![A longhorn hobby has grown into a stud near Mount Isa. Photo: Vida Images. A longhorn hobby has grown into a stud near Mount Isa. Photo: Vida Images.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/V98HfE2tBQbBkJnZeaDKMw/723a5a32-7143-46a9-9461-a98153da67a2.jpeg/r0_78_1066_677_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Mount Isa might not seem like the first place you'd expect to find Texas Longhorns but what started as a hobby herd for one north west couple is quickly growing into something much more.
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Thompson Texas Longhorns at Mount Isa started small for Mark and Katelyn Thompson but has grown into an almost 40 head herd.
As a local rodeo competitor Mr Thompson (Tommo) started his interest in Longhorns in 2005, breeding them for steer wrestling and team roping.
"I bought purebred Longhorns back in 2005 off a bloke from Gympie. I bought 10 cows and a bull and that's where it all started," he said.
"I am good friends with the Drew and Annie Hacon and I had them out at their property at Cubbaroo Station, Cloncurry. Over the years a few of them got crossed with Drew's herd and I ended up with a crossbreed, very few were purebred by the end."
![Mark and Katelyn Thompson established Thompson Texas Longhorn stud in 2022. Photo: Samantha Campbell. Mark and Katelyn Thompson established Thompson Texas Longhorn stud in 2022. Photo: Samantha Campbell.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/V98HfE2tBQbBkJnZeaDKMw/6483cf7f-7072-4585-b014-8d98eee12b77.JPG/r0_0_6000_3973_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Wanting to start breeding purebreds, Tommo and Katelyn established Thompson Texas Longhorn stud in March 2022, registered with the International Texas Longhorn Association and Australian Texas Longhorn Association.
Ms Thompson bought a bull and cows from Trails West Longhorn Sale in Roma, and sold off their crossbred cows.
"We bought a bull, Chexter, who's dad is a very well renowned bull in America. We purchased all our cows based on them not being related to his bloodline, so that them and their progeny could be used as our foundation stud," she said.
"We then bought a few more head this year to complete our herd, to where we are at now.
"We have three calves that we have registered under our name so far, and now that we are getting a few more calves on the ground we will start looking at selling a few."
Ms Thompson said there were many traits to enjoy about the Longhorns.
"The things that we love about them are their temperament, obviously they are very quiet and easy to handle and they love people," she said.
"They eat less grass than any other breed, they're one of the most lean meats you can get, dogs don't get near them, they'll turn over two calves every 18 months and their ease of calving with nearly 100pc calving rate.
"The previous owners of our bull, Chexter, breed pure Herefords and was having problems with calving. Someone told her to put Longhorn across them and that's why they bought the bull, she said she was amazed once they were crossbred they had no problems with calving at all."
Ms Thompson said they had received a lot of interest in their Longhorns locally, with people wanting one for their front yard.
![Thompson Texas Longhorns has grown to almost 40 head. Photo: Samantha Campbell. Thompson Texas Longhorns has grown to almost 40 head. Photo: Samantha Campbell.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/V98HfE2tBQbBkJnZeaDKMw/9268740a-541c-4096-b8a9-d3b24b8b6d52.JPG/r0_373_6000_3760_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"We've had plenty of people contacting us wanting wedding photos with them and everyone wants one in their front yard as a pet, so I get interest in calves for sale," she said.
"But you can't register them until they're a certain age and you want to know what they're going to grow up like before you register them and sell them because you don't know if they're going to have the trait that you're chasing to be worth good money to you.
"To be part of the Longhorn association the cows have to have certain characteristics, like small ears and small packed up udders, there is a whole list of standards they're looking for."
Mr Thompson said Longhorns with the right bloodlines and characteristics could offer big bucks.
Harrell Ranch, HR Rosette, a six-year-old cow with 100 inch tip-to-tip horns sold for $700,000 in the states in 2022.
Meanwhile in Australia the top priced Longhorn at the 2023 The Trails West Texas Longhorn Sale in Roma was $18,000.
"More people are looking into Longhorn cattle in Australia but more for a hobby," Mr Thompson said.