TEAMWORK paid off for 17-year-old Jacqui Palk, Eden Valley, who won the beef herdsperson with a team of three Square Meaters from her family's Willow Rest Square Meaters stud.
Jacqui, who has been leading for her parents since the age of four or five, has entered the competition for the past five years.
"This is a really big achievement," she said.
She also owns her own Marne Valley stud but only had one animal entered at the Royal Adelaide Show this year, so elected to compete with a Willow Rest team.
Judge Tom Wilding-Davies, put Jacqui and runner-up Amelia Wilson, Grace Plains Charolais, Grace Plains, through their paces, swapping them about on the cattle on their ring, quizzing them of their knowledge about their cattle entries and even making them take a turn about the ring without their show cane.
He said he was looking for the person leading the team out into the ring to engage the other handlers on their cattle and have knowledge and understanding of the animals they were presenting.
He said both handlers were moved to the heifers at the back of the line, "arguably the more difficult animals" and worked well with those as well.
"You're not always going to have easy animals to deal with but it's about showing them off to the best of your ability," he said.
"They were both able to put pressure on and handle the heifers at the back with ease."
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Mr Wilding-Davies said Jacqui was punctual into the ring, had her cattle clean and well-presented, and was able to give good information about the three cattle on show.
"She could explain why they were presented in that order," he said.
"Overall, (both teams) had great communication, teamwork and and presentation.
"It came down to the finer details on presentation, with (Amelia) a very well-deserved second."
Jacqui said many of the skills she was commended for by Mr Wilding-Davies were her regular practice when showing.
You're not always going to have easy animals... it's about showing them off to the best of your ability.
- TOM WILDING-DAVIES
"When I do a group class, I normally communicate with the team and make sure they're able to handle the animals and give them a briefing so they know details of the animals," she said.
The day started for her at 5am, with spot washing, blow-drying and grooming for the three animals.
She said this competition was a great way to gain more experience in communicating and collaborating as a team with the other people showing off her cattle.
Also on her team were Georgina Buick, Arki Murray Greys, Western Flat, and Emily Edwards, Wattle Lee Speckle Parks, Kingston SE.
Runner-up Amelia was competing in the herdsperson competition for the first time, but she is certainly no newcomer to the ring.
She has been showing for the past nine years, since the age of eight.
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