Two siblings from Central Queensland have excelled in the 2022 Queensland ag shows stud beef young judges competition.
Held at the Ekka on Friday, Hayden Hanson representing the Burnett Sub-Chamber was announced the overall winner, with his sister Bella Hanson representing South West Sub-Chamber receiving Runner Up.
This is the first time a sibling duo have won the prestigious competition in the stud beef junior judging section.
Mr Hanson works on his family's Bullakeana Brangus stud beef property near Theodore.
The 18-year-old said he was over the moon with the result.
"This win means a lot for me. I've been competition in junior judging throughout Queensland for about 11 years now, building up towards it," Mr Hanson told the Queensland Country Life.
"It's been a while since I've been nervous, but you always get a little bit when you get to the Ekka and compete in the national level.
"I missed out on Proston state finals earlier this year and I just got runner-up for it.
"But I still got to go down to the national competition for it.
"I thought I'd give it another shot and then have another go at national comp again."
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Mr Hanson said he'll use his success in the young judges competition to fuel a stock agent career.
"Since I've been judging cattle and assessing them, it really has built my confidence," he said.
"My dad did stud showing and judging when he was young too and I remember when he took me to my first junior show when I was seven in Rockhampton."
Despite losing to her younger brother, Bella Hanson says there are no hard feelings between them, congratulating her brother on his success in the judging ring.
After having a four-year judging hiatus, the 19-year-old said she decided to give the state competition another go.
"It was actually my goal to get back to the National competition because I was thinking of not doing it again," Ms Hanson said.
"I made a bet with my brother that I'll do it again because I hadn't been judging four years.
"I did the state judging a few years ago, ago I haven't done it since. It's a job well done."
Ms Hanson is currently studying Journalism and Communication Griffith University, with a passion to pursue a career in agricultural journalism.
"I'm currently studying at home and helping dad out on the farm," she said.
"I won the junior judging at Taroom Show and then we had our sub chamber finals at Chinchilla for the south-west.
"I started judging cattle after Hayden and I got interested after him.
"He was the first one that went and then I think I followed in the year after because he said it was good."
Hayden Hanson will now represent Queensland and travel to the Royal Launceston Show to compete in the national final junior judging competition later this year.
Eumungerie young judge winner primed for success
A 19-year-old from the Eumungerie in New South Wales blitzed the competition in the RNA young beef judges competition.
A packed field of young judges were asked to mark Brahman bulls, Simmental bulls and heifers before finalists were chosen to speak on the cattle.
Micquella Grima was the winner in the senior class, followed by Piper Christensen in second place and Angus Haynes in third.
Ms Grima first began her stud beef judging passion only a year ago at CQ's Junior Beef Show.
Jackson Emery of Inverell took home first place ribbon in the junior class, with second awarded to Lily McCosker, and third place to Lachlan Pattison.
Competition stronger than ever
Qld ag shows coordinator Rowan O'Hara said the competition gives young people an insight into another part of the industry and helps refine their skills.
"The numbers here at the local competition is thrilling for the for the industry," Mr O'Hara said.
"The competition is one part of it, but it's also the education and the future of the industry as well.
"Understanding that these next generation of kids can understand the different quality of cattle and to be able to come up and one day be future judges or stud breeders."
Sibling duo win very rare
Qld ag shows treasure Monica Sheridan said it was very rare to see a sibling duo take home the champion and runner-up titles.
"I think it might be the first time in stud beef, but we have had it happen in the Merino sheep and Merino fleece competition," Ms Sheridan said.