Springsure teenager proves her skills

The 14-year-old took out the champion photographic exhibit at the show, with a photo she took on her iPhone. 

Displayed among the many entries, Shaelee said she was “very happy” with the winning photo, which featured her younger sister Ashlynn, 8, and Shaelee’s own horse, Gambler.

But it was another of her photos which won a first place which holds a piece of her heart. 

The shot features a truck in a field, with the photo taken from the passenger seat. 

The truck belonged to Shaelee’s late dad, Paul ‘Butcher’ Taylor, who passed away in 2015. 

“One afternoon we were going home with my cousin in their truck, and that’s the PJT truck which is my dad’s truck,” Shaelee said. 

“I was sitting in the passenger side and took that photo.

“I really like it, it was just a lucky shot I guess.” 

Shaelee also said her winning shot was a “lucky shot”.

“We were loading cattle the day before the Springsure Cattle Camp, and we were loading the poddy’s onto our friend’s float,” she said. 

“They own the poddies we were taking, and he told me to take a few photos of them getting onto the float.

“I took that photo of my sister and my horse, and I just really liked it.” 

But her winning was not done yet – with yet another photo earning a second place on the day.

The shot of a red steer wearing a child’s Akubra was a clear hit among the show. 

“It was the last afternoon of the Springsure Cattle Camp, and Bruiser (the steer) was laying down, and I was laying all over him,” Shaelee said.

“I just popped my brother’s hat on him and took the photo.” 

Shaelee, who also entered a few paintings into the show, said she loves “absolutely everything” about the local agricultural shows, but the clear winners were the animals; with alpacas and chickens her personal favourites. 

But the bubbly teenager said so far, photography has been nothing more than a hobby for her. 

“I just like it, I just really like taking photos and it makes me really happy,” she said. 

All of her photos were taken on mobile phones, and she said while she would love to take up photography a bit more seriously, she’s content to stick with the phone for now. 

“It’s just a hobby right now,” she said.

“I’d really like to get into it though. It’s just great and it’s really fun to try to take different photos.”

The Taylors live on Butcher’s Block, named after Shaelee’s late father, which is a 40 hectare property just out of town. 

Shaelee said there was always plenty to photograph at home on the property.