Has Beef Australia become too corporate?

It comes after some regular attendees voiced their concerns that the event had lost industry focus, become cost prohibitive, regulated and outgrown the Rockhampton Showgrounds.

Beef Australia CEO Simon Irwin shot down the rumours, including that stud cattle weren't a key aspect of the event's future.

"Absolutely no discussion has occurred within the organisation as to the removal of the stud cattle championship judging from the program. The championship is, and will forever be, at the very heart of Beef Australia," he said.

"The championship itself costs more than $1.5 million to run, including the construction of cattle housing facilities and other significant expenses.

"This is an extremely important investment for the event, however only 25 per cent of this expense is covered by nomination fees.

"As such, it is essential we work with corporate partners to be able to continue to showcase our stud championship.

"We will continue to have discussions with Rockhampton Regional Council, through an MOU signed in 2022, seeking improvements to the showgrounds, as the venue of what is now a globally significant event."

Jodi McLennan of MCL and Orana Brahmans, Goovigen has attended the event since 1991, either grooming or fitting for studs, exhibiting cattle, or as a spectator.

She believed the objective of the event was lost in the "glitz and glamour" and the exorbitant pricing and monopolising of everything on site.

"It didn't give a fair representation of the grass roots producer who most certainly cannot afford the event," she said.

"The excessive OHS, rules and regulations, threats of removal for noncompliance, the initial rule of no food or coffee at sites, the monopoly and cost of beer for sites - all should have been made transparent at nomination.

"Security was not used as safety measure for the cattle, exhibitors and patrons of the event, but used against exhibitors to monitor that they were complying to rules and regulations."

Ms McLennan thought stud cattle entries had only gone up because the cost of a trade site was out of reach.

Brett McCamley of Fern Hills Grazing, Bajool, has been involved in Beef since the first event, having sat on the committee, exhibited and attended as a spectator.

He felt sponsorship deals meant breed societies or restaurants were restricted in their ability to promote and/or market their own branded products.

"Originally, back in '88 and in the early years, everything was based around the cattle and Beef being inclusive in terms of all types of cattle, beef and brands of beef, in the food too" he said.

"In the early days of Beef, all prices to attend the exhibition, dinners and tours were kept to a minimum.

"I realise costs have gone up, but it's just gotten cost prohibitive."

Mr McCamley argued producers were getting locked out of industry events, with tickets first offered to sponsors.

"Producers who are actually going to have to wear the outcomes of those meeting didn't really have access... they need to be aware of what's going on," he said.

Mr Irwin said as Beef Australia was member-based organisation, members could purchase tickets to social functions before they were released for general sale but additional events were organised in response.

"We appreciate many of our events were in high-demand and that not all people were able to secure tickets to each of the functions they would have liked to attend," he said.

"We proactively organised additional events in response to this demand to help ensure our guests could still enjoy quality functions with their friends and colleagues."

Ms McLennan said the board needed to prioritise camping and cattle when planning out the site if it were to remain at the showgrounds.

"Camping needs to be close at hand to animals in the exhibitor's care, for obvious reasons of animal welfare," she said.