The 2021 SA Junior Heifer Expo may have been held during the school holidays but a group of students from Willunga High School wouldn't have missed the chance to learn more about the beef industry.
One of the students Gabriella Stone has had three years experience showing cattle with Caithness Charolais stud, Mount Barker, but her other five school mates- Phoebe Collins, Tori Day, Katie Bell, Tamika Pottage and Jazmine Whittlesea - were all first-time entrants at last week's Expo.
Their agriculture teachers Sarah Truran and Isabelle Linde who also gave up their holidays said the Fleurieu Peninsula based school was rejuvenating its agriculture program and they wanted to be able to give the students some practical experience with beef cattle.
"With COVID there have not been many opportunities to gain experience and the kids were just so keen to do it," Ms Truran said.
Three of the students had heifers supplied by Ms Truran and her partner Vaughan Campagnolo from Savannah Simmentals, with one of these the 100th animal the stud has supplied for Expo entrants over the years.
Ms Truran said the Heifer Expo was an incredible youth event.
"Aside from the fact that the kids learn about the industry and interact with amazing industry people the thing I love about it is the values that they get from being around these people," Ms Truran said.
"They develop resilience and confidence, and although they have to challenge themselves it is amazing what they gain from the four days."
Two of the students paraded the school's steers- an Angus from Blackstone stud, Meadows and a Limousin steer from Meadowbrook stud, Hope Forest. These steers are entered for the Royal Adelaide Show led steer competition in September.
Among the students' success at the Expo, Katie won the novice junior judging competition and Tamika won the encouragement award in the novice section.
Start the day with all the big news in agriculture. Sign up here to receive our daily Stock Journal newsletter.
