THIS COULD BE YOU. Lana Kuipers, Emma Germany, Sky Battles, Brittney Hurd in Senior Showmanship at the National Western Stock Show, Denver, Colorado, 2008.
APPLICATIONS FOR 2009 YOUTH AMBASSADORS CLOSING SOON.

US/Australia youth ambassador exchange

This story reprinted from "The Land" with their kind permission.

YOUNG Hawkesbury Lowline breeders, Lana Kuipers and Emma Germany, learned a lot about their industry and breed while they were acting as breed ambassadors in the United States in January. The pair spent two weeks in the US, including time at the National Western Stock Show, one of the country's biggest beef judging competitions, held in Denver, Colorado. Lana and Emma were ambassadors for the Australian Lowline Cattle Association (ALCA), which, with its US equivalent, the American Lowline Registry, funded the trip.
For Lana, who runs Elle Kay Lowline stud in Londonderry, north-west of Sydney, with her sister, Lucy, the trip opened her eyes to the international possibilities of Lowlines, as well as breed differences. "I went over having no expectations, because I didn't know what to expect," she said. "Everything we went through was very different."
In particular, the style of show preparation and grooming was quite different from that which Lana was used to. Because of climatic conditions, Lowlines in the US have more hair, and tail extensions and adhesive products can be used. "All of this is a big no-no for us," Lana said.
As well, the scale of Lowline competition was much greater at the National Western Stock Show compared to that at Sydney Royal Show. While the Australian association would be pleased with a 50 head turnout, Colorado had attracted 250, although that included crossbreds. Lana said the US Lowline showing subsequently went much longer than here, with judging split over two long days.
While she hasn't participated in Australian parading competitions, Lana tried her hand in the Colorado showmanship competition and came third – although that success hasn’t convinced her to become a parader here. The trip also gave Lana and Emma time with Lowline breeders and their families, first in Wyoming and later in Colorado. "They showed us how they ran their operations," Lana said. She said this was different, with greater diversification across a number of properties.
The trip had also expanded her thoughts about the possibilities of Lowlines. "It opened my eyes to export, because their style of animal is different," she said. "They need the diversity of genetics." Lana said she would now look into the export of embryos, semen and live cattle. Emma, who runs the bluejem.html Lowline Stud in Londonderry with her husband, Jason, found the high use of embryo transfer in the US interesting. She said heifers were being flushed before they had been in calf – a practice she doesn’t agree with. And there were many difference between the way US and Australian producers did things. "I went over expecting them to do things better," she said. "I came away feeling appreciative of what Australia has. "We do it better here."
The size of the National Western Stock Show and the money spent on showing cattle surprised Emma. "The amount they spend on showing is unbelievable," she said. While the pair didn't get to see snow, they did experience extremely cold conditions, to the point that it affected show preparations.
Emma said the water turned to ice while she washed a cow. The handlers had to wash the animals fast and used two blowdryers to dry them quickly, rather than the single blower Australian handlers would use.
After attending high school at Bede Polding College, South Windsor, and spending time together as members of the Hawkesbury District Agricultural Association's Junior Hawkesbury Show committee, the two girls found travelling together easy and both recommend the experience to others. To be chosen as youth ambassadors, they went through an application process, and had to be between the ages of 18 and 21 and members of the ACLA.
In a reciprocal arrangement, a Lowline youth ambassador from the US, Sky Battles, Denver, Colorado, attended the Sydney Royal Show and stayed with Lowline breeders in Queensland and NSW.

-Katana Smith, The Land Newspaper.