The next generation of Hereford breeders came to the fore at the 2009 Royal Show in Christchurch. The emerging breeders and handlers, many with their own herds, are making their mark in show rings, where they
exhibit cattle in their own right and they fiercely contend handler classes against their peers from other breeds.

Natalie Campbell talked to the next generation to find out why they love Herefords and the show ring.

Herefords have a certain appeal for Hannah Knight, but it’s an appeal she can’t quite put her finger on. However, she highlights the breed’s docility, which she says is a reality. “They actually are quiet and you notice it more when you have to work with them.” Hannah grew up on a dairy farm but now lives in Invercargill and she said it wasn’t until recently that she overcame a fear of cattle - she confesses to once being petrified of them.

Hannah Knight is watched by Robyn How
of Tararua Breeding Centre as she tries
the technique for AI at the Future Beef
hoof and hook competition.

But that’s a fear you’d be hard to pick if you saw her in action in the show ring at the Royal Show 2009 and she says now she thoroughly enjoys working with cattle and thinks she has gotten to grips with it reasonably well. The people she’s met and friends she’s made are important and it’s thanks to encouragement from the Robertson family of Duncraigen Herefords that has helped develop her interest in showing and cattle.

Along with helping the Robertson’s at the Royal Show she can also be found at the Winton, Wyndham and Gore A&P shows. She has recently celebrated success at those three shows where she took the title of overall herdsperson (across the three shows) which won her $100.

She plans to put that prize money towards her entry to the 2010 Future Beef hoof and hook competition. All that time and effort spent helping the Robertson’s reaped rewards for Hannah when she won the Allflex Beef Ambassador intermediate title at last year’s Future Beef competition. This means she’ll visit some large, high profile beef operations in the South Island this year. The Allflex Ambassador title is won from points earned during the modules and the stock judging and handlers competitions.

“I had a great time. I really enjoyed the modules.” Her particular highlights were the AI simulation, learning about electronic identification and genetics. The leading and stock judging were also highly rated. Further success was celebrated at the 2009 Royal Show, being placed second in the junior handlers class. Looking ahead, Hannah hopes to study at Lincoln for Bachelor of Commerce in agriculture and she also has her sights set on managing a large cattle herd as she prefers to be hands-on working with cattle.

Roz Stokes and Eamon Dean paired up to purchase Lot 29 at the Meat & Wool Beef Expo last year. It was a pair of starter pack heifers. With Marc Robertson guiding them they identified the pair they wanted and successfully made the purchase - it was the start of Roz’s very own polled Hereford herd. Roz decided she’d start a polled stud to be different to father Rob (Richon Horned Herefords) and see how the polled calves grow out compared to his horned calves.

Roz Stokes has started up her own
polled Hereford herd which is run
alongside her parents horned herd.
One of the founding females was half
of a Beef Expo starter pack heifer
she bought last year.
Photo courtesy of the Hurunui News.

Her Lees Valley prefix is run alongside her parents Richon herd. The Expo purchased in-calf heifer, Platform Cynthia 07676, has now calved and delivered a bull calf that Roz exhibited at the 2009 Royal Show being placed third in the performance plus class - cow or heifer two years and over with calf at foot and second in the heifer (2 years) - with or without her own calf at foot. But it wasn’t just the cow and calf that impressed judges at the Royal Show.

Roz was placed fifth in the senior handlers class at the Royal Show, run by NZ Young Beef Breeders. Competing against others her own age appeals to Roz when she enters the handlers competitions and she says she has been learning from the judges and their feedback.

She’s also participated in the Future Beef NZ hoof and hook competition held in conjunction with Beef Expo. Roz was the handler of the winning Hain family Hereford cross steer and enjoyed the activities and modules.

Eamon Dean began his own stud, Ruatama, three years ago on the family farm near Wyndham. He started his stud because he particularly enjoys the breeding aspect of cattle and one day he’d like to host his own bull sale. He already has 15 cows in his herd and is considering specialising in breeding bulls for the dairy market.

Eamon Dean took home the heifer junior
yearling title at the 2009 Royal Show.

Eamon has been active on the show circuit for two years and enjoys meeting new people but says it also helps get his stud name out and noticed. He can be found at the Wyndham, Winton, Gore, Invercargill and Wanaka shows along with the Royal. He too took part in the 2009 Future Beef NZ hoof and hook competition and says he learnt a lot during the two day programme. The Expo purchase he made in partnership with Roz Stokes was because he wanted to grow his female base.

His Expo heifer, Platform Cynthia 07671 produced a heifer calf which even though it’s early days Eamon says looks like she’ll make a handy female. When selecting his Herefords Eamon highlights temperament and fast growth rates as the two traits he particularly targets. When it comes to his breeding philosophy he has an eye for feminine females and is targeting sound feet so his cattle can forage easily, which in turn produces good milk and sound growth rates for carcase weight.

Calf club at school and helping his father show cattle was what got Ben Burgess interested in cattle. There has also been support and encouragement from retired Hereford breeders John and Sandra Taylor who sold Ben his first cow two years ago. With this influence it’s also fitting that Ben’s herd prefix was passed to him by the Taylors - Waitaporiri.

Ben Burgess has an eye for stock that
won him a haul of goodies and $500
at the Royal Show in the NZ Young
Beef Breeders handling and judging
classes.

Ben’s herd of seven run in conjunction with parents Colin and Steph’s herd, Apotu Park. The Hereford herd is grazed on the Warkworth property of Dean and Marjoire Blythen. Ben says the placid nature of Herefords is appealing and makes them easy to handle and he likes the way they look in a paddock. Showing cattle has always been an interest having grown up helping his father so it was a natural step once he was old enough to enter the show ring himself.

This then progressed to helping other breeders on the show circuit around the country, including three Royal Shows. “I really enjoy it,” says Ben. The 2009 Royal Show is a highlight in Ben’s career to date. He won the overall stock judging for the NZ Young Beef Breeders handler and stock judging classes. He also won the overall intermediate classes.

For his efforts, Ben took home the Shorthorn stock judging shield, a Swanndri and $500 towards his attendance at the Royal Easter Show in Auckland, at which he plans to exhibit a team of Herefords.

Ben says that competition comprises an interview, stock handling and stock judging with participants awarded points out of a possible 200 - Ben earned 179 points. He’s also participated in the Future Beef hoof and hook competition and is hopeful of attending again this year.

For his herd, Ben is looking for a nice even line of cattle and he does place quite a bit of emphasis on eye appraisal and says he has opted to give priority to a structurally sound animal. Looking ahead, Ben wants to study to become a veterinarian at Massey University and expand his herd to be able to supply Hereford Prime.

Ever since she can remember Brittany Gibbs has admired Herefords. It’s admiration that she proved she was serious about when she established her own Hereford herd, prefix Ngawari last year. Brittany says it translates to soft and gentle and big and strong in the Maori dictionary - a translation she associates with the breed she has become so fond of.

Brittany Gibbs thoroughly enjoys being in
the show ring and appreciates the fact that
not everyone gets an opportunity to do
such a thing.

She too believes docility is one of the leading traits of the breed and she loves the fact she can walk out into a paddock and pat her cattle.

“They are very friendly.” With about seven cows in her Ngawari herd, she’s on the way developing her own gene pool and has combined genetics from Matapouri, Awhea and her parents herd, Big River.

Brittany really enjoys being out in the show ring and comments she’s lucky to have the opportunities that she does. “Most people don’t get the opportunity to do it and it’s really cool.”

Little brother Christopher also enjoys spending time with the stock and has already declared a desire to go farming. Most days he asks after the cattle and goes to have a look at them.

Christopher Gibbs travelled with sister
Brittany and father Chris & their Big River
team of Herefords to help exhibit at the
Royal Show.

Both the Gibbs children took part in the Future Beef activities last year. Brittany, who would like to be a veterinarian and continue her stud, says the modules last year were very interesting.

She cited the AI module and learning the cuts of the carcase of particular interest.

“It was really fun.” When there’s work to be done with the Herefords Brittany says she and Christopher are out there working along-side their father Chris, helping with the recording and tagging.