The Cascade Team
Todd Aitken (Angus herd), Buck Russell (Commercial herd), Jason Smith (Poll Hereford herd), Kathy Smith (Admin), Jack Smith (Manager), Karen Arnott (Founder) & Axel Arnott (Director)
From the Beginning...
Karen Elizabeth Arnott purchased Koomoorang in December 1975, 1135 acres in a secluded valley only 2km from the village of Currabubula and 32km South of Tamworth.
At first it was about fattening steers on a rising market until restockers became too expensive which led to the first purchase of breeders in 1983 - 102 Angus heifers, followed in 1985 by 65 Poll Hereford heifers from South Australia.
Cascade Poll Hereford Stud began in 1986 with the purchase of two cows with calves at foot and one heifer at the Folly Lodge Dispersal Sale. Over the years we have attended many Dispersal's and On Farm Sales, slowly increasing our own herd. At the end of the 1980s, Poll Hereford Stud breeders were increasingly using North American and Canadian bulls. Geneticists show just how quickly a herd can be 'improved' with careful bull selection. It could be seen that the Australian genetic pool could disappear and made a decision to stay with Australian genetics. Our problem was that the best Australian cows were not being joined to Australian bulls. To find our next sire we went to New Zealand. In 1990 we purchased Braxton Sir Jason 60H at the Annual Braxton Bull Sale. Sir Jason proved to be a great sire for us.
We continued to invest in Braxton genetics. In 1995 we bought four cows at the Braxton Female Sale just as Australia banned the importation of live cattle from New Zealand hence our cows remained at Braxton. By the time Braxton sold, our four cows had become 17.
Bobanken Vice Admiral V76 was purchased at the 2002 Dubbo Poll Hereford Bull Sale with intention of sending him to New Zealand, however with the inability to produce DNA from his dam, we could not get him registered in New Zealand at the time so he stayed with us at Cascade. A welcome addition.
Early in 2003, we purchased the major portion of the Bobanken Poll Hereford female herd which was rather adventurous in the middle of a drought. However, Jack Smith became the Manager of the both stud and commercial herds and of necessity an increasing number of acres.
We imported semen from New Zealand sire Koanui Union, which resulted in big carcass bulls with a tonne of growth. Cascade Yukon Y48, a home bred sire, was one we decided to keep. A decision well made as he bred well within the herd and spread his presences, style and temperament. 2006 saw the purchase of Debarry Elliot Z79 who was a great addition to the herd, breeding quality cattle with great length and frame. In 2007 we welcomed Mountain Valley Rooster B3 to the paddock followed by Mountain Valley Rocky Ned B1 who showed us great potential with one of his offspring, Cascade El Dorado E27 becoming one of the key elements to our breeding program.
In order to keep our genetic pool open we have used Cannawigra Glenfiddich F53, Kanimbla Jackpot E91 and Russlynn Grandstand G12 in recent years, all doing fantastic things for our breeding program. We are trying to breed in all those favourable yet simple traits in our cattle; length, width, softness, strength and structurability.
Early June 2014 saw the purchase of Days Destiny H151, Lot 23 at the Dubbo National Poll Hereford Sale for $30,000 in conjunction with Bobanken Poll Herefords. Karen said this bull appealed to her through his overall balance.
Skagway Angus began in 1995, purchasing from Calleen Stud and Romara Park Stud leading us to other numerous sales such as Millah Murrah and in 2003, the Comfort Hill Dispersal Sale purchasing three heifers. We have throughout our time imported semen from New Zealand in Pinebank Waigroup and Kay Jay West, two bulls whom bred even cattle with outcross pedigrees.
Our other sires have included Texas Gridmaker, Kansas Son of the Soil, Black Diamond 416 Rito and Skagway Gridmaster. In previous years, a business decision was made to rename the Angus herd to match the Poll Hereford Stud, thus we are now 'Cascade Poll Herefords & Angus' - which is something we are very proud of.
Through dry seasons and slack times, to the more recent buoyant times, we remain determined and passionate about what we do here at Cascade; we breed quality and consistency in our cattle in order to meet industry demands with both our Angus and Poll Herefords.
We encourage you to visit us anytime, to have a look around or just for a chat.
At first it was about fattening steers on a rising market until restockers became too expensive which led to the first purchase of breeders in 1983 - 102 Angus heifers, followed in 1985 by 65 Poll Hereford heifers from South Australia.
Cascade Poll Hereford Stud began in 1986 with the purchase of two cows with calves at foot and one heifer at the Folly Lodge Dispersal Sale. Over the years we have attended many Dispersal's and On Farm Sales, slowly increasing our own herd. At the end of the 1980s, Poll Hereford Stud breeders were increasingly using North American and Canadian bulls. Geneticists show just how quickly a herd can be 'improved' with careful bull selection. It could be seen that the Australian genetic pool could disappear and made a decision to stay with Australian genetics. Our problem was that the best Australian cows were not being joined to Australian bulls. To find our next sire we went to New Zealand. In 1990 we purchased Braxton Sir Jason 60H at the Annual Braxton Bull Sale. Sir Jason proved to be a great sire for us.
We continued to invest in Braxton genetics. In 1995 we bought four cows at the Braxton Female Sale just as Australia banned the importation of live cattle from New Zealand hence our cows remained at Braxton. By the time Braxton sold, our four cows had become 17.
Bobanken Vice Admiral V76 was purchased at the 2002 Dubbo Poll Hereford Bull Sale with intention of sending him to New Zealand, however with the inability to produce DNA from his dam, we could not get him registered in New Zealand at the time so he stayed with us at Cascade. A welcome addition.
Early in 2003, we purchased the major portion of the Bobanken Poll Hereford female herd which was rather adventurous in the middle of a drought. However, Jack Smith became the Manager of the both stud and commercial herds and of necessity an increasing number of acres.
We imported semen from New Zealand sire Koanui Union, which resulted in big carcass bulls with a tonne of growth. Cascade Yukon Y48, a home bred sire, was one we decided to keep. A decision well made as he bred well within the herd and spread his presences, style and temperament. 2006 saw the purchase of Debarry Elliot Z79 who was a great addition to the herd, breeding quality cattle with great length and frame. In 2007 we welcomed Mountain Valley Rooster B3 to the paddock followed by Mountain Valley Rocky Ned B1 who showed us great potential with one of his offspring, Cascade El Dorado E27 becoming one of the key elements to our breeding program.
In order to keep our genetic pool open we have used Cannawigra Glenfiddich F53, Kanimbla Jackpot E91 and Russlynn Grandstand G12 in recent years, all doing fantastic things for our breeding program. We are trying to breed in all those favourable yet simple traits in our cattle; length, width, softness, strength and structurability.
Early June 2014 saw the purchase of Days Destiny H151, Lot 23 at the Dubbo National Poll Hereford Sale for $30,000 in conjunction with Bobanken Poll Herefords. Karen said this bull appealed to her through his overall balance.
Skagway Angus began in 1995, purchasing from Calleen Stud and Romara Park Stud leading us to other numerous sales such as Millah Murrah and in 2003, the Comfort Hill Dispersal Sale purchasing three heifers. We have throughout our time imported semen from New Zealand in Pinebank Waigroup and Kay Jay West, two bulls whom bred even cattle with outcross pedigrees.
Our other sires have included Texas Gridmaker, Kansas Son of the Soil, Black Diamond 416 Rito and Skagway Gridmaster. In previous years, a business decision was made to rename the Angus herd to match the Poll Hereford Stud, thus we are now 'Cascade Poll Herefords & Angus' - which is something we are very proud of.
Through dry seasons and slack times, to the more recent buoyant times, we remain determined and passionate about what we do here at Cascade; we breed quality and consistency in our cattle in order to meet industry demands with both our Angus and Poll Herefords.
We encourage you to visit us anytime, to have a look around or just for a chat.
