For the second consecutive year, 17-year-old Dawson Jones, Ayrdrie, Mount Alma, has taken out the champion herdsman's award at the Rockhampton Junior Beef Show.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
or signup to continue reading
A competitor at the show since he was eight years old, Dawson said it was a real honour to win the champion herdsman's award again.
"I really enjoy helping and mentoring the younger kids and watching them improve their cattle handling skills," he said.
Dawson said he was the first person in the history of the show to have won the herdsman's award twice in a row and it felt amazing.
"It (the show) is really good, you learn heaps and it's a real community, you see the same people every year and make lifelong friends from it," he said.
"I've always enjoyed the leading, it's always been a lot of fun. When I was younger, I was a little bit nervous (public speaking), but since I've been doing it for a couple of years...I'm now pretty confident."
This is Dawson's last show as a competitor as finishes high school this year and will be working next year, but he said he had offered to help as a volunteer and mentor young competitors.
At this year's Ekka, Dawson will be competing in the State Parader Finals, having just qualified as the central Queensland representative.
Competing for the sixth time at this year's show, 10-year-old Max Sedgman, Bulla Brangus Stud, Billenya, Dalma, took out the prize for the champion junior judge.
Max, who wants to be a livestock agent and auctioneer, said he was very happy with the win and thought he might of scored points with the judges because he spoke well and did a good assessment of the cattle.
He said he attended the camps for the junior judging competition and especially liked the education session on the DNA sampling this year.
A total of 120 competitors attended this year's show at the Rockhampton Showgrounds that started on Tuesday and finished on Thursday with a presentation dinner.
The three-day show is organised by the Australian Brahman Breeders Association and is in its 32nd year.
Committee secretary Wendy Cole said one competitor had come all the way from Dubbo, NSW, with others coming down from as far north as Proserpine.
She said as well as stud judging and prime cattle judging, the competitors took part in junior parading and education sessions.
Overall age group champion results:
Peewee: 1st Jace Lamb; 2nd Lacey Reid; 3rd Wyatt Iseppi; 4th Dawsen Dodson; 5th Logan Gould
Eight and under 10 yrs: 1st Johannah Lamb; 2nd Jaxon Dodson; 3rd Quinn Lawrie; 4th Riley Clews; 5th Libby Schuh
Ten and under 12 yrs (Ross Warner Memorial Shield): 1st Max Sedgman; 2nd George Streeter; 3rd Alyssa Anderson; 4th Adisyn Dodson; 5th Paige Kelly
Twelve and under 14 yrs (Philip Bauman Memorial Shield): 1st Ella Geddes; 2nd Lawson Sedgman; 3rd Danny Gould; 4th Braxton Benn; 5th Myles Gilliland
Fourteen and under 16 yrs (Beef Breeding Services AI Award): 1st Daniel Pryor; 2nd Jaxson Dolinski; 3rd Tyler Hyden; 4th Lucy Sedgman; 5th Jesse Tink
Sixteen and under 25 yrs (Bryan D'Este Memorial Shield): 1st Dawson Jones; 2nd Dallas Mollenhagen; 3rd Shay Barron; 4th Ryan Gould; 5th Cody Mortimer
Herdsman's award (Graham Coben Memorial Trophy): 1st Dawson Jones; 2nd Shay Baron; 3rd Jesse Tink; 4th Daniel Prior; 5th Lucas Harms;
Champion Junior Judge Buckle: Max Sedgman
Other results:
Champion led steer - Couti Outi Nugget led by Ella Geddes; Reserve champion led steer - Yeti led by George Tucker
Champion led commercial heifer - Nessy led by Libby Schuh; reserve champion led commercial heifer - Ellen led by Max Sedgman
Calf champion bull - Fairy Springs Red Ash led by George Streeter; reserve calf champion bull - 2AM Presley led by Adisyn Dodson
Calf champion heifer - 2AM Ruby Rose led by Jaxon Dodson; reserve calf champion heifer - 2AM Nita led by Daiel Prior
Junior champion heifer - 2AM Lady Lou led by Dawson Dodson; reserve junior champion heifer - Ellendale Cowboy Killer led by Kynan Petroff