Australia's first online junior show was a roaring success, with competitors from five states taking the opportunity to show-off their skills amid the COVID-craze.
Restrictions may have caused all shows to be cancelled, but it opened the door for the Junior Screen Spectacular (JSS), an idea that was in fact in the pipeline prior to COVID-19, to evolve and come to life.
With a desire to unite the champion junior section winners from individual breed events in one big competition, long-time cattle enthusiast Sam Parish of Mass Genetics, Dubbo, set out to create an industry first.
"At the end of 2019 I started putting the idea together, then with shows being cancelled and youth being left in the lurch I adapted the idea and made a fully virtual junior show for youth to stay involved and keep practicing their skills," Mr Parish said.
"My grandfather, Don Anderson, was also an extremely active member of the forming of the first ever junior heifer show within Australia, and junior shows have been a huge part of my family's life with my father being one of the founders and first president of what has become one of the biggest junior events the National All Breeds Junior Heifer Show."
Competitors in the JSS ranged from five to 25 years of age, and the judges were; Harris Thompson of Venturon Livestock (cattle), Scott Hann of Truro Whiteface (junior judging), David Bolton of Bolton's Hooftrimming (fitting), Kate Schoen of Aarden Angus (paraders) and Joel Flemming of Nutrien (auctioneering).
Dubbo-based beef enthusiast Kate Loudon, Kloud Livestock, proved talented taking out grand champion parader and grand champion fitter.
Grand champion judge went to Ella Saul while grand champion auctioneer was Jack Garland.
In the cattle classes, Emily Vosper came out on top with her 16-month-old Charolais heifer Westella Quack Like A Duck.
Hamish Maclure won champion steer with a 595 kilogram Limousin steer, Keajura Park Trouble, and Callum McNichol won champion bull with Glenisa Jimbob Q061.
Providing opportunity for skill development, networking and the strengthening of connections between generations, junior events are crucial to industry.
"Junior shows are a platform for older generations to pass down skills and their own knowledge to the next generation, continuing the industry and growing it from strength to strength," Mr Parish said.