AROUND a hundred beef producers turned out to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Droughtmaster stud breeders' society at a gala dinner in Brisbane on Friday night.
The night was filled with entertaining talks from Droughtmaster 'legends' including Rob Atkinson of northern Queensland Glen Ruth fame, Western Australia's John Gardner, Sunny Vale and Ashley Coleman, from foundation stud Glen Houghton.
Brisbane poet Rupert McCall delivered an entertaining stand up tribute to the pioneers of the breed to a standing ovation.
The Droughtmaster Society held a conference at the Royal Queensland Show through the day, packed with informative and entertaining speakers.
Headline acts included the director of beef sustainability with big United States processor Tyson, Ian McConnel; Queensland branded beef leaders Blair Angus and Mick Hewitt and Northern Territory Cattlemens' Association president and Tipperary Station boss David Connolly.
Droughtmaster Society president Todd Heyman said the decisions made by the breed's founders 60 years ago were ahead of their time and the Droughtmaster breed today plays a very powerful role in Australia's beef industry.
The breed was well placed for both the present day and the future, he said.
The Droughtmaster Society today has 635 members and 32,000 registered breeders over 20 months old.
Queensland Country Life will feature extensive coverage of the conference next week.