TeenAg exchange a hit with pupils

Yellowstone bison headed for Instagram. Photo: NZ Young Farmers
Yellowstone bison headed for Instagram. Photo: NZ Young Farmers
Kayla Calder cannot wait to get back to the United States, specifically Montana.

The year 13 Southland Girls' High School pupil (17) from Dipton, has just returned from a three-week visit to the United States as one of six TeenAg members chosen for the trip, organised by New Zealand Young Farmers.

Five of the six travellers were from the South Island, including Sarah Humphries from Southland, Olivia Mackenzie of Ashburton, Rhiannon Simpson of Timaru and Tyla Bishop of Oamaru. The sole North Island representative was Mikayla McClennan, of Te Awamutu.

Kayla described the visit as the trip of a lifetime.

''I had an amazing time. It was great to experience farming in other parts of the world.''

As part of the trip, the six TeenAg delegates joined 350 international students at the 4-H Congress in Bozeman, Montana, where they also took part in a livestock-judging workshop.

Following the congress, Kayla was billeted with Morgan Stevenson (16) and her family at Deer Lodge, northwest of Bozeman.

During the stay, Kayla visited renowned Montana cattle stud Thomas Herefords, at Gold Creek.

The stud was started in 1957 and began using artificial insemination in the 1970s to advance its genetics faster.

The business has 250 registered Hereford cows and sells 75 bulls and more than 50 registered females each year.

''That was an awesome experience. One of their bulls was named supreme champion Hereford at a national stock show,'' she said.

''I've made a number of connections in Montana and I'd like to return to the state to work and grow my knowledge one day.''

The group also visited Yellowstone National Park, which has 10,000 hydrothermal features and is home to almost 5000 bison.

''I was surprised by how big bison are. They were everywhere, including on the roads,'' she laughed.

''One day, we drove around a corner and had to slam on the brakes because there was a bison in the middle of the road.

''The animals are wild, but they're so used to tourists and traffic that they wander wherever they like.''

Kayla plans to study for a diploma in agriculture at Lincoln University.

It is hoped the inaugural exchange will become a regular event every two years.

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