THE New England Girls’ School (NEGS) Livestock Team achieved top results at the 2013 Landmark Beef Championships held earlier this month.
A team of 10 students along with four cattle travelled to Tamworth on 7 October to compete in the junior judging and junior cattle handling competition.
Competition was strong with teams from 35 schools participating in the two-day event.
NEGS performed well with three students out of 70 competitors (12-14 years) making it into the finals of both the judging and handling competitions.
Boarder Amelia Ghiggioli, 14, from Cassilas, NSW was the overall winner of her age group (12-14 years) in the junior cattle handling with more than seven competitors.
Mr Barnaby Joyce presented the awards at the Tamworth Livestock and Equestrian Centre, and said the event typified a “showcase of the passion of our young people for agriculture”.
NEGS Agriculture teacher Mark Fisher said it was an outstanding effort for the students to find success in both the judging and handling competitions as many of the team are new to livestock competition.
“The students worked exceptionally well as a team to help each other and make sure each individual was well prepared for their event. It’s exciting to know that our young women are so passionate about the industry, and the future of agriculture is so bright,” he said.
Mr Fisher also thanked the generous beef producers who supply the school with competition cattle – Brian Wellings, Walcha and the Strelitz family, Armidale.
Without these generous beef producers it would be impossible to run such a professional, successful livestock team, he said.
Breakout panel
Results:
Junior Judging Competition 12-14 years:
Olivia Carter (Year 7 boarder from Gunnedah) – highly commended.
Kathleen McPhie (Year 7 day girl from Armidale) – third place.
Olivia Fenwicke (Year 8 day girl from Armidale) – second place.
Junior Judging Competition 15-16 years:
Katie Cannington (Year 10 boarder from Narrabri) – highly commended.
Junior Cattle Handling 12-14 years:
Amelia Ghiggioli (Year 8 boarder from Cassilis) – overall winner.
Olivia Carter (Year 7 boarder from Gunnedah) – finalist.
Emma Costello (Year 8 day girl from Walcha) – finalist.
In the 15-16 years junior cattle handling, Katie Cannington and Isabella Ghiggioli were finalists.
