Judges
Trent and Janelle Liebreich
Husband and wife team Trent and Janelle Liebreich and their family, operate Merit Cattle Co, an established Angus seedstock operation that breeds 200 females and holds two sales annually, a bull sale in March and a female sale in December, near Radville Saskatchewan, Canada.
Merit is focused on propagating premium cow families and implements an extensive AI and ET program that strives to create an elite cow herd while producing commercially relevant and appealing herd bulls for the beef industry.
Trent and Janelle’s children, Macy, Garrett, and Carson participated in many junior shows and organisations throughout their junior careers, with Garrett taking an active role in managing the family business today, alongside his parents.
The herd exhibits seedstock at major events and has had much success with champions at Olds, Ag-Ex, Stockade, Farmfair and Agribition, as well as numerous Agribition Supreme top tens.
Trent has judged at all levels across western Canada, a recent highlight was the National Hereford show at Canadian Western Agribition, while Janelle has judged many years at local 4H shows and National breed shows along with breed & Supreme shows at Canadian Western Agribition. A recent judging highlight for Janelle has been judging for the Supreme at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto.
Based at Moorunga Angus Stud on the Mornington Peninsula, Glenn and Susie Trout have long been successful managing studs and showing cattle. The passionate pair have worked together at local shows and heifer shows, judging junior paraders classes and exhibited beef cattle at the Melbourne Royal Show for many years.
Raised on a stud and commercial cattle property between Chinchilla and Eidsvold in Queensland and educated in Rockhampton.
Glenn initially ran a fitting service on the Darling Downs and since managed several Studs including Birubi Limousin and Angus for over 20 years prior to his current position at Moorunga Angus. He has had the pleasure of judging cattle at Melbourne Royal, Sydney Royal, Brisbane Royal, Perth Royal, Canberra Royal and Adelaide Royal Shows as well as judging at Beef Australia and Farmfair International in Canada.
Susan attended local Ag College prior to working as a stud groom showing a variety of breeds through shows in Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria and as mentioned earlier, has spent many years working alongside Glenn, and judging and exhibiting at many shows.
Harris Thompson
A seventh-generation farmer based in Boyup Brook, Western Australia, Harris Thompson together with his parents, owns and operates Venturon Livestock, a renowned seedstock enterprise specialising in Angus and Charolais cattle studs, as well as White Suffolk and Charollais sheep.
Their annual February bull sale attracts buyers from across Australia and Internationally with genetics having been exported to New Zealand, Europe, UK and Canada. Additionally, Venturon Livestock hosts a ram sale each October where they sell rams throughout the country. Harris's commitment to excellence in livestock breeding is reflected in Venturon Livestock's show ring success across Sydney, Adelaide and Perth Royal Shows, as well as his judging commitments across Australia over the last decade.
Having won the National Rural Ambassador Award in 2019, Harris is very passionate about fostering the next generation of Industry enthusiasts.
In the past 10 years, Harris has judged at Beef Australia, the Adelaide Royal, the Sydney Royal, the Limousin Society of the UK, the Perth Royal, and the Limousin Youth Show.
Sarah Sutton
Sarah has been involved in Agriculture all her life growing up in the Victorian Mallee with a particular passion for the beef industry, leading her to complete a Bachelor of Agribusiness at Marcus Oldham College. Since graduating Sarah has enjoyed working in ruminant nutrition and has now taken a role as a farm manager on a mixed cropping, cattle and prime lamb operation in the Western District. Sarah is a keen shorthorn breeder having registered her stud Double S Shorthorns in 2019. She was humbled to be the Grand Champion Judge at Sydney Royal before winning the Agricultural Shows Australia National Young Judges competition. Sarah has been fortunate to have had the opportunity to judge at many local shows as well as the highlight of judging at the Melbourne Royal Show in 2023.
Recent judging appointments have included Grand Champion Junior Judge at Sydney Royal 2022, Melbourne Royal Waterford Challenge and Calf Classic 2023, Geelong Royal, Lowline Feature 2023 show, Stud Beef Victoria Cattle Handlers Camp 2024 and several breeds and interbreed shows. Sarah has additionally judged at multiple country shows including Ballarat, Beaufort, Swanhill, Whittlesea, Numurkah and Warnambool.
James Barton
James Barton is a passionate cattle breeder and exhibitor. James Currently chairs the Berwick Show Cattle Committee and competes at regional shows in southeast Gippsland. He is a third year Farrier Apprentice working in both Melbourne and Sydney. James’s goal is to breed an elite herd of Charolais and continue to enjoy the opportunities the beef industry offers. Annually you will find James participating in regional shows in junior judging, which he has been successful in on several occasions. James has been showing beef cattle at the Melbourne Royal since 2015 and commenced showing under the stud prefix in 2022.
James has volunteered in many roles, he has officiated as a steward, assisted with steer load out, assisted with the pavilion layout and the weighing and scanning process. James has placed in the VAS Ltd Handlers five separate times and won the VAT Ltd Junior Judging in 2023.
Andrew Raff
Andrew Raff is well known for his impressive impact on the industry and for his Raff Angus stud which is based in king island, which his father David Raff founded in 1965. He has always had an interest in all areas of livestock such as cattle genetics, sustainable practices, and utilising what the island has to offer. Andrew inherited his father’s passion and has dedicated his life to Angus livestock and seedstock production. When Andrew was younger, he joined the Angus Youth Program which allowed him to participate in a variety of activities that he says had an extremely positive impact on him and provided him with invaluable experience.
Growing up Andrew was constantly showing alongside his siblings and since then has had the chance to judge at some prestigious competition events such as Melbourne Royal Show in 2017, Sydney Royal Show in 2018 and Perth Royal Show in 2019.
Ben Noller
Ben is currently General Manager of the Palgrove Stud, based in Inverell, NSW The Palgrove operation encompasses Charolais, Ultra black, Brangus, and Angus composite programmes. The Palgrove seedstock herd consists of approximately 6500 registered cattle, in addition, it operates a commercial livestock enterprise. Palgrove is the nation's largest registered herd of Charolais cattle and is also well known for its Ultrablack genetics. Palgrove owns and operates a diversified portfolio of seven properties totalling 21,600 ha across five regions stretching from Southern Queensland and northern New South Wales.
Ben’s family previously owned and operated the Gunnadoo Charolais Stud outside Oakey and he has been involved in the seedstock industry all his life. After completing tertiary studies in Engineering he was appointed to the role as the General Manager of the Santa Gertrudis Breeders (Australia) Association for three years before joining Palgrove. Ben has spent a lifetime breeding, marketing and critiquing cattle and has judged at numerous local shows, the Brisbane Royal in 2022 and Interbreed Heifer and Interbreed at Sydney Royal Show in 2023.
Charlotte Nugent
Charlotte has grown up within the industry and has had a variety of junior judging opportunities which have strengthened her skills and knowledge around cattle judging, she has been lucky enough to have been a part of the Tocal Beef Cattle Assessment Course in 2021/2022 as she was an Angus Youth scholarship recipient. Charlotte has judged at several local shows such as Rutherglen, Gundagai in 2023, Lang Lang in 2024 and has also been a junior judge at Angus Youth round up and NSW state finals.
Charlotte not only has had her fair share of judging but has also been on the other side of exhibiting beef cattle, she exhibited for two years with Red Angus. Charlotte has gained her Bachelor of Ag Business Management through CSU as well as a Diploma in Communications.
Geordie Elliot
Geordie has a vast amount of experience in the livestock industry, growing up as a fifth-generation livestock producer on his family’s prime lamb and cattle business in Breakaway Creek Southwest Victoria. After studying beef and sheep production at Longreach Pastoral College in Queensland, Geordie has worked in a variety of sectors of the livestock industry. He has held various positions in commercial, stud and feedlot operations throughout the entire East Coast of Australia. Geordie has a broad knowledge and passion of the agricultural and livestock showing industries and has spent his life judging, preparing and showing livestock.
He has been a part of judging at the Melbourne Royal on numerous occasions for the Hook and Hoof Competition in 2020 and 2022. Melbourne Royal received great feedback from exhibitors on his industry knowledge, communication skills and ability to select cattle in the ring that would later go on to rate highly in the abattoir. This experience of showing and preparing livestock, combined with the practical knowledge of livestock production and nutrition, means he spends every moment of the day living and breathing livestock production.
Jack Nelson
Jack Nelson and his father Sam have been breeding Speckle Park cattle in North-East Victoria since 2012, suiting both stud and commercial operations. Jack’s love for breeding and showing has allowed him to establish a career in agriculture, since completing a diploma in Agribusiness he has developed a feedlot business based out of Kotta, Victoria. With Jack’s experience in agriculture and more specifically livestock it has given him the opportunity to judge at many local shows as well as Melbourne Royal Show as both an associate and main judge.
Jack has been a loyal exhibitor of the Melbourne Royal Show and has even broken some records in his time of doing so, in 2017 Jack helped the Speckle Park breed cap off a record-breaking Melbourne Show when his steer was awarded grand champion carcass and exhibited the senior champion Speckle Park female in their feature show.
Tom Baker
Tom has spent his life in the cattle industry after first becoming formally involved in the family business in 1992. Tom is currently the Director of Woonallee Simmentals, Millicent, South Australia. Tom has judged extensively throughout the country and is no stranger to the Melbourne Royal Show judging ring both as judge and exhibitor.
Judging at almost all Royal Shows including Brisbane Ekka, Perth and Sydney Royal, Tom has also facilitated the SA Junior Heifer Expo, National Beef Expo Show (NZ), Simmental National Show National Junior Simmental Heifer Show as well as various country shows including Edenhope, Lucindale and Mundulla.
Lochie McLachlan
Lochie McLachlan grew up on his family's purebred Angus operation in Mortlake, South-West Victoria. Now owning a small property for cattle trading, he attributes his passion for cattle to his upbringing around his parents’ Angus stud. As the fourth generation showing cattle at the Melbourne Royal Show, Lochie has navigated youth programs and travelled extensively, including the US, Canada, and Australia's East Coast, through his role as a Livestock Agent.
Since his role as associate judge at the 2022 Melbourne Royal Show, Lochie has judged at various Victorian country shows and is honoured to be invited to judge at this year’s Melbourne Royal Show. Recognised with awards like the 2017 Gun Fitters at Melbourne and the 2023 Matthew George Young Stockman Award, Lochie's achievements have also enabled him to embark on overseas study tours in 2024.