Last week, a group of excited Year 11 students — along with one very brave Year 9 — packed their swags, steers, a sense of humour and hit the road for the 2025 Upper Hunter Beef Bonanza.

Over five massive days, the team represented Boorowa Central School in one of the most competitive cattle events in the state — featuring 120 exhibitors, including over 50 schools and 750 competing students.

Competitors came from all over New South Wales chasing a champion ribbon.

After rolling out of Boorowa on Thursday morning, the team made their way to Scone with a bus full of laughs and a truckload of cattle.

Stops along the way included a well-earned Macca’s break and an important life lesson from Angus: turning down the music really does help you see better while driving downhill.

Once at the grounds, students unloaded, set up the stalls, and got straight to work preparing the animals for the days ahead.

Friday was all about pampering the steers and hitting the educational workshops.

After fuelling up on Lila’s famous bacon and egg rolls, the students weighed in, washed, blow-dried, and clipped their animals, making sure each one looked its absolute best.

The team then attended sessions on beef cuts and cattle management, gaining valuable insight into both production and presentation.

Later that afternoon, Mylee and Josh took to the ring with Duke for the Steer School Shoot-Out.

While they didn’t come away with a ribbon, it was great preparation for the main event.

Saturday was Duke’s moment to shine — and he didn’t disappoint.

Led by Mylee, Duke took first place in the opening class of the Light Middleweight Steer division and then went on to be crowned Champion Light Middleweight Steer, beating 90 other steers from some of the biggest competitors across the state.

It was a huge achievement for the team, who had spent months preparing for this very moment.

That afternoon, the team took part in a massive junior judging session in the saleyards, jammed in with 500 other students, learning what it really means to assess cattle under pressure. The night finished with a well-earned barbecue dinner and some classic campfire yarns.

Sunday was all business, with a 5 a.m. start and final preparations for the Junior Judging and Paraders competitions.

Josh placed 6th in the 15-year-old division, while Mylee came away with an impressive 3rd place in the 17/18-year-old category.

After a heartfelt farewell to the steers, the team cleaned up their stalls, packed the trailers, and finished the day with a celebratory dinner at the local bowling club — complete with steaks, dumplings, and deep-fried ice cream.

The final night was filled with laughter, storytelling, and reflection on what had been an incredible few days. When the team finally rolled back into Boorowa, they were tired, dusty, and absolutely buzzing with pride.

Beef Bonanza 2025 wasn’t just about ribbons — it was about teamwork, dedication, early mornings, and learning every step of the way.

The Show Team should be incredibly proud of themselves.

Their commitment and enthusiasm continue to show just how strong the future of agriculture is at Boorowa Central School.

A special shout-out to Mrs Taylor for looking after everyone and cheering them on in the paraders’ heats — our biggest fan!