THE cancellation of the 2020 Royal Adelaide Show was a big blow to Urrbrae Agricultural High School but agriculture coordinator Damien Brookes says the "best case scenario" has eventuated with Stock Journal's Steer Showdown.
The online judging, to be streamed in late August on Stock Journal's website, has provided an opportunity for those steers entered in the Royal Adelaide Show's beef carcase competition to be judged on-hoof in front of a big online audience.
"We weren't sure quite how this year would look and what we would be able to set up but the opportunity through the Steer Showdown to still showcase our steers is a real benefit," Mr Brookes said.
"The show is a significant event for us with close to 500 of our students involved, so to still be able to have a small part of it (with the Merino wethers) and allocate other students to the steers is a good thing.
"They are getting the same experiences as if they were at the show with leading, washing and clipping the steers."
Mr Brookes says the school's steers are a major part of the curriculum for year eight to 12 students, giving them confidence to handle large animals and work as a team, as well as a greater understanding of animal behaviour and nutrition.
He says the Urrbrae students are looking forward to producing videos of their four steers for the online show.
The video footage captured for the online judging will also be useful for teachers when discussing the on-hook winners with their students.
"Our students always remember how their steers looked but not the ones from other schools if they win, so it will be a really good learning resource that can be used in future classes for evaluation and analysis," he said.
Schools and breeders have just a few days to get their entries in and then a fortnight to submit their videos and side on profile photo.
School entries will also be vying for the best presented steer award sponsored by Limitless Show Supplies. This award will be a grooming pack that includes brushes, combs, products and a voucher.
LSL Australian distributor Annie Boon says good presentation starts with having a clean animal but includes how a halter fits if the animal is being led and how an animal is groomed to show off its best attributes.
"The final fit out can affect an animal's placing. Presentation can make a great animal look good or a good animal look great," she said.
"Using the hair and the hide is the only way we can enhance the best attributes of an animal without breaking any rules. There are so many products to choose from to achieve this."
Stock Journal livestock advertising manager Mark Scown says the Stock Journal team is excited to present Steer Showdown.
He says online shows have been hugely successful this year both in Australia and overseas, particularly Australian Community Media's Beef Battle and Sire Shootout, which had a large online audience and even led to stud sales.
"I feel the most important aspect of Steer Showdown is the learning opportunity for the schools involved to still go through the process to feed and prepare their animals and present them for judging in the online format via a video," he said.
"Students can then watch the judging link back in their classrooms to learn more about steer selection."
Online entries close Friday, July 24 at 5pm.
- Details: stockjournal.com.au/cattle/steershowdown
- Start the day with all the big news in agriculture. Sign up here to receive our daily Stock Journal newsletter