ROYAL EASTER SHOW 2014: BRAHMAN FEATURE SHOW
50TH ANNIVERSARY OF EXHIBITING NSW BRAHMANS
In 1963 a curious young lad, born and raised in Sydney, saw the first showing of Brahmans at the Royal Easter Show when Waverley Stud of the Estate of C.W. Wright and Cherokee Stud owned by Mr Lionel DeLandelles and family each exhibited two Brahman bulls. This was the first time classes had been made available for Brahman cattle in Sydney.
In 1964 this curious lad had urged his family, who had already been breeding Brahmans for five years, to exhibit their own cattle at Sydney show. So every Saturday for about six months this young lad went with his family to their property to learn how to train and exhibit Brahmans for the Easter show. His family’s cattle alongside those of P.A. Yeomans and company, best known for its irrigation and machinery business, were the first to be exhibited by NSW breeders. Unfortunately due to the sudden death of Mrs Yeomans who was the driving force behind their Brahman enterprise, this was their only show. They exhibited both champions. The young lad was me and we were called Brahmin Society Pty Ltd which was renamed Mogul Brahman Stud in 1968. At that show I led the first NSW-bred Brahman to be exhibited AS Prince Wilhelm. Our manager at the time was a Dutchman, Bob Bruinsma, who named the cattle after members of the Dutch royal family. We again exhibited in 1965, and in 1966 a NSW-bred Brahman - AS Princess Julie-Ann - was champion female for the first time.
Brahmans have been exhibited at the Sydney Royal every year since 1963. Some years have seen as few as one exhibitor, with other years having up to fifteen or more exhibitors with 80 head of cattle exhibited until now. Often major Queensland studs have exhibited in Sydney to promote their cattle in New South Wales. Amongst the significant exhibitors from Queensland in the late 1960s and early 1970s was the Walla Stud of the Innes family. It was where Mike and Bizzy Fahey (Innes) of the successful Bizzy Brahman Stud at Copmanhurst near Grafton had their first experience with Brahman cattle in Sydney. The Grampians and Amaroo Brahman Studs of Mr Ron Bauer senior and Graham and Roslyn Bauer were successful exhibitors in Sydney during this time when Brahman exhibits were increasing to record numbers before the beef crash of mid-1974. Lancefield and Tartrus Studs, belonging to Jeff and Graham McCamley respectively, and Wandarri Stud owned by Mick Delroy have all exhibited successfully on a number of occasions at the Sydney Royal Show.
The Apis Creek Stud owned by Mrs Maureen Olive and family at Marlborough, north of Rockhampton in Queensland, had a remarkable run from 1990-1992, winning the best exhibit award on three successive occasions, which enabled them to keep the Boothenba Trophy donated in 1969. They returned in 2003 at our previous Sydney Royal Feature Show and again won the best exhibit prize.
One of the most important early NSW exhibitors and promoters of Brahman cattle from 1967 was Mr Michael Lytton-Hitchins of Kyabra Stud. At times Michael was the only exhibitor but when there was competition he was able to exhibit champions. After he had to withdraw from showing due to an accident, many of his cattle won championships for other breeders. We should also remember the contribution made by Mrs Trenerry’s Mundook Stud, Capricorn Estates and Doug Jennings Mornington Park Stud from Victoria.
The Kyabra Trophy was donated by Michael and Sue Lytton-Hitchins to encourage Brahman showing in New South Wales and is competed for each year. Mogul Brahman Stud has won the trophy twenty-one times. The current holder is Diddine Brahman Stud of the Sievewright family.
Another successful early breeder was Mylora Stud near Yass, managed for many years by Mr Tony Crossing and whose cattle were prepared by his stud groom Peter Powell. One of the biggest Brahman bulls ever exhibited in Sydney came from this stud - Mylora Ironside - Grand Champion Bull in 1981 and 1982. Other significant early NSW exhibitors included the Jesse family, the Battese family, Jill Shipway, Gale Dawson and David Roberts. Earle Bulmer of Casino, who became the first NSW breeder to be awarded life-membership of the Australian Brahman Breeders Association, exhibited in Sydney in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The best known breeders to win a championship have been Jenny and Ian Armstrong, who won the Senior Champion Brahman Bull award in 1981 with Doonside Gillespie. Ian Armstrong went on to become leader of the National Party and deputy premier. Jenny’s brother, Hamilton Barber, was an early exhibitor and then donated the Boothenba trophy.
In the 1990s and 2000s most cattle at Sydney Royal were being exhibited by breeders from the NSW north coast, where there is a very strong showing of Brahmans at local shows in spring and autumn. These have included Bernie Schneider of Taree, the Bagnall family of Gloucester, Les Walsh of Wingham, Yvonne Richards of Tamworth, Max and Colin Johnson of Grafton and Peter and Brian Wright of Lawrence. Kim and Penny Weller have been regular exhibitors for the last ten years, with Kim being one of the few NSW exhibitors who have been honoured with being asked to judge the Brahmans in Sydney.
In more recent times we have welcomed Col and Lyn Tink and Bryan D’Estes from our Western NSW branch as keen exhibitors. Col and Lyn have been very involved in this show.
Mike and Bizzy Fahey have exhibited their own cattle in Sydney very successfully since the mid-1980s. Margueretta and Innes are now the third generation to have exhibited cattle in Sydney.
I am very proud to have been involved with Sydney Royal for most of my adult life. We have been very successful here having won 124 championships and 12 best exhibits. Brahman cattle have now been exhibited 52 times at this show. We have been here 46 times, the last 37 times in a row. Glen Pfeffer my stud manager, today has exhibited his 31st team in succession. Glen has had the confidence of his fellow exhibitors for all of those years and has now been Breed Captain for 30 years. The Brahman breed, under his leadership, has won the best exhibited breed on a number of occasions and Mogul has won the Premier Beef Breeder award of the Royal Easter Show three times.
I have mentioned many breeders who have exhibited here over the years and forgive me if I have left someone out. The grooms have also been an integral part of the showing and should not be forgotten. I was reminded that the late Bill Gotbolt led our cattle in the late 1970s after a career exhibiting British cattle. I also wish to thank all the officials who have been instrumental through thick and thin in making Brahmans part of the Royal Easter Show. I remember the delightful Mr Anthony Hordern who headed the Cattle committee for many years and was very supportive in the early years. In more recent times we have had particularly cordial dealings with Mr Phillip Bruehm, Mr Patrick Keats and Mr Michael Milner. Behind the scenes but just as valuable for the success of the show have been the RAS event co-ordinators such as John Randall, Michael Bullen and recently Lucinda Ross. The judges of course have all had a part to play. There have been judges from other breeds, from across the globe and as I mentioned earlier from NSW. It has been a tradition that the current president of the ABBA is invited to judge in Sydney during their term. One of our stewards, Col Brett, has also been a judge. I wish also to thank the members of our two NSW branches for their keen support. In addition a large enterprise as we have produced here in the last few days can only be successful with the enthusiastic support and encouragement of the executive and staff members of the ABBA in Rockhampton. I wish to thank in particular Andrew Olive, Shayne Bishop, Wendy Cole, Bill Smith, Rodger Jefferis, Matt McCamley and Brett Coombe and the council, John Croaker, Lyn Elliston and Liz Tait. Finally our sponsors who have believed in the concept of the show and have wanted to be part of it from the start, thank you.
It is very important for the Brahman breed to have events like this to educate the public, the cattle community and major show societies outside Queensland to the importance of Brahman cattle to the beef industry and the rural economy. Brahman breeders at this show are in the front row, with the magnificent showing today, whereas we were literally in the back row at one show in the mid 80s. We held our dignity and were then put in the front row the next year.
Finally, we are here because of the cattle. They are versatile, productive and ideal for the Australian environment.
50 years ago nobody in their wildest dreams believed that a display of Brahman cattle we had today was possible. The cow and calf class was overwhelming. The breeders groups were a fantastic spectacle.
I want to finish with a few words by my late father, Mr Albert Scheinberg, in deciding to breed Brahmans in the late fifties who said it all: “Why would you breed any other type of cattle. Brahmans are adapted to the Australian environment. You would be silly to change the environment to suit the cattle.”
Please enjoy your meal and the rest of the proceedings.
Dr George Jacobs – April 12 2014