Gunnedah High School’s agriculture students have seen success at Upper Hunter Beef Bonanza in Scone.
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On Friday, Year 10 student Lucy Moore showed 13-month-old Angus steer, Lux, who received placings in the Waverley School Steer Challenge.
Agricultural teacher Nicole Dwyer said the steer was named “best presented steer overall”, took out first place in the secondary category for carcass, and a highly commended in the secondary schools parader competition.
Ms Dwyer said Lux was also shown on the Saturday in the heavy middle-weight class as a carcase animal, and paraded by a number of Year 9 students on Sunday.
The high school was one of 36 schools to receive a steer and feed from “Waverley Station” to compete in the Steer Challenge. Ms Dwyer’s ag students have been preparing the steer since June.
Students Kurt Rennick, Chenelle Winsor, Steven Craig, Jacob Byrne, Ashleigh Mills, Lucy Moore, Helena Pease, Zoe Fleming, James Thomas, Jayden Beasley, Bryce Watson and Haylee Murrell showed four steers in total at the beef bonanza.
Two of the steers came from Panorama Farms, a registered Speckle Park stud east of Narrabri. The Speckle Park crossed Charolais steers were provided by Tim Willemse and Namoi Hobson, an ex-student of the high school. The fourth steer was an Angus heifer provided by Vince Tydd from Kelvin.
“On the hoof, they were prepared spectacularly by the kids and they looked awesome but they just didn't quite meet the judge's specifications on the day,” Ms Dwyer said.
The teacher said she was thankful to the cattle producers for their assistance.
“This is the third time Vince Tydd has supported the school,” she said.
“We're hoping for a long partnership with those guys over the future years.”
Ms Dwyer said she was very impressed with the students who participated in the beef bonanza.
“The kids were excellent,” she said.
“Their behaviour and initiative to get up at 5 o'clock in the morning and preparing their steers was awesome. I couldn't have asked more from them.”
The school is now preparing for the Northern Schools Prime Stock Competition in Manilla. Ten students from Years 9-11 will prepare three Angus steers provided by Phillip and Sharon Tydd.