Cattle showing on Friday at this year’s Brisbane Ekka “Beef Week”.
LONG-time exhibitors of Queensland’s premier agricultural show have raised concerns about the declining numbers of cattle events going on in-front of the general public.
The cattle section of this year’s Brisbane Ekka has largely wound up, with led-steer, stud cattle, young auctioneers and paddock to palate competitions all featuring at last week’s ‘Ekka beef week’, before the general public gained admission. The show opened to the public on Saturday when the interbreed cattle champions were judged, with the rest of the show set to run until Sunday.
One of the main changes the show has undergone in recent years has been moving the first day for general public access to the show from Friday to Saturday. That move was a hot topic of discussion among delegates because it meant the main cattle showing days were no longer featuring in-front of the general public.
Beef Central understands the main reason for moving the first day of the show was to give two full weekends of operation, by dropping the Friday and adding a Sunday.
But former Yulgilbar Pastoral managing director and RL Pastoral Santa Gertrudis stud owner Rob Sinnamon said a decline in attendance from people in agriculture was threatening the relevance of the show.
Mr Sinnamon is an RNA life member and has been showing cattle since 1973.
“I fully understood the RNA need numbers thru the gate to make the event viable, however with the decline in attendance from people in ‘Agriculture’, the true relevance of bridging the divide and educating the broader population Ekka remains at risk,” he said in a Facebook post.
“Equally it is important to remember those RNA councillors who represent Agriculture are now heavily outnumbered by their urban counterparts and not necessarily the problem here.
“We do however need events to be in show as opposed to only one day of actual show to ensure the high cost of exhibiting has a chance of hitting our potential audience.”
Mr Sinnamon’s Facebook post was also shared by large-scale Queensland producer Bryce Camm who said he also shared the concerns about Ekka Beef Week not being part of general show.
“I have long shared these concerns on the future of the RNA and have raised them directly with some council members, unfortunately the event no longer maintains its charter to promote and advance the agricultural and industrial pursuits of Queensland.
Is it time to move prime cattle back onsite?
Mr Sinnamon’s Facebook post was mainly centre around the movement of the prime cattle section offsite, which he said was traditionally a big part of the business case for studs making the trip to Brisbane.
“Agents often convinced their best commercial clients to send cattle to their local feedlot and then collectively all would make an annual trip to Brisbane show to see their cattle compete/ benchmark against the best the country had to offer.
“The young auctioneers competition was a great annual highlight and the event as a whole created a tremendous social atmosphere that brought the bush to town. Mums, Dads and children all got to see the show.
“All of this is why it made sense to show stud cattle in Brisbane as these same agents and commercial cattle producers then looked to the stud cattle judging rings to look at what sale cattle were on offer and what studs had the genetics that appealed to engage and buy from.
“The unloading level of the cattle pavilion was originally intended and designed to be the new location of the prime cattle and sadly this has not occurred. It would be fantastic to see this ‘key component’ of the show return in show at the grounds and ensure a reason remains to continue to exhibit Stud Cattle in future years.”
Ag no longer the main event at Royal Qld Show
One long-term participant at the Ekka told Beef Central he feels like the cattle industry is being ‘pushed out into the cold’ as it is no longer showcased during the dates the Ekka is open to the public.
“I am disillusioned. The main reason for the agricultural shows was to bring the country to the city, but it now seems to be that they don’t want anything to do with the country,” he said.
“They want the country people gone before the city people turn up and that was very evident that most of the country events were done and dusted before the city people could come to the Ekka to experience the agricultural events.
“There are no prime cattle there anymore, the stud judging only has one day left when the gates open to the public, the young auctioneers and the led steer competition are done and dusted by the time it opens to the public, so city people don’t get to experience anything other than pat a few lamas and cuddle a chook.
“We understand the Ekka needs to be profitable and they need two weekends to get people there, but by not showcasing the main agricultural events to the city people it is going away from the core of what the shows are all about.”
Public welcome to Ekka Beef Week
RNA beef committee chair Gary Noller said the beef section of the Ekka was still open to the public.
Gary Noller. Photo: Rommel Carlos Photography
“Ekka Beef Week runs for six days culminating on Ekka eve and the opening day of Show with the stud beef competition crowning the Champion of Champions,” Mr Noller said.
“Members of the public are encouraged to come in and watch the cattle judging throughout Ekka Beef Week. This has not changed and we have seen great numbers enjoying the judging. Beef cattle are exhibited at the Ekka until the end of the Show each year.”
Mr Noller said the prime beef competition had been moved offsite several years ago to improve animal welfare.
“In April this year, we announced the Prime Beef Competition would be on hold for 2025. Following a comprehensive review, the RNA Beef Committee decided to temporarily pause the competition to implement significant improvements, including to its format,
ensuring it returns bigger and better in 2026,” he said.
“We advised our valued exhibitors, agents and sponsors the Prime Beef Competition would be on hold for this year and thanked them for their continued support and involvement which is invaluable.”
On the ongoing relevance of the show, Mr Noller said there was record entries this year.
“This year we have record entries across our Stud Beef, Led Steer, Paraders’ and Paddock to Palate competitions.
“Almost 1400 head of cattle have been judged at the 2025 Show with a 22pc increase in Stud numbers, 11pc in Led Steer and 37pc increase in Paddock to Palate.
“For more than 25 years, our Paddock to Palate Competition has been the most commercially relevant and beneficial competition of its kind nationally. The record numbers in our beef competitions reflect the success and relevance of our competitions and we look forward to another incredibly successful Ekka Beef Week next year as we celebrate a remarkable milestone of the Ekka – it’s 150th anniversary.”
Back in 1970 , I worked @ the Ekka for 2 weeks , start & finish of the show for the PMG , In the cattle pavilion as soon as the awards were handed out , a large proportion of the stock was taken away before the Grand Parade , which had a very reduced showing for the crowd ..
There are less than 200 small breed & Dairy cattle at the Ekka now. Why can't they go first & put the Stud & led cattle on while the Ekka is actually on??
I have real concerns about the push of the show away from country interaction.
As an exhibitor, that had 7 cattle in show, it is an extremely high cost. I was the furtherest competitor, some 1,900km, and won Grand Champions in the Senepol breed.
So I can say I was really disappointed with the turnout and there being lack of interaction with general audiences.
But I will do it again… in the hope that we, as an industry, can not only hold our ground but gain traction and get some events and more time at the Ekka proper.
Seriously, as a kid growing up in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s I loved the Ekka. Never missed it.
It saddens me to see the divide growing wider. This has happened largely during Labor years. I note that I did see good conservative politicians really involved during judging. Tony Perrett and Susan McDonald.
Decline in attendance from people in ‘Agriculture’, bringing the true relevance of bridging the divide and educating the broader population.
We need events to be in the actual show as opposed to only one day of the show to ensure we have a chance of hitting our potential audience, and recoup some of our costs.
It cost me over $35,000 taking my cattle down 1,900km, via some shows in CQ.. it started back in February. Let me tell you that if a small breeder like me makes that sort of effort… it does deserve some return. Where is the interaction? Where is the story?
It is not the good RNA councillors we have representing us… but they are outnumbered. Gary Noller, Anna Ahern and Co work their butts off and are great, as are the volunteers and the Judges.
What it is the Beef breed IS the Premier flagship livestock… it needs to be front and centre at Ekka, during the actual Ekka.
We are losing contact time with the public. This is exactly what Beattie, Bligh, Palaszczuk, Miles & Co wanted.
The showring is the shopfront to our Breeds and breeding and there is no bigger Stage than the Brisbane RNA show ‘the Ekka’.
But we are slowly losing it. Death my a thousand cuts.
I ask when does our industry get together around an event in between Beef weeks every 3 years?
I think there is no better time, and the pubs around in City used to be full of hats and boots at that time.
No longer.
So point I make is it better to have it in the main Ekka period?
Is it better to move it to Lawnton as a whole agricultural event and do away with the old Ekka site as we know it and just retain nostalgia of the Showground? There is not much else there now. Only a car park used as a multipurpose animal shed when the cars are kicked out.
The animals that should be front and centre of any show are Stud Beef Cattle.
They are judged in week leading up to Ekka. Only day of interaction with the Urban (City) public is the first day (Saturday)… and we leave on the Sunday.
Then the dairy cows move in.
Isn’t this the show where the City meets the Country?
Where are all the Pavillions of beef cattle (at showtime), dairy, sheep, bigs, horses, goats, poultry, agricultural produce in displays and machinery? The Meat Hall, dairy hall and seafood marketing board where you could buy oysters and wash then down with a beer.
Where some of those apartments are was probably the old Douglas Wadley dog pavilion or the Agricultural pavilion.
I still would prefer to see the old Chairlift and those pavilion’s.
But is it better to move the RNA show out to the Pine Rivers Showgrounds at Lawnton or Samford?
This is what Labor wanted. They hate us rural folk. They want rural-urban divide.
The Ekka was built to bring the bush to the city, let’s not close that gate.
The Ekka will lose its heart if agriculture keeps being pushed to the sidelines. The very reason these shows began was to bring the country to the city, to give people - especially children, the chance to see, touch, and understand where their food and fibre come from. If we take away the cattle, the prime stock, and the true “paddock to plate” experiences from the main public days, we risk widening an already growing gap between urban and rural communities.
City kids need to see cattle in the flesh, to watch the judging, to ask questions, and to meet the people who breed, raise, and care for them. These aren’t just animals in a ring, they’re part of our food system, our economy, and our culture. Without that connection, the next generation won’t understand or value the work behind Australia’s agricultural industry.
Agriculture is not an “add on” to the Ekka, it’s the foundation it was built on. If the show loses that, it loses its identity. The challenge is making sure the event stays financially viable while keeping agriculture front and centre, so the Ekka continues to be a place where the bush and the city genuinely meet.
Sally Vivers, (Eaglehawk Angus).
I wholeheartedly support comments today in Beef Central, thank you for bringing it to light. As someone who has been going to the EKKA for 70 years, it has lost its appeal for me. Gary Noller’s comments might be correct, but who is there to see the cattle, certainly none of the general public.