One of the world's leading cattle judges will decide a five-state showdown when over 300 of the country's best Hereford and Poll Herefords compete for top honours at this year's Sydney Royal Easter Show.
PJ Budler will fly in from Fort Worth, Texas, to judge in this year's whiteface ring at Sydney, the first time Herefords have been the feature breed since 2004.
Born into the cattle industry, Mr Budler is a fifth generation cattle rancher from South Africa who has had experience working with, assessing and marketing cattle throughout the world.
I offer international livestock solutions in several ways including consulting for cattle and livestock operations and programs in several different countries, sourcing and marketing genetics for clients, organising and running international cattle events and congresses and judging cattle at shows.
Mr Budlers judging experience has spanned over 40 breeds of cattle in 21 countries, on all six continents.
My first judging experience was in 1999 when I was 18 at the Scottish national livestock judging competition at the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh, he said.
We were competing against judges from all breeds and all ages. After judging I went to sneak in a nap in the trailer I was staying in and my boss woke me up two hours later with my trophy. Id somehow won the competition and slept through the prize giving as I thought I had no chance.
The diversity between the different (judging) experiences has been vast in terms of facilities, quality, variety of cattle and cultural differences which makes every show a highlight in its own way.
He said applying fundamental principles to every breed, in every market and in every environment helps to remain consistent while judging.
Cattle need to be able to eat, walk and reproduce naturally, he said.
The four most important economic traits in a beef cattle operation are fertility, longevity, adaptability and efficiency. Quality cattle come in all shapes and sizes. It is easy to make a big one, it is easy to make a little one. The art of breeding lies in making a good one."
Climate, culture, grading systems, environment and nutritional challenges all affect phenotypes. However, if you apply the three principles I mentioned previously, you cut through a lot of these issues, Mr Budler said.
Mr Budler will judge the famed Urquart trophy as part of the interbreed with Erica Halliday, Ben Nevis Angus, Walcha, and Gary Noller, Gunnadoo Charolais, Oakey, Qld.
Comparing breeds in an interbreed is always a lot of fun and often a challenge, he said.
Education is key and understanding breed standards and requirements is also key. Is the breed primarily terminal or maternal? Are these cattle bred in temperate or tropical climates? Are they a mainstream commodity breed or do they fulfill a niche market?.
He will also officiate the RAS/ASC Beef Cattle Young Judges State Final, a task he described as more challenging than anything else he has ever done before.
I have never judged people judging livestock before. I look forward to the challenge though, he said.
I am very open to having people sort and assess livestock differently to how I do it, as long as they follow a clear pattern and can articulate what they're doing.
Mr Budler runs the Breeder.net series that is the genesis of what his career is today.
The aim is simply to promote awareness, goodwill and trade worldwide within and between countries, he said.
The competitions (Champion of the World and Miss World) are an extension of this series, but they also assist in identifying breed leaders and having them promoted and engaged in each others programs.
With a worldwide vision, Mr Budler said the opportunities for Australia to increase genetics exports are there.
The challenge is not the quality of the genetics. Australia clearly is a world leader in cattle breeding and beef production. The challenge lies in the lack of collaboration between the North American and Australasian population groups in terms of pedigree sharing and data sharing, he said.
In 2018 there should be no reason why these databases can't correlate and communicate or rather even merge. This would make trade between the hemispheres so much more appetizing. If EPDs/EBVs correlated, 70 per cent of the problem would be solved and there would be so much more trade. Unfortunately this issue is more political than mathematical.
The second barrier is awareness. Breeders in other countries just don't know what is out there. The North American semen companies have done a terrific job of marketing North American genetics worldwide.
Mr Budlers goal for five years has been to get more Australian and New Zealand genetics exported worldwide.
My vision is to see this trade moving both ways. South America is also a massive opportunity as they are yearning for fresh genetics. They're just not exposed enough to what is happening in Australasia, he said.
The Braford and Wagyu breeds in Australia have done a terrific job of propagating worldwide. The Australian Hereford breeders have certainly captured the attention of Europe better than anyone else.
Opportunities are there, but it will take strategy and perhaps some tough negotiating with North American Associations to get bilateral trade.
He has previously travelled to Australia to attend Beef Australia and the 50th anniversary Wodonga Hereford National Show and Sale, both in 2015.
Wodonga was a highlight for me. Seeing so many breeding age bulls all prepared to that level and possessing that quality, and all being in one place was amazing, he said.
But Sydney has always been the big show I wanted to attend. Being asked to officiate at Sydney is a massive honor.
Mr Budler is grateful to the Sydney Royal Agricultural Show Society and Herefords Australia for granting him the opportunity to officiate the feature show.
The Hereford breed was my first love. I started my own Hereford Stud, BonHaven Beef Cattle, at the age of 15, he said.
I certainly don't take the opportunity for granted and I am humbled that I was asked to evaluate this Hereford feature show. I know what it means to the Australian breeders. It means just as much to me.
I'm often asked what my favorite breed is, and I always answer that I just like good cattle. That said, the magazine next to my bed is always a Hereford magazine.