By Linda Mantova
With a love of Brahman cattle entrenched from birth, Ruby Olsen is an emerging talent within the Brahman breed.
The 17-year-old has her sights set firmly on a future in the beef industry, and is the third generation of her family to breed Brahman cattle in Central Queensland.
Her grandparents, Marg and Andy Olsen, founded Neslo Brahmans, back in the 70’s, and her parents Richard and Sallyanne started Arresso Brahmans in 2013, with Ruby herself establishing her own stud, Kissarone Brahmans, just last year.
“I’ve grown up around Brahman cattle and we have both reds and greys. Nan and Grandad have been selling bulls at Rockhampton Brahman Week for a long time, with Mum and Dad selling their first bull, Arresso Bacardi, there in 2013 when I was just four.” Ruby said.
Coming up through the ranks of Rockhampton Junior Beef from the age of seven, Ruby has had much success exhibiting and judging cattle at various shows and events, including Beef Australia at Rockhampton.
“I’ve been to Junior Beef almost every year since then. I love that it’s a hands-on way for kids to learn about the cattle industry, about Brahmans and showing. Everyone helps each other and everyone has a go – It’s a great environment,” she said.
“It has taught me so much over the years, and given me a really good perspective on the cattle industry, and what to look for when judging cattle. It has also helped develop my skills such as public speaking and parading cattle.
“I like to help out with the younger kids now.”
Ruby started showing cattle in 2016, and at Beef Australia 2018, at nine years of age she competed in the School Teams Judging for St Peter’s Catholic Primary School, with their Primary school team getting 6th place out of 36 primary and senior school teams.
Ruby was also part of her high school’s cattle show team when it was running in 2021, which was led by Mr Terry Connor from Timbrel Brahmans.
“We learnt how to safely break in cattle and followed the show circuit with Terry’s guidance. I learnt so much and it quickly improved my confidence in judging and leading cattle. It definitely got me hooked on showing my own cattle.
“Terry was a great mentor to learn from, and I still remember his famous sayings like ‘work with the brain not the body’ and ‘prevention is better than the cure’ and many more.”
Over the last nine years, Ruby has achieved many successes and grown from her experiences, being heavily involved in her parents’ cattle enterprise.
In 2021, she won the 12 Years and Under Junior Stud Beef Judging Competition at the Rockhampton Show. At Junior Beef 2023, she took out her first Age Champion for 14-16 years, aged just 14 years. This year at Mt Larcom show, she won the Stud Junior Judging and Ruby has consistently placed in Junior Parading and Judging over the years.
“I’ve had various other placings over the years, but I love the stud cattle judging the most,” she said.
And that was evident at this year’s Brisbane Ekka in August when Ruby was given the honour of being the associate judge in the Brahman ring, alongside judge, Mr Matthew Noakes.
As her first major judging gig at a royal show, Ruby said it was the highlight of her beef industry involvement to date.
“It was loads of fun and a great learning experience,” she said.
“It was a great privilege to be given the opportunity by the Brahman Association to be able to judge alongside Mr Noakes, and he taught me a lot.”
“I now break in a couple of show cattle each year and take them around to the local shows with my family’s help, and we’ve taken cattle to the last two Beef’s.”
“We exhibited six Red Brahmans at Beef Australia last year and my heifer was awarded fourth in her Junior Heifer Class.”
Ruby gets great satisfaction from seeing how her own show cattle grow throughout the show season and continue to get better and develop.
Ruby’s stud, Kissarone Brahmans, was named after the first heifer her grandparents gifted her when she was just 10 years old – Neslo 4656 Oz Kissarone whose maternal genetics go back to Cherokee bloodlines.
“She was my foundation cow, and all of my calves have come from her to help me start my own stud,” she said.
“I have about eight females now, and two bull calves that are by American Brahman AI sires. They are the first to have the Kissarone prefix.
“The rest were registered under my parent’s stud originally, or one’s I’ve purchased with my Dad.”
“I’d really like to continue breeding quality red and grey Brahmans, and expand more into the genetics side, especially US genetics.”
“I’d like to improve and support the Brahman breed, by breeding structurally correct, fertile and functional cattle that do well in the Queensland environment.”
Ruby described Brahmans as “a durable and hardy breed”.
“They do so well in Queensland and most parts of Australia, and are such a good outcross for almost any breed.
“They are so versatile and I love their softness and loose skin. My cattle are so personable and really friendly compared to other breeds.”
Ruby also enjoys attending bull sales and seeing what genetics are more saleable.
“I like to compare how well the different styles of bulls do at the sales, and the whole Brahman community is amazing.”
The Year 11 student from The Cathedral College in Rockhampton has her sights set on a career in veterinary science specialising in equine and bovine reproduction, which follows in the footsteps of both her parents.
“After finishing school I’d like to have a gap year and travel to Canada and the US and visit Brahman studs, before starting my studies.”
With a strong passion for Brahman cattle, showing, judging and campdrafting, we are bound to continue to hear Ruby’s name in the rural industry in the future.
