Thank You, Thank You!

First, I would like to thank the American Brahman Breeders Association for allowing me to travel to Australia and experience the trip of a lifetime!  Thank you to the Australian Brahman Breeders Association for having me and for coordinating the trip, also for looking out for me while I was there and for taking me to great families!

Thank you to the following families for welcoming me into their homes and for making me feel at home:  Kenrol Brahman Stud, Cole Family;  Cambil Brahmans, Camm Family;  Fern Hills, Brett McCamley Family; Voewood, Quinn Family; Fenech Brahman Cattle Co, Tony Fenech Family;  Lancefield Scott McCamley Family; Apis Creek, Olive Family; and Palmvale Red Brahmans, Streeter Family.  Also, a big thank you to those families who took the time to show me around their properties!

While in Australia, I met some really great people and have made life long friends.  I had the time of my life and I hope that I get the chance to come back one day! 

       - Brooke Prather

Brisbane Royal Queensland Show: "Ekka"

My last week in Australia FLEW by...I attended the Ekka in Brisbane with Wendy Cole of Kenrol Brahmans and Nick Curran of Spenbar Brahmans who was helping during the week.  The Ekka is an all breeds show from Beef and Dairy cattle to Horse competitions. I had a blast at the Ekka but the week went by way to quickly!

While at the Ekka I was able to see a few different things like the "Young Auctioneers" Competition.  This is when the new livestock agents come together and compete, by auctioning off three steers, to see who is the best; I really enjoyed watching it!

Show day was interesting, it was outside in an open arena, the arena was divided into several different rings so more than one breed was showing at a time.  After show day, we participated in the Grand Parade.  This was a huge parade of the Bull and Heifer Champions for each breed.

Here are a few pictures from the week...

The unstoppable Kenrol Team!

The showgrounds were right smack in the middle of the city!

 

  

Kenrol Dataman "Data" winning Reserve Champion Brahman Bull...excited!

One of the best ladies I know!

The grand parade lineup

 

Nudgee College Show Team, these guys were great! Thanks for all of the help!

 

 

The team at the end of the week, exhausted but still smiling :)

Palmvale Red Brahmans

 This week I am staying with the Streeter family in Malbrough, Qld.  Kearin and Beth Streeter along with their daughter Remy raise registered Red Brahmans on roughly 4,000 acres on their property named Palmvale Red Brahmans.  I met up with Remy at the Junior Beef Show in Rockhampton, this hardworking young lady keeps herself entertained by cracking a whip!  Since I've been here Remy has been practicing her whip cracking skills for the upcoming "whip cracking challenge" that will be held at the Malbrough Show Grounds this Saturday....GOOD LUCK REMY!  Kudos to her, because I would have whipped my ears off by now with all the practicing she has done!

Its been a busy week here at the Streeters, at the beginning of the week, we visited family friends of the Streeters at Stanage Bay which is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean.  Yes, I can officially say that I have stuck my feet in the Pacific Ocean!  We went fishing and to a lookout over the ocean, unfortunately the only thing I caught were rocks!  It was nice to have a relaxing weekend and get an "energy boost" before the busy week ahead.

Catching rocks...

Group photo pn the lookout

Yesterday was busy busy, we had to pull a calf in the morning and get him to nurse his mother.  I was excited because I got to name him, I think he thinks I'm mom because he now follows me around everywhere.

 Meet Hercules...pretty tough little guy!

Then I got to wash the sale bulls for Brahman Week.  The bulls are l;ike big puppy dogs and love bieng bathed, crazy because 70 percent of the show calves I've had in my career have not liked the wash racks....

Palmvale El Paso, my new buddy!

Today we mustered a paddock of stud females, ones close to calving, and also put out dry lick and checked other paddocks for newborn calves.  I'm having a lovely time at the Streeter's and is looking forward to heading back to Kenrol on Thursday for the Ekka show in Brisbane.

Under the watchful eye of Lilly...

 "Pucker-up!"

Be on the lookout for future blog updates about the Ekka!