The quality of Red Bend beef has been recognised with Sydney Royal ribbons yet again.
Cattle carcase competition results from the Easter Show are out and the College has received another two championship ribbons for Overall Champion Trade Carcase and Overall Champion school Carcase in the purebred competition.
Another steer, bred by the College, won the virtual taste test for its class in the open competition.
The success represents months of preparation by the current team, but also years of learning and investment by the College in partnership with local industry and experts.
More than that, the cattle team program is providing an invaluable experience for generations of student team members.
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The 12-strong 2025 Sydney Royal team worked with their 11 steers – five of them bred by the school’s own stud - over about eight months to prepare them for the show.
The team gathered at the College for the announcement of the results via livestream, to celebrate their wins together.
But cattle team is about so much more than winning ribbons, as Susan Earl can attest after coordinating it for 24 years.
This year’s cattle team had a relatively high number of inexperienced students but the way the seniors took responsibility and the newer students stepped up was “really incredible”.
The senior students put together a roster for the show itself, and everyone pitched in to do their jobs.
Spirits stayed high across the days of competition and with limited ribbons in the live sections.
“I loved the fact that they were all there for the same purpose of getting their animal out into that ring and doing the best they could do,” Mrs Earl said.
Being part of the school cattle team is valued on a resume, and it’s also leading students into careers in ag.
“A lot of them from Red Bend, particularly in the past few years, have gone on to the cattle industry,” Mrs Earl said, graduating on to further agricultural study or pursuing careers with local stock and station agents.
“They understand the importance, the worth or value of being part of the cattle team.”
Industry knowledge and partnerships are key to the cattle team’s success.
Feed rations have been developed over many years, are mixed locally and tested independently to ensure the animals’ needs are met.
“Dennis and Greg Moxey mix the feed for us – they’re mixing a ration that is obviously very successful because you don’t get good carcase results without good feed,” Mrs Earl said.
For cattle team members there’s a classroom focus on the need for protein, carbohydrates and why the cattle start on one type of feed and gradually go on to the top ration.
Then there’s the paddock responsibility of making sure they do the lunchtime feeding when they’re on the roster.
Preparing the animals for the show itself is another aspect altogether.
Students break the cattle in, teach them to walk and to stand properly, and to wash and groom them so their hair will grow the right way for good grooming for show.
“They get so close to their animals by the end of it,” Mrs Earl said.
Red Bend participates in two types of shows: steer shows which have both hoof and hook judging; and local shows which are for breeding and stud animals.
The next trip will be to Dubbo with breeding stock, and students have started working with their steers for the Scone Beef Bonanza in October.
Mrs Earl paid tribute to the College for the commitment to the cattle team and agriculture program, as well as sponsors who make it possible.
“Personally – it’s such a great love of my life, I’ve been so pleased with being able to keep going,” Mrs Earl said.
