Our Livestock Celebration Dinner was a wonderful success, with more than $4,400 raised by the live auction run by young gun auctioneer Maddie Davidson, helped by the Livestock Team girl spotters.

Ad Astra girls!

The livestock team isn’t just about show days it’s about what happens in the background, week after week.

Three afternoons a week, from 3:30 to 5:30, we’re down at the yards dedicated to the care of livestock. feeding cattle and sheep, wheelbarrowing hay into feeders, and carrying what feels like endless buckets of grain. It’s not always exciting, and it’s definitely not easy, but it's all worth it. The consistency of those afternoons is what builds the team we have.

Everyday jobs lead into everything else we do. Bringing cattle in, tying them up, brushing, clipping, and blowing them, those small tasks are what get them ready for the ring. Practising parading isn’t just about the cattle behaving; it’s also about learning how to handle them properly and becoming more confident doing it.

Breaking cattle in takes time and patience, and it only works because we do it together, over and over again.

By the time we get to shows like Glen Innes, Guyra, Inverell, Armidale, Walcha, and bigger ones like Sydney Royal and the Ekka, the results aren’t coming from luck—they come from all those afternoons that don’t get seen.

Livestock team also gives us opportunities beyond just handling cattle. Through junior judging, we learn how to assess everything from livestock to grain and produce, and we get used to speaking in front of crowds. It’s not always comfortable at first, but it’s something that sticks with you.

It also connects us to the wider agriculture industry. Through shows and the people we meet, we start to see where this can lead in the future, whether that’s careers or further opportunities.

One thing that we are really proud of and shows how this work stands out is our involvement with the Schute Bell Badgery Luby charity steer. Since 2022, we’ve helped prepare and care for 5 steers, raising money for the Victor Chang Cardiac

Research Institute. In that time, over $110,000 has been raised. It’s a good example of how the work we do each week can contribute to something much bigger.

This year at the 2026 Sydney Royal Show, the team had some strong results. Charli Milton placed 3rd in the Schools’ Parader competition. Our charity steer, Supple Basil, won his hook lightweight carcase class, placed 4th in the lightweight School

Steer category, was selected in the Hereford Stan Hill Team of Three, and sold for $8000 at auction. Emmie Birnie placed 4th in her Intermediate RAS Youth Show, and Nylah and Annie competed in the state finals for jr judging. We also showed Red Polls for Lagoona Stud, placing 1st for Pair of Heifers, 2nd for Pair of Bulls, 2nd for Progeny Group, and 3rd overall in the Stan Hill Team.

But again, those results come back to the same thing, the day-to-day work. Livestock team is also where you end up getting to know people you probably wouldn’t otherwise. Different year groups, all working together, getting through the good jobs and the not-so-great ones. Spending that much time together, you build solid friendships without really realising it.

At the end of the day, livestock team is pretty simple. You show up, you do the work, and over time it adds up to better results, more confidence, and a stronger team.

Charlie Milton, Livestock Team Captain, and Macey Wake Deputy Captain