29 Feb 2024
The HRHS Cattle Show Team has been preparing each break since the beginning of the year in preparation for the A.Ball Memorial Cattle Clinic at Maitland Show. The team was at school at 6:00 am to load the steers and pack the trailer with all the required gear.
On arrival the seniors in the team helped the new members to wash and prepare the steers for the Trade Steer Section of the show. This year the students were showing three animals which have been bred on the school property. Tux, Luna and Delilah are Square Meater X Limo cattle.
Before the Trade section the students changed into their Junior Judging clothes and judged a group of steers, a group of heifers and a group of bulls. This Junior Judging Competition allow students to demonstrate their ability to identify favourable traits for each of these different types of cattle.
On to the Trade Section of the show. The three animals place second, third and forth in the lightweight section.
If a student scores the cattle in the Junior Judging in a similar manner to the Overjudge, they are required to provide an oral presentation to explain their decision. This can be a very intimidating experience as the students do this in front of the other students and adults. This year saw Joanna Booth and Rachel Lilley were very brave to participate in the oral section and both achieved a Highly Commended ribbon for thier efforts. Well done!
In the Parading Competition the students are sorted into age groups and are judged on how they prepare and present the steers in the ring to the judges.
Gemma Parkinson won Third Place in her age group. Oliver O'Brien, Cameron Shaw-Moylan and Hunter Walker achieved a Highly Commended in their very first show!
All the students were fantastic leading up to and including the day. Thank you to Mr Price for the transport of the animals to the show and supporting students during the day.
Thanks also to Greg and Leonie Ball and all the helpers on the day for providing such a wonderful learning opportunity for the students at HRHS.
The students are now preparing for Newcastle and then Gresford.
