Livestock team

2024 Livestock Team Celebration

Friends, family and industry folk gathered at PLC Armidale recently for the inaugural celebration of the all-girl college's Livestock Team.

While the PLC Armidale Cattle Team has been around for nearly 25 years it has boomed in the last decade under the leadership of managers Tim Light and Briony Looker, with dedicated support from Judy Miller.

The girls have prepared and shown close to 120 led steers and approximately 350 head of stud cattle during that time and now include sheep in the rebranded PLC Armidale Livestock Team.

"PLC Armidale cattle are renowned and that goes back to our team and how they handle these animals, a little bit of breeding and genetics and a lot of love and scratches from the girls," Mr Light said.

On Saturday, May 4, after a livestock parade demonstration in the yards, guests headed inside for dinner and a presentation of highlights from the last ten years and to bid in the silent auction. More than $3500 was raised to support the Livestock Team's endeavours.

The guest speaker for the evening, Dr Amy Tait, then spoke about her research work. For the last five years, she has led a project at the University of New England focusing on various welfare aspects of the live export market.

PLC Armidale Livestock Team highlights from the last 10 years;

Reserve champion school steer Brisbane Ekka 2015.

Best maintained team at the 2022 Sydney Royal show Simmental breed feature show.

Best maintained Red Poll team at the 2024 Sydney Royal Show.

Various champions and ribbon winners across the years at shows and events all over the country.

Being selected to prepare and show the Schute Bell Charity steer at the Sydney Royal Show for the last three years and auction prices achieved.

Led steer ribbons on both hook and hoof competitions.

Older PLC Armidale Cattle Team members selected to compete in state finals Young Judges across Merino Sheep, Stud Beef cattle, Fruit and Vegetables, Grain and Paraders.

PLC Armidale achieved 7th place in the heavyweight hoof class of lambs at the Northern Schools Prime Lamb 2024 competition and then brought home the Reserve Champion Heavyweight pen of lambs on the hook.

PLC Armidale Cattle Team student's success at the National Red Poll Youth camp has seen them compete at the South Australia Junior heifer expo alongside 180 other cattle enthusiasts, with Georgia Whibley competing in 2023 & Mila Vanzella heading across for the event coming up in July 2024.

Team managers Tim Light and Briony Looker gave an emotional address ...

... which is published below. TheCollege hopes to make this an annual event - see you next year! 

"We would first of all like to start off by thanking you all for joining us here tonight as we celebrate the last 10 years of the PLC Cattle Team and the exciting venture we’re commencing of moving to be the PLC Livestock Team.

"When Tim and I commenced our time with PLC back in 2013 we were both quite young and I personally was fresh out of high school and really we had no idea where things would go but thought why not give it it a try, we can combine our passion of cows and shows while educating the next generation and man are we glad we took that opportunity, now 11 years on we feel that we have one of the best jobs in the world and can proudly and confidently say that we are now one of the most successful and respected show teams around, not only Armidale but all through the country.

"With each year we have had the privilege of working with the PLC Cattle team we have witnessed young fresh faced girls grow and develop into very capable young women during their time here at PLC, who we feel can achieve anything they set their minds too.

"The team are taught important life skills ranging from patience, resilience, perseverance, kindness and compassion to physical and mental strength, they develop an ability to possess all round skills ranging from but not limited to be able to work in fast past environments, work as a team and be confident in their ability to talk to, engage and communicate with all ages.

"The PLC cattle are renowned for how quiet and gentle our animals are and that goes back to our team and how they handle these animals, a little bit of breeding and genetics and a lot of love and scratches from the girls.

"In the last 10 years we have broken in, prepared and shown close to 120 led Steers and approximately 350 head of Stud cattle. We hate to think how many tonnes of grain and hay but plenty of memories have been made during that time.

"These memories range from Saturday training sessions, packing and unpacking the horse float to cricket matches with shovels and water bottles, water fights in the heat of summer, whip cracking demos, young judging buckets, rakes and pigeon’s and all sorts of things in-between but these things we feel are what gets our teams (both kids and cattle) ready for the big wide world and their next steps in life.

"Our team of young ladies and their sisterhood and mentorship that we get to observe every day is the biggest highlight, it’s the older girls looking after the younger girls, its watching them pass along each individual tips and tricks that they’ve learnt and polished over their time in the cattle yards at PLC and the show rings around the country.

"We have some very strong supporters with whom we wouldn’t be able to do what we do without them, we would like to mention some of them now:

"First of all, our own parents, for letting us follow our passions way back in high school.

"Our PLC Families both current and past for their continued support and donations of feed and animals, of which there are too many to list individually."

We have some very strong supporters with whom we wouldn’t be able to do what we do without them, we would like to mention some of them now:

First of all our own parents, for letting us follow our passions way back in high school.

"Our PLC Families both current and past for their continued support and donations of feed and animals, of which there are too many to list individually and anyone else who has supported, guided or assisted in any way.

"In closing there is always one thing for sure and that being that if Tim or I have had a bad day or times are bit tough our team can always pull us out of a rut and finish off our days with a smile on our faces and warmth in our hearts and for this we are so thankful. We look forward to our next 10 years and moving into showing some more types of livestock and watching more young ladies grow and develop into driven and motivated women in agriculture."

Thank you to everyone who supported our silent auction  and donated prize:

• Mrs Judy Miller.

• Trevor and Jillian Foley from Foleys Transport.

• Pater Kratz from Kratz Livestock transport.

• Nicholas and Karen Morgan - Glenmorgan Angus for letting us work with and prepare their Annual bull sale draft through clipping and cattle work.

• Lyn and Tony Duncan - Skyview Pastoral.

• Nathan and Lisa Post - Tatton Speckle parks.

• The Hancock Family - transport and cattle.

• B.A.L Simmentals, Lagoona Red Polls and Double L Livestock.

• Nutrien Armidale

• The Woods Family at Guyra for donating their steers to the school.