Alizah is the South Australian state finalist at the 2021 Agricultural Shows Australia National Young Judges finals held at the Royal Queensland Show. Agricultural Shows of Australia sat down with the  young lady from Loxton, a small country town on the River Murray. Alizah won the most successful beef cattle exhibitor at the 2017 Royal Adelaide show and more recently her junior heifer won grand champion exhibit in the Santa Gertrudis ring at the 2019 Royal Sydney Show.

I have been connected to agriculture my whole life. It has taken me places I could have never imagined. My family runs a beef cattle and cropping farming operation. This is home to Boulview Charolais and Nangaringa Santa Gertrudis. We run 350 head of cattle between the two studs. We campaign our cattle at shows all around Australia with this year being our first year attending the Ekka. I have been showing cattle since I was 8 years of age, I have been fortunate enough to compete in junior shows both in Australia and Canada when I was there for 7 months after I finished high school. The South Australian Junior Heifer Expo has been a strong part of my showing career and is a highlight of each year. Here I have made many friends I will treasures for a lifetime. In 2019 I was able to bring all my knowledge of strategies I have learnt over the years to use in the show ring and put them to the test. This allowed me to be a strong contender in the beef paraders at the Royal Adelaide Show. During this I was fortunate enough to come away with the win. This was every exciting for me and a moment I will treasure for a long time to come.

My Mum’s family began Boulview Charolais in 1973. When they were dispersing their stud in in 2006 Mum and Dad brought us a few of their cows. This allowed us to continue on with the stud in Loxton. We now run a small herd of 35 stud breeders. My Nanna and Poppa Fogden have been big supporters of my showing. Nothing makes me prouder when I am showing a heifer and I look up to the stands and see them watching. I love making them proud. They are 80 and poppa still comes out to the farm every day. He enjoys when we have the cattle tied up in preparation for a show. I am currently studying Early Childhood Education at the University of South Australia. In ten years’, time I would like to be working as an educator at local primary school close to the farm. As this will allow me to still be able to be a part of our farming operation. I started competing  at the age of 8 when I was old enough to start competing at the SA Junior Heifer Expo. I started competing because of my love for showing cattle and presenting cattle to the best of my ability. The following year after I had completed year 12 I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to travel throughout North and South America. Throughout this time I was able to meet many likeminded people who I still have strong connections with a few years down the track. During this time I spent time looking at different genetic that would suit our current operation. I was able to spent a lot of time at Prairie Cove Charolais.

Throughout my time there I was able to tag along to many of the major shows and many junior shows which was a great learning opportunity for me. My favourite show in Australia would have to be the Royal Adelaide because it’s so close to home. We get lot’s of familiar faces come to visit. This show allows our family and friends to be present when we encounter our biggest successes. I would just like to thank everyone who has supported me though out my showing career.