It drizzled rain all day for the Gympie Carcass Classic Assembly Day held at Sullivan’s Woolooga cattle sale yards recently.
No one complained about the rain, least of all the farmers and graziers with attendees dressing appropriately in rain gear and boots.
Long time stalwart sponsors, Dan and Leanne Sullivan of Sullivan Livestock and Rural Services generously supplied their sale yards for the event where tents were erected to allow administration and attendees respite from the rain.
Nutrien Ag Solutions Gympie, sponsors and caterers, also provided a large marquee to allow attendees dry cover whilst enjoying their lunch.
There was a great roll up around 150 people attending the day including 90 agricultural high school students and their teachers from across the region.
Students travelled from many different schools who support agricultural programs including Gympie High, Kilkivan, Murgon, Mundubbera, Kingaroy, St Patricks College Gympie and Riverside to name a few.
The 177 head of cattle were yarded by 10.30am and transported from a wide range of areas in the Gympie, North and South Burnett, Lockyer Valley and Wide Bay regions.
Experienced cattle men and women were appointed to lead 10 groups of students to carry out live assessments on the cattle in pens of 4 to 8 animals to enhance the students’ knowledge in the red meat industry.
“Students, who were being tutored by these experienced cattle men and women, can learn so much with the hands-on approach in such a conducive environment,” said spokeswoman for the sub-committee, Jenny Zerner.
Several competitions at the start of the Classic were conducted during the day with all attendees being encouraged to participate.
“The feedback from students and teachers was extremely encouraging,” she said.
The prizes will be awarded on the Friday of the Award Presentation and Dinner on 29 July, for the winners in the various categories of assessments.
Attendees and students will have an opportunity to assess these same cattle on the hoof at the finish of the competition at the final Field Day on Friday, 15 July, at the Gympie Sale Yards.
“By that time, the cattle will have been fed and cared for in the Waterfall Feedlot at Goomeri for 77 days so should present in peak condition,” Mrs Zerner said.
“It was pleasing to have so many willing volunteers on the day loading and unloading cattle, penning cattle, erecting and dismantling tents, unpacking and packing up and assisting with any tasks which needed to be undertaken,” she said.
“The caterers, Nutrien Ag Solutions Gympie … and their two staff members, Craig and Keith, did an excellent job despite being over-run by the hungry crowd during the lunch break,” Mrs Zerner said.
Mrs Zerner said at the end of the day’s events, the transporters, Warrego Livestock Transport, delivered all the cattle to the Waterfall Feedlot Goomeri for Induction on the Wednesday morning.
“Our sponsor vets, Gympie Veterinary Services, attended on both the Tuesday at the Woolooga sale yards and the Wednesday at the Feedlot to inspect and treat the cattle with various medications necessary upon entering the feedlot environment.
“Our veterinarians will travel to the Feedlot on a regular basis to keep a close eye on the welfare and health of the cattle and report back to the committee,” she said.
The cattle will remain at the Waterfall Feedlot until Thursday, 14 July, when they will be transported by Warrego Livestock Transport to the Gympie sale yards for the final Field Day before being delivered to Nolan Meats abattoir.
More assessments and judging of carcasses by students will take place during the Intercollegiate Meat Judging under the watchful eye of Meat and Livestock Australia.
“The Gympie Carcass Classic committee are delighted to acknowledge another very successful day of camaraderie, assessments and notably high standard of cattle entered at the commencement of the 2022 competition,” Mrs Zerner said.
“The natural disasters which Gympie and much of South-East Queensland suffered in the early months of 2022 did have a detrimental impact in the cattle entry numbers over that of the 2021 year but 177 head is nonetheless a very creditable number,” she said.
