The hardy, hairy breed of cattle, with big horns, originated in the Highlands and west coastal islands of Scotland.
Ms Samuels, who moved to New Zealand 18 years ago, bought her first two Highland heifers in 2004 - ''I was born in Edinburgh so it's kind of in the blood'' - yet she knew nothing about the breed ''apart from on the toffee wrapper''.
It was after a visit to a winter show at the Otago-Taieri A&P showgrounds that she decided she was keen to start exhibiting her cattle.
In recent times, she has cut back on showing and only exhibited at the Otago-Taieri A&P Show and South Island Highland cattle show, which was held in conjunction with the North Otago A&P Show in Oamaru. In true Scottish fashion, she exhibited her cattle while wearing a kilt.
A showing highlight was winning the heifer class at the South Island show two years ago, although that particular heifer was no longer in the fold.
''We've eaten her since then,'' Ms Samuels said matter-of-factly.
''I didn't like her temperament. Temperament for me is paramount ... and she also made a very nice rug,'' she said.
As she did all the cattle work herself, they had to be quiet ''and if they are not, that's why they go. They are attractive but I don't feel that overtranscends everything,'' she said.
Ms Samuels had a favourite in her nine-strong fold, a cow called Aime, who was hand-reared and she had had since she was a calf.
She was not destined for a rug or the frying pan - ''Aime will always be kept on as a pet'' - and now she had produced a daughter, Anabal, who was the ''spitting image'' of her.
Ms Samuels farms her cattle on a 4ha property in Camp Rd, near Larnach Castle, and found they did ''very well on marginal tucker'' and were easy to keep during the winter.
Highland meat was very lean but the animals did take longer to grow out, she said.
''I suspect that ... because you have to keep them longer, the beef tastes better. It's kind of aged on the hoof.''
Ms Samuels is among four breeders in Otago who are holding an open fold day tomorrow.
Her fold, which is called Springhill, will be open to the public between 12.30pm and 3.30pm, along with the folds of Grant and Cathy Watts, in Otokia Kuri Bush Rd East, near Taieri Mouth, and Brian and Rosalie Hutton, in Hall Rd, near Milton.
Lynda Anderson's fold, Langside, in Hedges Rd, Oamaru, will be open between 11am and 3pm.
Ms Samuels welcomed anyone interested in Highland cattle to come along and have a look.
''I like them. When you've got a small block, you've got to like what you've got. They are attractive lawnmowers and they make good floor rugs and they taste nice.''
