Narooma High School cattle show team in Royal Easter Show again

Kylie Maher, the school's agriculture teacher, said the zone extends from Moruya to the Victorian border and inland to Cooma.

"We secured nine out of the ten spots for the district," she said.

"The other spot went to someone with their own stud."

This year the students have showed cattle at agricultural shows in Nimmitabel, Cooma, Cobargo and Canberra.

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They will take 13 cattle from the school's Marida stud and they are in a partnership with another stud that is taking 16 cattle to the Royal Easter Show.

Seven steers, four of which the school bred and three that were donated by other studs, are in the hoof and hook competition.

"They are judged alive on the hoof and then their carcass is judged on the hook," Ms Maher said.

Ms Maher started at the school in 2008 and established the stud in 2010 which was when they started showing cattle.

This year she has 40 students from Years 7 to 12 in the show team.

"They see them being born right here to being on the plate," Ms Maher said.

Students are involved with selecting bulls for breeding, whether it is the school's own bull or artificial insemination that gives access to genetics from around the world.

They also "break in the calves", namely teach them to lead when being showed, design food rations and show them.

"We clip them, put products on them and blow dry them for showing," Ms Maher said.

Showing takes up several weekends and the Sydney show involves 18-hour days over the school holidays.

Older students mentor students from Year 7 and they all work as one team helping each other out.

In addition to learning teamwork, leadership and husbandry skills, students learn public speaking.

"They have to get on a stage with a microphone to explain their decisions," Ms Maher said.

"Many of them aren't from farming backgrounds so I am very proud to give them this experience."

Year 12 student Gracie Sunderland said they compete against adults.

"Sometimes it is intimidating but it is really rewarding if you win," she said.

Every year at least one of Ms Maher's students has gone on to work in the agriculture industry, a goal she set for herself when she joined the school.

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