Emily realises 'bucket list' trip to Canada on Expo success

That is the message Emily Edwards- the 2023 SA Junior Heifer Expo reserve senior champion herdsperson - has for anyone wanting to attend the nationally respected youth event.

Ms Edwards says the Expo, held each year at the Adelaide Showgrounds, has been life changing for her since first attending as a 16 year old novice.

It was the catalyst to her establishing the Wattle-Lee Speckle Park stud with her father at Kingston SE and also pursuing a career as a veterinarian.

She is now in her fifth year studying at the University of Adelaide with plans to specialise in bovine and ovine reproductive technologies.

"I wouldn't say that I was the most confident person but I feel like I can go up to anyone that has cattle and talk to them fluently, we can talk for hours," she said.

"The best thing about the Heifer Expo has been forming bonds with some many of these people."

Her skills grew enormously in her seven years as an entrant to the final year she fell into the age criteria where also won the junior judging competition.

"Being able to come away with the reserve champion in my final year was something I never expected," she said.

Her prize sponsored by Rabobank included $1750 towards a beef industry scholarship which helped pay for a five-week trip to Canada in November and December last year.

Her busy itinerary included attending Canada's largest livestock show, Agribition in Regina and visiting many Speckle Park studs, largely in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

"The people I met were amazing and made it so much easier to be a solo traveller travelling internationally for the first time," she said.

Ms Edwards said it had always been on her bucket list to visit the home of Speckle Park cattle, especially after buying a number of embryos from Canada and implanting them in commercial females to grow her stud to 20 females.

"I had always wanted to go over to Canada and search for more genetics and see where we had already bought came from," she said.

One of the highlights of the trip for Ms Edwards was visiting Tony and Tammy Freimark, Colgan's Cattle Company in Saskatoon which have a respected Speckle Park stud herd and also run a paddock to plate business selling meat at local markets.

She even purchased some embryos in their sale early this month after being impressed with their breeding herd.

"It is hard sometimes buying international genetics without being able to see the animals themselves and see frame size and those kinds of qualities which can be hidden easily in a picture," she said.

Online entries will open for the 2024 SA Junior Heifer Expo next Monday evening, April 29 with anyone interested in the beef industry aged 8-24 years of age encouraged to attend.

Expo co-ordinator Natalie Hann is expecting the July 15-18 event to again to reach its capacity of 194 entrants- the same as 2023- within a couple of days.

The four day program includes a comprehensive education program covering the basics such as structure, junior judging and showing as well as lecturers on innovation and emerging technologies in the beef industry. It culminates in the handlers judging on the final day where entrants show a purebred or crossbred heifer or steer.

"It is more than just the prestige of winning some of the major awards, it is about the education program, about the networking opportunities amongst the entrants from all over Australia and the career opportunities it brings," she said.

"The focus is also on other personal skills such as public speaking, being organised and showing initiative, these are all skills we want to see in all our young people."

Ms Hann said more than half of the committee members had been past entrants themselves and were determined to give the next generation the same great experiences they enjoyed.

"It is great to see young people wanting to get into agriculture," she said.

The major prize winner, the senior champion herdsperson will receive a $6500 scholarship for travel or further education sponsored by Nutrien and the RA&HS of SA.