It's a long way from the riding trail and ski resorts in Banff to Dalby, but Canadian Kevin Way and Aussie girl Kindil Kuskopf have decided to call it home for the foreseeable future.
The couple live on acreage outside Dalby and while Kevin is a working as a livestock agent, Kindil is building her business as a photographer and designing clothes under her label Couture by Kindil.
The couple met in 2016 when they were both working on a trail riding ranch and together they explored both Canada and Australia before settling down.
"We met on a ranch near Banff and I thought Kevin was very quiet and shy and old school," Kindil said.
However it was a chance date to the movies together that made the pair a couple.
They spent the next 18 months together in Canada moving from ranches to ski resorts.
It was then that Kindil's visa ran out and it was home to Australia, with Kevin following her a month later.
They spent time in Tamworth, NSW, before landing jobs as station hands on Victoria River Downs, in the Northern Territory.
Kevin's road to becoming an agent has been a journey stretching three years.
Firstly, he has a love of livestock and apart from his Canadian experience and station hand job, he also spent time working as a contract musterer for Justin Hafey, Jaylyn Downs, Tansey.
Justin, an A grade polocrosse player, introduced Kevin to both the world of polocrosse and campdrafting.
"Campdrafting is something that we both plan to do when we can," Kevin said.
Then it was through a family connection with well known livestock agent Joe Lehman, that Kevin was introduced to the agency game.
"Joe asked me if I would like to go the Dalby saleyards on a Tuesday to help with the drafting and penning before the sale," he said.
"I really thought being a livestock agent would be a good gig, and so it led from there."
Kindil, who grew up in Chillagoe and spent her entire childhood living of cattle stations and being home schooled until she finished at 17, has now found she has a love of both photography and fashion.
After leaving school she tried her hand at droving, training cutting horses and campdraft horses before travelling to Canada and she now spends her time designing a western clothing range for 'those who dare to be different'.
She is based at home and business is generated from both her website and Facebook page.
Helen Walker
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
