Board members

Stuart Dingle – President

I started Chasewater Braford Stud in Mount Perry with my wife and two children. We have a commercial/stud herd. We sell our steers at Murgon and aim to sell bulls at the National Sale in Gracemere. I am passionate about the breed and promoting it where I can.

Steve Donovan – Vice President

Hi, for those of you who don’t know me I would like to introduce myself. I am Steve Donovan and I am a partner in Ashby Brafords which is based in the Jimbour and Bell areas. The Stud was started in the early 70s by my parents. Our cattle run predominantly on Coolibah ridge country. We sell our bulls and heifers annually at the New Dimension sale at Bell and the National sale at Rockhampton. I have been involved with the South Qld group for 35 years holding management positions at various times and I have also been on the New Dimension Sale committee since its in inception in 2005. I believe the breed is in a very positive position within the beef industry and I believe with everyone’s input this position can be advanced. Please don’t hesitate to call if you have any queries or concerns and I will do what I can to help.

Russell Kenny – Vice President

Russell, Donna and Bec along with Jeff, Dan and kids run Harriett Valley Braford Stud. Russell is a third generation Braford breeder. They currently own about 9,000 acres and lease 2,000 acres in the Burnett Shires where they breed both stud and commercial Brafords, with 500 breeders. They sell bullocks, cull cows and feeder steers to JBS and Teys and local saleyards Biggenden Livestock and Reality. They are also annual vendors at the National Sale in Rockhampton, as well as privately, and visitors are always welcome.

Dan Galloway – Treasurer

Dan Galloway is a part of the Ascot Neimen Braford Studs, running it alongside his wife Pip, and parents Graham and Jill Galloway. Dan is heavily involved in operating both the Stud and commercial operations. Ascot Neimen Brafords are currently running around 200 registered and 400 commercial breeders across four properties in the Banana area. The commercial side is focused on breeding and growing out steers and heifers to meet the grass-fed EU market, while the stud aspect is focused on the National Bull Sale in September. Dan hopes to help promote the breed and increase breeder’s confidence in Brafords.

Rhonda Ryan

Rhonda runs a mixed farming operation just north of Emerald in Central Queensland, with around 50 registered Braford breeders and a similar number of commercial breeders. The stud was established in 1972 by her parents, Eric and Betty Burns. Being a smaller property, seasons heavily dictate the turn-off of steers; in good years they go direct to works, in poorer years are sold privately or through the local saleyards. Bulls and stud females are marketed at the New Dimension and National Braford Sales. The herd is EU accredited and has been performance recorded with Breedplan for over 25 years. Rhonda strongly encourages members to join the Braford Group Breedplan, to gain and record objective data on the breed. Only by measurement can improvement be made. Rhonda has been promoting Brafords in the showring since 1991, and at the CQ Ag-Grow Field days and has had success in the Callide Dawson Carcass Competition. “I believe carcass competitions are a great benchmarking tool our members can use – and Brafords hold their own very well. My motto is ‘Quietly achieving Quality’ and I strive to breed structurally correct functional cattle”.

Tim McNamara

Tim has been involved in Brafords all his life and is now Co-principal of MCN Brafords along with Mark and Don. Tim has also been an agent for 20 years, working predominantly in North West Queensland, selling to domestic markets and live export. He is looking for ways to promote the Braford breed within these parameters. Tim believes the Brafords are a solid, current and most importantly adaptable article, but it is important to keep looking forward, introducing new genetics and satisfying the new generations interest in figures. It is important that the Society continues to promote itself in the younger generations. Be it field days, youth groups, incentives for junior memberships and social gatherings. Tim sees it as a privilege to be able to serve on Council and looks forward to working with members to make the history and future of the breed bright.

Daniel Treloar

Daniel and his two girls, Airlie and Abigail run their two cattle properties, Chessington in the south east of South Australia and Riverview on the Fitzroy river at Rockhampton Queensland. They run a 300 head pure Braford commercial herd, with over 13 years of breeding, along with replacement heifers and 200 Braford cross cows – predominately focusing on the feedlot and background markets. Daniel is passionate about the Braford breed for its constitution, adaptability in all environments, carcass traits and ease of management. He would like to promote the breed’s versatility, not only as a pure line, but also for crossbreeding purposes, with its highly impressive hybrid vigour traits. “I look forward to working with the Society in the ongoing promotion of the breed and exploring new opportunities into the future.”

Robert Hoffman

Robert runs Downfall Creek Stud along with his wife Lesette. The stud was developed in 1987 and is run in conjunction with a commercial herd. Robert stood as President of the Society for a number of terms and stepped down from management at the end of his last term. This year has seen him follow his passion and he has once again taken a place on management.

Ben O’Connell

Fleetwood Brafords was established in the late 2000’s, based out of Jambin in Central Queensland. Ben aims to breed commercially focused bulls with paddock sales and steers going to Biloela Teys. Ben is heavily involved in showing on the local show circuit and hopes to promote Brafords – especially to new members and grow the breed.

Craig Knauth

Craig along with his wife Kathy and two daughters, Ashtyn and Sophie, started ‘Nungil Brafords’ Stud in 2015 at Brymaroo, Queensland. Their first Braford heifers were purchased at the New Dimension Sale in Jimbour in 2006, after they saw the Braford site at FarmFest – and crossed them with their blonde bull. In 2011, they bought their first Braford bull and started selling females at the New Dimension Sale in 2015, and have been in love with the breed ever since! Over the last year, they have progressed to selling bulls. Craig is very passionate about Brafords and looks forward to getting to know and work with each committee member with the aim of promoting the breed.

Larry Acton – Patron

Larry is extremely proud and honoured to be the current Patron of the Australian Braford Society. He regards the role as one of active support for the President and Management, and is determined to advance and promote our cattle wherever he travels. The support includes members, particularly our newer members who are either just getting involved with breeding Braford cattle, or are part of our young brigade, who are critical to the future of our breed. For almost 40 years, Larry and Beth operated a large commercial Braford herd near Emerald in the Central Highlands region of Queensland, and bought their bulls mostly through the National Sale each year. Since downsizing their business some 15 years ago, Larry became a new recruit to the Stud industry. 2022 will be the 10th year that Riverton Braford Stud has sold bulls at the National Sale. The Stud still maintains around 90 head of registered and classified females and Larry hopes to continue to improve the Riverton stud prefix and the recognition of Braford cattle throughout the industry.