![Rob Onley, Geordie Elliott and Crystal Bell, with 2016 Royal Adelaide supreme exhibit Prairie Falls Kirrabel and her twin heifer calves. Rob Onley, Geordie Elliott and Crystal Bell, with 2016 Royal Adelaide supreme exhibit Prairie Falls Kirrabel and her twin heifer calves.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/CCjPXDizjNtv82VwNJNaYV/a78a64fd-749a-42b9-bf36-47bb5174000e.jpg/r0_0_4928_3263_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
SHE'S only young, but Murray Grey Youth president and stud breeder Crystal Bell has a big future in the beef industry.
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The 25-year-old hopes to promote the breed to increase use in commercial herds, by focusing on the maternal side of Murray Greys.
Miss Bell and her partner Geordie Elliott run the 40-head Prairie Falls Murray Grey stud, alongside a 40 stud boer goats, on 52 hectares at Breakaway Creek, near Hamilton, Victoria.
She's originally from the Mornington Peninsula, but her grandparents Graham and Lorna Wesley had the Orcadia Park Murray Grey stud, so she started showing cattle with her school and helping her family.
"When I finished high school I went to Western Australia and worked on a Murray Grey stud for a couple of weeks, and while I was there I decided it was what I wanted to do," Miss Bell said.
"I was 18 when I set up the stud, and the first heifer I purchased, I showed at Royal Melbourne Show at 2013 and she was reserve champion junior heifer in the interbreed, which was a big achievement.
"I think it's the best result in the interbreed for Murray Grey at Melbourne."
Her show success has continued, with Miss Bell attending the Melbourne show each, year, along with the Royal Adelaide Show and a few local shows.
In 2016 her 2.5-year-old Murray Grey cow, Prairie Falls Kirrabel, with twin six-month-old heifer calves, took out the supreme champion female at Adelaide, with all five judges selecting her as their top pick among the 18 breed champions.
As a heifer, Kirrabel was junior champion heifer at the Sydney Royal Easter Show and reserve junior champion heifer at Melbourne.
"To place high in an interbreed is an amazing feeling, because I always want my cattle to stand up against other breeds," Miss Bell said.
"I work hard every day to make sure I'm selecting the right cattle, and they're well presented."
![BRIGHT FUTURE FOR THE BREED: Crystal Bell and Geordie Elliott run the 40-head Prairie Falls Murray Grey stud at Breakaway Creek, near Hamilton. BRIGHT FUTURE FOR THE BREED: Crystal Bell and Geordie Elliott run the 40-head Prairie Falls Murray Grey stud at Breakaway Creek, near Hamilton.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/CCjPXDizjNtv82VwNJNaYV/65cc79a0-642f-4cc1-975a-0f18a095f3a9.jpg/r0_0_6000_4000_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
She and Geordie have even experienced showing overseas, visiting the US to attend a show in Houston, Texas, 18 months ago.
"My partner has some Brangus cattle so we went over for the World Brangus Conference and spent three weeks travelling, learning about the industry.
"We also have a small business selling show products, so we met up with some professional fitters as well.
"It was really good to see well-bred cattle, and see how they show over there."
Her next trip will be early next year, after receiving $4000 as part of the senior Arki and Errowanbang MGY Ambassador Award at last year's Murray Grey Youth Stock Show.
Miss Bell is making the most of the scholarship money, touring US and Canada for five weeks where she'll attend events and visit businesses and studs which will help her improve her stud production, and allow her to share her knowledge with others.
The young couple manages the studs alongside their jobs. Miss Bell is a ranger with the local council and Mr Geordie is a livestock production specialist with Western Ag.
She's also been the Murray Grey Youth president for almost 18 months, and is heavily involved in programs and events to encourage young beef enthusiasts, including the group's annual stock show.
"I've been part of the youth group since I got into the breed," Miss Bell said.
"We have a great group of young people who want to evolve the breed for the future, and build numbers, because we want to make sure that Murray Grey cattle are around for our kids.
"I'm already thinking of what my grandkids will be doing in the breed, whether they'll have the opportunity to be involved."
The breed's temperament is its biggest attribute, she said.
"They're very quiet cattle. You can go out into my cow herd, pick up a calf, eartag it, check sex and the cow will come up wanting a pat.
"I'll continue to breed them because it's a great maternal breed.
"They can breed and raise a calf that finishes easily on grass or grain.
"We sell our bulls and heifers over social media, and the strong cow line is what gets us over the line. We can sell good quality heifers any day."
Miss Bell has become a mentor to other young people, and she's also had other people in the industry help her, such as Peter Kylstra, Progress Limousins, Yanco; Gavin Iseppi, GK Red Angus, Dalby; and Black Diamond Angus and Red Angus owner Christie Kennedy, Cowra.
"They've been really influential, and I aspire to have a stud like those," Miss Bell said.
"They breed amazing cattle and my aim is to have animals that can beat those studs.
"I know that a Murray Grey can win because I've done it before and I know what the breed used to do in it's good days. They were the top of the stud showing industry, and I'd like to see them back there."