Budding cattleman Hunter Ellem of Baryulgil, NSW has taken home an exceptional purebred heifer to kickstart his Santa Gertrudis breeding program after claiming the Champion Herdsperson title at the Santa Gertrudis National Youth Camp.
Each year, the student who accumulates the highest aggregate score across prime judging, stud judging and the paraders competition is awarded a registered stud heifer – the most prestigious accolade of the four‑day event.
Fifteen-year‑old Hunter rose to the top of the age champions to secure Yulgilbar Velvet V265 (P), generously donated by the Myer and Baillieu families of Yulgilbar Stud.
In a fitting twist, Hunter’s parents, Brett and Lucy Ellem, manage Yulgilbar, meaning young Velvet will be staying right at home for the foreseeable future.
Yulgilbar Velvet V265 (P) is a well‑balanced, feminine heifer displaying excellent body length, strong breed character and a tidy, structurally-correct frame. At just 14 months of age, she carries a naturally quiet, gentle temperament — ideal qualities for a young stockperson’s foundation female.
Her sire, Yulgilbar Quicksilver Q144 (PP), by Cardona Patterson, was retained by Yulgilbar as a stud sire and continues to be used actively thanks to his consistency and quality.
His progeny rank among the best of their year groups, including Yulgilbar Tiffany & Co, who has enjoyed a successful show career and several sons who have featured prominently in recent bull sales, selling up to $28,000.
Velvet’s dam, Yulgilbar M975, is a highly functional and fertile cow with an impressive track record of six calves in six years, including a son retained by the stud.
