If these boots could talk…

It has come full circle, and seems only fitting that I write this, my final blog post, from right where it started – in Freeling, South Australia.

What an incredible 6 months I have had, I still pinch myself to see if it was real!

After leaving K-State I had three weeks before making my way back to Australia, and boy was it full!

I spent my first week back at the Wendt Ranch with my Texas ‘family’, working cattle, inspecting crops, a sneaky fishing trip and s’mores – Texas experience complete! Before moving onto Fort Worth, Houston, Tuscaloosa, Nashville, Washington DC, New York, Orlando and San Francisco – when in Rome! Although there were notably less cattle through these couple of weeks, it was interesting to experience those parts of American culture.

I’ve had a number of people ask me what the highlight of my trip was – its impossible to say! And reading back through my blog, I realise how incredibly blessed I have been; to not only be given this opportunity but to have had the experiences and memories that I can carry with me.

If my boots could talk they would tell you that they’ve walked in snow in Montana, ice in Kansas and on the green pastures of Oklahoma. They’ve walked miles, taking me to classes at K-State, through NCBA in Phoenix, cheered the wildcats at ‘the game’ and across the pastures of Nebraska. They’ve driven tractors, pickup trucks and bright orange chargers. They’ve been through mud, rain and spilt whiskey. Been on horseback under the Texas sun, sat in the commission saleyard at Salina, doctored cattle in Colorado feedyards and two-stepped to live country music. Artificial breeding centres to packing plants, my boots have covered a lot of USA miles. So while my boots are back planted firmly on Aussie soil, the marks that Kansas has left on both me, and my boots, are not un-noticeable. I’ve come home with a healthy appreciation of the global protein market and US production, a passion for the beef industry and a renewed enthusiasm for agency and the wider agricultural industry.

A final thank you to Angus Australia, Semex and the amazing Americans who made the US memorable.