Balloting out a great time
One of the unique details of Roundup is the event is open to everyone, from novice to experienced, and for those who may not have cattle for themselves.
To make this possible, the event relies on the support of ballot cattle suppliers to provide animals for participants who do not have access to their own animals.
Ballot cattle sponsors come on board each year to provide animals, with many providing ballot animals many years after their own children have gone through the program, however, are still wanting to provide support and lending a hand to the continuation of the event.
At the NH Foods Australia Angus Youth National Roundup, a major supplier of cattle was Natalie and Stuart Hann of Nampara Angus, who attended Roundup with four of their own children.
Providing 13 head for event after an 11-hour trip from Lucindale, South Australia, Stuart was aware of the impact ballot cattle suppliers can have for young people in the industry that don’t have the same start as everyone else.
“We didn’t have a stud when I was a kid, and I couldn’t have wanted anything else more. Through a long time and a lot of hard work we have gotten to 300 odd cows and now if a kid wants to go to a heifer show which I enjoyed so much, a place where I met my wife, I guess I can’t say no.
“I guess it’s about providing that opportunity. We are not all good at sport, we are not all good at school and this is something that takes you away from all that and for most of the kids that we have got on board it’s addictive and we can’t get rid of them.”
Reflecting on his history with the event and why he has come back on board as a ballot cattle supplier, Stuart says the benefit for him as a supplier is mutual.
“As a kid I came to Roundup when it was at Hamilton 20 or 25 years ago. For us it’s a bit of promotion because if we can put a team together that’s relatively consistent it’s a good thing for Nampara, but it’s all about getting those kids on board and getting them in there and doing stuff.
“These kids are finding they’re meeting kids from Victoria to Tamworth and sometimes further and that’s not something you can do at school and at sport.”
Angus Australia Extension Manager Jake Phillips reflected on how important the opportunity can be for people who are not necessarily involved in the Angus breed and can take part in the Roundup event because of the generosity of supporters like the ballot cattle suppliers.
“This event really means a lot to me because the Angus Roundup, it changed my life,” said Jake.
“I had pretty much no involvement with the Angus breed until then. I travelled all that way from South Australia to Glen Innes in New South Wales and had a ballot animal that someone had broken in for me and stayed with people I never knew.
“But if you fast forward eleven years’ time I’ve got Angus cows on my own now, I work for Angus Australia and I have this absolute life privilege to support these young people on the committee.
“I was thinking about how that one event, those three or four days in 2011, sent me to New Zealand on the TransTasman Exchange, I was also able to represent as an Angus Youth Ambassador and it changed my life because now, I’m very proud to come back and pay it forward.”
Thank you to all our ballot cattle suppliers, without your support the Roundup would not be possible.
- Merridale Angus
- Flemington Angus
- Billaglen Pastoral Co
- Redgums Red Angus
- The Riverina Anglican College
- Aarden Angus
- Dalwhinnie Angus
- Raedean Red Angus
Nabiac - Wattlewood Angus
- W&M McCrohan
- Goondoola Livestock
- Yellowbox Angus
- Nampara Angus
– Cheyne Twist – Senior Marketing & Communications Officer
