A judge’s job is made much easier with a good steward to keep the cattle flowing through the ring.
Year after year, many of the same people give up their time and one such volunteer, Paul Doering, Walmona Santa Gertrudis stud, Truro, notched up his 40th year as a steward during the feature show judging.
He began stewarding as a 17-year-old and says it has been a great vantage point to watch the action.
“Breeders come and breeders go, but they are a great bunch of people,” he said.
Through the years, there have been plenty of changes from the introduction of PA systems to enable judges to share their reasonings with the public, to the undercover hoecker.
“I can recall a few years when it was very wet and we were out in the open – it wasn’t much fun,” he said.
While Mr Doering was busy in the ring, his brother Michael and their helpers showed Walmona stud’s team of 12 cattle.
This year also marked Walmona’s 30th year exhibiting at Adelaide.