There was a different accent being heard throughout the sheds at the Herefords Australia national youth expo in Parkes last weekend, with five competitors from New Zealand travelling across the ditch.
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The NZ Herefords members said the knowledge taken from the trip benefited not just themselves, but the whole NZ Herefords youth community.
Second time visitor, Niamh Barnett, of Dannevirke on the North Island, said the opportunity to come over was an absolute honour and privilege.
"You Aussies do it extra good over here, it's the people, the learning and being so breed specific that is really cool," she said.
"Just the level that you guys are at is pretty unmatched to the involvement that I've had in NZ.
"The connections I have made, these are industry leaders without a doubt and I feel so honoured to have had the privilege to be in the ring with them and alongside them."
For first time traveller, Joel Steele, the event allowed him to network within the industry and see some of the genetics within his own herd in the flesh.
"I've got a small stud of my own and a lot of it's Australian blood," he said.
"It was a pretty good opportunity to come over here and see those bloodlines in real life as well as some future sires that we could use."
Team mentor, Hannah Gibb, is an example of the Hereford youth travel program and how it can lead to international career opportunities.
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Ms Gibb first came to Australia in 2017 after being awarded the Future NZ Beef Ambassador award.
She completed a Australian Hereford stud tour, where she stayed with the Reid family, Talbalba Herefords, Millmerran, Queensland.
It was during the tour that she heard about Australian Agricultural Company's graduate program, which she then completed and worked as a operations business partner at AACo's Aronui Feedlot near Dalby, Qld.
Having grown up within the Hereford breed and now being a mentor for the next generation of members coming through the ranks, Ms Gibb said the youth programs played a significant role in developing young people into adults.
"It's pretty special for me now to see the next generation of youth coming through and leading the way, who were all just little kids when I was coming up through the program," she said.
"It gives you a huge sense of pride and accomplishment to know the platform and foundation is still going strong and able to continue to grow and expand and support more youth members than ever before."
