My 2011 Study Tour

MY 2011 STUDY TOUR:
I am a young stud Angus breeder from "Hollywood Angus Stud", Peak Hill, NSW. I was awarded the Matthew George Young Stockman Award for 2010 at the Royal Melbourne Show. In April, I will be heading to Mexico and Canada for a four month study tour to get an overview of the beef cattle industries in these countries. I will be visiting a range of enterprises, including major shows, stud and commercial operations, and feedlots. I wish to thank the Ballarat Foundation for the opportunity to live my dream, and hope to share my experiences via this blog.

"LIVE YOUR DREAM"

"LIVE YOUR DREAM": THE MATTHEW GEORGE YOUNG STOCKMAN AWARD
The Matthew George Young Stockman Award was established as a sub-fund of the Ballarat Foundation in honour of Matthew George of Stockyard Hill, who was tragically taken in a car accident in 2007 at 21 years of age. Matthew had an absolute love of animals together with a thirst for knowledge and a passion for breeding. This annual award provides a young breeder aged 18 to 25 years with the opportunity to live Matthew's dream, and travel overseas to become an ambassador for the beef industry and study other beef cattle breeding programs and developments.
APPLY NOW FOR THE MATTHEW GEORGE AWARD 2011: Applications are now open for this year's Matthew George Young Stockman Award. This is an amazing award for anyone who wants to learn more about the beef industry. If you're aged 18-25, make sure you apply - the opportunities it opens up are just incredible! For application details, go to www.ballaratfoundation.org.au click on 'sub funds' & then 'matthew george award'. Applications close 30 June.

Tuesday 26 April 2011

Expo Ganadera has started

The livestock expo has started with the first intake of cattle arriving on Easter Saturday, which included our Charolais.  On Sunday, there was an exhibitor dinner – quite an event! All the tables were beautifully decorated (almost like a wedding); & no cost spared with food and drinks (whole bottles of tequila on all the tables);  a mariachi band playing; all this and they don’t even have to pay entry fees for the cattle! The stalling (pictured below) is in open sided buildings with sand beds and they don’t worry much about decorating their stud areas. On right is one of judging arenas.


 


On Monday we went back to the ranch and I clipped three Angus heifers for the show. On Wed I’ll be visiting two other ranches that breed registered Angus, and Thursday the Charolais judging takes place.

A Mexican Easter

One of the great things about the MGYS Award is not only the opportunity to learn more about the beef cattle industry, it’s getting to experience another country and its culture at the same time! The hospitality in Mexico has been incredible – I’ve been made feel so welcome, and spending Easter here has been amazing.  Mexicans are very family oriented so there have been lots of family gatherings over Easter as well as religious services. Both the Expo Ganadera (livestock show) and Tepatitlan’s major fiesta, called ‘Feria Tepabril 2011’ started over Easter and run simultaneously for the next fortnight. The Fiesta kicked off with a huge street parade attended by huge crowds, with heaps of stalls and shops, big squares lit up with festive lights, and a concert. The Fiesta has  music, dance, charreria (rodeo), sport and religious activities, as well as the world’s largest tequila barrel – it holds 270 000L! Food has been another really interesting adventure - I’ve had a huge variety of tacos, enchiladas, flautas, quesadillas, & chimichangas – so much better than the Australian versions.  Everything comes with chilli salsa - I love it more than a lot of Mexicans do, which they think is amazing! I got to try my hand at making tortillas in a restaurant which was fun! Have even tried some rather unusual dishes such as pigs nose, tongue, beef cheek, goats milk icecream & lollipops, rabbit, ceviches, & prickly pear cactus fruit & leaves. 

Tacos - the mexican staple! - from the "best taco place in Tepa" (L-R:  taco made from the face of the cow; carne (beef) taco; roast pork; & pork belly taco. They all come with sides of finely chopped white onion, coriander, salsa - as many different types as you could imagine -  and lime.


Thursday 21 April 2011

Getting ready for Expo Ganadera 2011

This week we’ve been getting ready for the XXXVII Expo Ganadera 2011 in Tepatitlan, the second biggest livestock expo held in Mexico, which runs from 24 April to 8 May. Mezquite Stud will be showing Charolais, Red and Black Angus. We’ve been washing, clipping and handling the show team, and the Charolais will go in first on Saturday. I’m really looking forward to seeing what a Mexican show is like. The Expo coincides with a huge fiesta which is held in Tepatitlan at the same time, so it should be a very interesting and colourful time.
This week we were also doing a variety of other jobs on the ranch – sold a Charolais bull; AI’ing, weighing/recording (one of their red angus bulls weighed 1130kg) & registration. In Mexico, an inspector has to come and inspect each animal before it can be registered with a breed society. This is generally done at around 8 months (they must be 9 months of age to be shown). The inspector checks each animal’s tattoos and brand and that they meet breed standards. We also had to go into Tepatitlan to get a permit to move stock. Every time they want to transport cattle, they have to go and get a form filled out first and make a payment – so glad we don’t have to do this in Australia!!
I have limited access to the internet but will hopefully have some photos and a report on the Expo next week.

Sunday 17 April 2011

Arrived in Mexico

Hola!!
Arrived in Mexico on Tuesday and having a great time!  It’s an incredible country to come and visit and if the first few days are anything to go by I am going to see lots, learn heaps and have a great time!  Arrived into Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco, on Tuesday afternoon Mexican time after a long set of flights and just making the connections!  Was greeted by Renato from Mezquite Genetics and went and had my first taste of Mexico - tacos!!  So different to what I'm used  to - so much better in Mexico!  Had a look around the sights of Guadalajara (beautiful city centre) before heading to Tepatitilan. Tepatitlan
is a city located in an area known as Los Altos de Jalisco (Highlands of Jalisco), about 70 km east of Guadalajara. It is an incredible country to see how people live, the landscape, the sounds and colours! 
The next few days were spent at the ranches - Mezquite and Victoria, where I looked through their herds. We started to prepare the cattle for the show in Tepatilitan in two weeks (second biggest show in Mexico); photographed a heifer for the sale catalogue and also looked around the countryside.  In this area of Mexico the ranches are smaller as land is very expensive.  There are a lot of hens for egg production and dairies as well as beef cattle.  It’s great to see how they not only produce beef cattle but to see all aspects of their agricultural industry.  The last few days I was taken to Manzanillo with some friends.  Manzanillo is Mexico’s biggest port and a major beachside resort on the Pacific Ocean. We stayed at a beautiful place right on the beach and had lots of fun seeing the area and also relaxing and trying to catch up on sleep - fairly jet lagged!  Around Manzanillo is very tropical - so lots of mango, banana, pawpaw, pineapple & watermelon production.  It is amazing to see how different and varied agriculture is in Mexico. 
Looking forward to this week and seeing what it involves - more preparation for the show; delivering a bull that was sold as well as going to another ranch; and not sure what else - quess I will find out!!  The coming weekend in Tepatilian is a big fiesta for the city so that will be amazing to see!!  Still getting used to the Mexican way of life - very relaxed, trying heaps of different foods, and getting used to the different hours everything happens!  I will post some photos soon,
Hasta Leugo, Rach

Monday 11 April 2011

Mexico Bound!

All packed and ready to go!  Tomorrow I start my Matthew George award study tour by flying to Guadalajara Mexico via LA.  Very excited about the next four months as I tour around Mexico and Canada looking at beef production - what an awesome opportunity!!  In Mexico I will be staying with Renato Gutierrez Gonzalez from Mezquite Genetics at Tepititlan in Jalisco.  Mezquite genetics has Angus Rojo, Negro y Charolais (Red Angus, Black Angus and Charolais) and is one of Mexico's most influential studs.  Check out their website - see the link! 
Hasta luego (Until later)!!!, Rach