Page 104 - Hereford Magazine 2021

Hereford Youth

best in the world

NZ Herefords youth team, left to right, Hannah Gibb, Sam Tipping, Niamh Barnett and Mark Murphy, with Paul Fitzpatrick, senior product
manager from Boehringer Ingelheim.

Words: Hannah Gibb world to see our unique little country and compete against
one another. We definitely knew there was no such thing as a
et’s go back to when it all began, day 1 of the Young home soil advantage, and we had our work cut out for us to
Breeder team selection weekend held at Craigmore stand up against the best in the world.
Herefords in Hamilton. The five of us - our captain It took the first two or three days for most of the
Sam Tipping, Mark Murphy, Niamh Barnett, reserve competitors and teams to gel as one large group (needless to
LLisa Bonenkamp, and myself – were selected from say a few beverages each night helped this process along). By
a large group of equally passionate young Hereford breeders halfway through the week, you wouldn’t have known it was
to represent our country in just over a year’s time at the a competition and everyone was getting along like a house
World Hereford Conference. Writing that sentence – even on fire. Endless banter and laughs were had, all the while
now – doesn’t make it feel any more real. The fact that five supporting each other through each challenging day of the
young Kiwis had the chance to represent their country doing competition. Each team found different elements of the
something we love was an opportunity of a lifetime, one we competition more challenging than others, so it was neat to
will never forget. support one another and learn from one another’s strengths.
We then spent 12 months preparing and training for the Most of the competitors had never been to New Zealand
Young Breeder competition. We snuck across the ditch to the before and were in awe of our landscapes, farming systems
Herefords Australia National Youth Expo in Parkes and had an and culture. There were a lot of sheep jokes, questions about
incredible weekend showcasing our Kiwi skills and learning as deer fences, and why it was so cold and always raining. It was
much as we could from our Aussie mates. We were completely special to be able to show off our little place in the world and I
taken aback by scooping the pool in the senior herdsperson know a lot of our visitors are already planning trips back – just
class (judged on willingness to help others, work ethic, as we are planning to go and visit them.
leadership etc.) claiming first, third and fourth. The biggest days of the competition were always going to
The team held a mini training weekend in the South Island be the show days, right at the end of the week. Despite added
and also spent a lot of time training and preparing individually. pressure and intensity, and the realisation that the week was
All too soon, March was upon us and we found ourselves coming to an end all too soon, it didn’t stop us from having
on planes and in cars en route to Queenstown. As the hosting the time of our lives and still working together. In true
country, it was our privilege and responsibly to greet the other Hereford fashion, no matter who the cattle belonged to, or
teams at the airport and ensure everyone made it to the venue what team you were on, show day became a combined effort
on the first day. Straight away we were struck by the calibre where everyone pitched in to help and celebrate the successes
and quality of the people who had travelled from all over the of one another as the day progressed.

102 HEREFORD MAGAZINE Year 2021