Fierce competition anticipated as World Angus teams battle it out in Sydney

Young Angus producers from several countries will be put through their paces at the Zoetis World Angus Youth competition, being held in Sydney from April 28 to May 8.

Dubbed as the Olympics of the Angus world, the youth competition is being held in conjunction with the 2025 Neogen World Angus Forum in Brisbane on May 7 and 8.

The 2025 Zoetis World Angus Youth Competition will run alongside AngusTREK also sponsored by Zoetis, offering an unparalleled chance for young delegates to immerse themselves in the Australian Angus beef industry.

Angus Australia has nominated two teams of four, and they will come up against some fierce competition from teams representing New Zealand, the United Kingdom/Ireland, Czech Republic, USA, and Canada. A Barbarians team has also been selected from countries who don't have enough to send a full team.

Youth delegates will participate in various competitions from stock judging to public speaking, showcasing their talents and competing against peers from around the world. Competitions will include: cattle judging and preparation; agricultural skills (eg animal health and reproduction); public speaking; beef carcase assessment/judging; and agriculture education modules.

Each team will consist of four members aged 18-25, as of April 28, and with a mix of males and females. The event will get underway in Sydney and culminate with the Neogen Gala Dinner in Brisbane.

Past participant of the Angus Australia team, Hannah Powe, recalled what a wonderful experience the World Angus Youth competition was, bringing home bronze from the 2017 event in Scotland.

Ms Powe, Cargo, NSW, attended both the World Angus Forums in New Zealand and Scotland, and said it allowed her to see the 'Angus family' come together, and the strength it had in signifying, elevating and promoting the breed on a global level.

"No matter where you are from as a delegate, you all have something in common - your love and appreciation for Angus cattle," Ms Powe said.

"I think the strength of the World Angus Forum Youth Competitions lies in giving juniors from a range of countries throughout the world exposure to a beef production system within another country while exposing them to producers and ideologies from other nations that have all come together for the event - it builds the youth's level of knowledge and experiences - everything from markets, environments, challenges, cattle types, and overall farm management," she said.

"It was great to be able to discuss similarities and differences between other countries, and then be able to demonstrate how we do things and see how other teams demonstrated their skills relative to many on-farm ag practices, public speaking and debating, assessing and handling livestock, industry knowledge."

Ms Powe said the network gained from being involved was invaluable.

"My experience allowed me to gain lifelong friends across the globe," she said.