Mylee Taylor with Spike.
Nearly 200 students from across New South Wales including a small group from Boorowa Central School have converged on the Shoalhaven for the seventh annual South Coast Steer Spectacular a unique and educational event that puts agricultural skills in the spotlight.
Among the stars of this year’s event is Spike, a beautifully presented steer from Boorowa Central School, who took out the prestigious title of Overall Grand Champion Steer.
It was a proud moment for the students and staff, especially for local Mylee Taylor, who has been working closely with Spike for months.
“We just won Overall Grand Champion Steer,” Mylee said, beaming with pride.
“Picking them from a young age is really important, especially when you’re deciding which class to enter them into. It takes a lot of thought and care.”
Spike, a grain-fed steer, had been through a rigorous five-month preparation process. He was washed, brushed, halter-trained, and paraded regularly in the lead-up to judging. The commitment and dedication behind the scenes are immense.
Mia Edwards, a student from Bomaderry High School, described the work that goes into preparing for the event.
“We’re practicing parading, getting them used to halters, canes, and being around people. It’s a lot of effort we do two training sessions a week,” she explained.
Of course, livestock can be unpredictable. “The main problem was one of our steers just wasn’t cooperating,” Mylee added You can lead a steer to the show ring, but you can’t always make it line up!”
This year, 180 students from 11 different schools made the journey to Nowra. While that’s more than an 80 percent reduction in numbers from previous years, it makes the event even more vital. It serves as a key opportunity to engage students with hands-on agricultural learning and inspire future careers in the industry.
The Steer Spectacular is not just about producing the next generation of cattle handlers. It’s about opening doors to the wide range of careers agriculture has to offer from animal husbandry and agribusiness to marketing, logistics, and environmental science. As the industry evolves, so too does the next generation of young agriculturalists, and events like this ensure that rural education remains not only relevant but thriving.
-Liam Stuart
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