Page 92 - Hereford Magazine 2021

Abbro grew up on a family dairy farm about three hours
north of Sydney.
“A family friend had Herefords back home and he also ran like
a fitting service to show cattle for hobby farmers with all kinds
of different breeds. But Herefords were always my favourites.”
As well as a stint in parks and wildlife, he originally worked
on Mt Riddock as a jackaroo for two years from 2011. When he
phoned three years ago to ask Steve for a reference, Steve said,
“I know a place where you won’t need one.”
He’s now head stockman.
“He’s another me,” Steve says.
“I’m his mini-me,” Abbro says, laughing.
About the same time, a young English backpacker arrived Abbro looking at Hereford bulls at Earnscleugh Station.
on the station to ride horses, acting on the recommendation
of friends. She says the ‘we’ was Mt Riddock Station, Australia, and also
“We hit it off and she never left,”Abbro says. “Now she does Herefords in general.
everything as well. She is Bec’s mini-me.” Networking was also a highlight.
Fran is also a qualified surveyor by trade. Their first baby, “Making those connections and seeing those studs in New
daughter Willow, was born in October. Zealand [Locharburn and Earnscleugh] brought it home that
Steve, Bec, Abbro and Fran attended the main section of the we could be doing more on the stud side of our herd. There
WHC in Queenstown. They’d been to some conferences in the are plenty of Australian genetics that work over there [in New
Northern Territory and had some cattle in the sale at the WHC Zealand]. It really opened my eyes.”
at Armidale. Bec says it was an opportunity to reconnect with Abbro says he was most interested in how other countries
what the Hereford breed was up to globally, and it definitely promote their brand of beef, such as Hereford Prime in New
met expectations. Zealand.
“It opened our eyes to how connected the other societies Steve says it was all important knowledge to drive them
are. In particular, I really enjoyed the English Hereford Society, forward.
which I follow on Facebook now. It was a good learning “To do what we do, but do it better.”
opportunity for all of us to be able to figure out where we sit
in the markets, worldwide.”

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90 HEREFORD MAGAZINE Year 2021