Showcation Leads to New Business

NINETEEN year old Tayla Miller who is in her first year of studying rural science at the University of New England in Armidale said she was inspired by her family annual “showcation” at EKKA to start her own cattle breeding business and encourages other young local students to do the same.

“I wanted something to look forward to and breed my own cattle eventually, to do steers for people around the Hunter Valley and to present their animals and their genetics at shows,” said Ms Miller.

“It’s a great family event that we all go to and look forward to, it’s basically what we call ‘a showcation’; a different twist on a family vacation, it’s a family show vacation,” she laughed.

Tayla Miller with Angus cross Hereford steer bred by Goonoo Goonoo Pastoral Co and winner of MSA Meat eating quality award of class 5.

“This year we took six steers entered under my business Blue Gene Cattle Company, two were from Goonoo Goonoo Pastoral Company, one under Murrunjai Pastoral Company, two2 under PW and JM Clysdale and one from SR and JA Taylor,” she said.

“The pure angus steer from Murrunjai Pastoral Company ended up taking out the hook section out of a class of 48 and also won an MSA meat eating quality award.

“A steer from Goonoo Goonoo Pastoral Company also took out a meat eating quality award also and he was an Angus -Hereford steer,” said Tayla Miller.

Tayla Miller developed a passion for showing cattle during school participating in Beef Bonanza’s first at Scone Primary School, then at St Joseph’s High School as part of their show team.

“I decided to go out on my own and give it a go myself, to have our own cattle and our own clients and go from there,” she said.

“Mum and dad have been a huge support, I broke the steers in before I went to Uni and they have been looking after them and feeding them while I’ve been at Uni and I come home most weekends to work on them,” she said.

“Local people are really supportive of what I do, the stock and station agents often give me a call if they see something come though the saleyards that might make a good show steer, so it’s really nice to have that support and I’d encourage other young people to do it,” Tayla Miller said.