The 19-year-old who is helping to save a rare breed

What started as an unexpected change of animals for a cattle show has now turned into a love for the British White breed for Makayla Saunders, Kundle Kundle, on the mid-north coast.

Progressing from three registered females, the 19-year-old's herd has now grown to 18 females and four bulls in just three years, with the at-risk listed rare breed recording just 700 females registered within the country.

Miss Saunders's love for the breed started in February 2021 at an interschool steer competition after having to change animals.

The youngster borrowed a young British White heifer named Quinn, and she hasn't looked back since.

"I fell in love with her - that was my first time showing cattle," Miss Saunders said.

"I researched on the way home where to find heifers through the society, but the lady I had contacted had recently sold all her herd.

"I didn't really look into it anymore until October that year when a chance to see Lyndsey Murray, the society president, came up through the school.

"While I was up there, I purchased a cow and heifer calf and two heifers, and that was how I established my stud."

From there, the young breeder's passion has carried on sourcing females from as north as Clifton, Queensland, and as south as Gippsland in Victoria.

When it comes to gaining new genetics within her stud Miss Saunders has secured some imported semen from the United Kingdom and the US.

Unsure of when a new sire was last imported into the country, the young breeder plans to bring some outcross genetics back with her after a trip to the United States at the end of this month.

After reaching out to a social media post, Miss Saunders is now set to attend the Cattlemen's Congress, held in Oklahoma City, US, with the help of the Rare Breeds Trust and the British White Cattle Society of Australia, as well as private sponsors helping her fund the trip.

Yet it is not just within Australia the youngster has gained some help from, with the American British White Park Association also stepping forward to help Miss Saunders visit multiple studs during her stay, as well as attend the show.

The Cattlemen's Congress rare breeds exhibit run from January 3 to January 5 in the US, with an estimated 100 head of British White's on display.

But it is not just overseas where Miss Saunders has big plans for her stud while planning to make the 600-kilometre journey down to the Royal Canberra Show in February to exhibit her cattle in the newly created rare breeds class.

"Next year, I'm hoping to do Canberra and Sydney shows and possibly The Ekka," she said.

"I'd love to do three royals. We've never been to a royal show, and I think the last record of British Whites being at a royal show was in the 1980s, and that was at the Sydney Royal Show.

"I just want to get them out in the public eye; I'd love to get some new members in the society, especially some juniors.

"I'm the only junior, so there's really nobody to show with or against."

Multiple factors contribute to why Miss Saunders is investing in the breed, one of which is its uniqueness and distinction from many larger breeds.

"Not many people have British Whites and I am helping preserve and promote the breed for the future in Australia," she said.

"They are also heat resistant due to their coat colour and markings, helping to reduce the chance of skin cancers."

Typically, the dual-purpose breed's colour characteristics are a white body with black pigment and points, which assists with temperature control in warmer climates.

British Whites Cattle Society of Australia president, Lyndsey Murray said the breed which was imported into Australia in the 1950s was quite popular in the UK, with producers having a niche market for farm gate operations and a total of 1500 breeding females.

"Over time the breed has been maintained," Mr Murray said.

"If we get over 750 females, we get off the rare breeds list, and our membership is about 50 people.

"There are very few larger herds with more than 30 females within that membership group.

"But we do have a fairly active governing council over the last few years and are making a push to identify the future of the breed."

Mr Murray said the society has found a niche market with members creating a paddock to plate program with the stock.

"Another place we have been selling cattle to is far north Queensland for cross-breeding with the tropical breeds," he said.

"That has been to improve meat for the domestic market."

Mr Murray said there were no limits to Miss Saunders's enthusiasm.

"We're right behind her in offering to pay for her transport of any cattle she takes down to Canberra show," he said.

"We need more Makayla's."