NEARLY 200 young students left home life behind for a few days during the first half of the winter break to join the Junior Beef Week program in Rockhampton.
Offered by the Australian Brahman Breeders Association, the 29th show exposed primary and secondary school-aged children to numerous activities linked to the beef industry.
There were specialists from the Central Queensland University explaining new technologies, an award winning chef revealed cooking secrets, photographer Kent Ward gave hints on how best to capture the perfect image, and an A-grade butcher spoke about cuts of meat as part of a diverse program.
Spokesman Brett Coombe said the concept began in 1991, inspired by the success of the Beef Australia 1988 expo and a subsequent visit his wife made to the US.
"My wife had been in the States and told us how big the junior movement was over there and we thought we should try to start a junior show here," Mr Coombe said.
"It has become a pretty big thing over the years. We started with a budget of $3000 and now its $50-$60,000 and this has been our biggest. We have more than 190 children and over 200 head of cattle."
Mr Coombe said the fundamental aim of the program was more about involving children in an "engaging activity" and raising their self-esteem than it was about nurturing the next generation of producers.
The program is supported by the Jeff McCamley Youth Fund.
Alan Welburn
Lover of sport, particularly horse racing and all things Olympic. Have spent my entire working life in journalism, mostly with News Corp on its major metro mastheads. Done plenty of things but the best by far is having a teenage son who calls me dad.
Lover of sport, particularly horse racing and all things Olympic. Have spent my entire working life in journalism, mostly with News Corp on its major metro mastheads. Done plenty of things but the best by far is having a teenage son who calls me dad.
