantastic week in South Australia, plans are already underway for next year’s expo, promising another exciting and enriching experience for young agricultural enthusiasts across the nation.