While her memories are many, spending several days in Fort Worth to enjoy the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo are a highlight. The King Ranch had a team in the Ranch Rodeo, “and that was truly incredible to watch,” she says. The second night, she was able to go behind the chutes and visit with the cowboys she got to know on the King Ranch. “That was a really special privilege.” But it was on the first night that made the greatest impression. “I was so moved by the opening ceremony and the patriotism of Americans. It truly brought a tear to my eye.” Then there were the “firsts,” like the first time she beheld the wonder of snow.“From the Fort Worth Stock Show, we we’re going to the Amarillo area,” says McClure, former executive of the Santa Gertrudis Breeders International, the U.S. breed registry for Santa Gertrudis cattle.“But we made a detour through the Wichita Mountains in western Oklahoma. And it snowed while we were there.” What’s more, her exposure to a Southern Plains winter didn’t stop with a snow ball. She got to experience truly bone-chill- ing weather.“Our trip to the Texas Panhandle was to see the sheer scale of cattle feeding, which compared to Australia is pretty extraordinary,” Doering says. That wasn’t the only extraordinary thing she experienced. “It was -18° Celsius [hovering around 0° Fahrenheit]. It was bloody cold!” One difference she noted is the rate of technology adoption between the two countries.“I think Australia is really lucky that we have corporates like Australian Agriculture Company, Consolidated Pastoral and a few others. Because we’ve got such large-scale operations, we can afford to try new things and try new systems,” she says.
“If the big guys try something, then the smaller producers will pick it up.” But a “smaller producer” in Australia is different than in America.“I was shocked to know that in America, the average herd size is 30 to 40 head. In Austra- lia, we would call that a hobby farmer.” There’s also a difference in land value, especially in states like Texas where often the landowner also owns the mineral rights below the surface.“It a completely different system here. A lot of big mining companies will own the under- neath, not the producer. So if we’re running cattle, the cattle have to pay for the land.” In a sense, that’s no different from many parts of the U.S., where either the present landowner doesn’t own the mineral rights or there is no oil, natural gas or other minerals to worry about. Another difference Doering noted is how male dominated the cattle business is in the United States. In Australia,“It is so common for females to be working out in the yards and on stations, doing big hours and working just as hard as any of our male counterparts.” She still does that and found it funny to overhear a few comments.“Like when I was riding the feedlot yards and someone came in and says,‘Is that a ponytail in the yard?’” The person wasn’t used to seeing women on horseback, working cattle.“And I just thought,‘wow.’ I didn’t think anything of it because that’s exactly what we’d do at home.” Then, sitting in management meetings, she noticed some- thing strange.“Being the only girl in the room, I thought there’s something wrong with this room. There needs to be more women in here.” It’s different in Australia.“It’s interesting the way things are changing here in Australia and I wonder if there’ll be more women in beef over in America, espe- cially in leadership positions. We’re almost more than 50 percent female on the ground, which is fantastic to see because that is essentially our labor force.” As more and more women enter the labor force in the cattle business, both in the U.S. and Australia, Doer- ing expects to see more and more women in manage- ment and leadership positions on boards of directors. “That’s what makes me excited. That’s where I want to be in 20 years.” She hopes someday to return to the family ranch. “But Dad’s not looking at slowing down anytime soon.” So she will continue to work hard and learn more management skills with Consolidated Pastoral. But her mind’s eye is looking across the globe.“I definitely will be back. That’s for sure.” And it won’t just be to learn more about the cattle business. After all, she told McClure that one of the things she misses most about her time in Texas is the Mexican food.
Mia Doering is a safety and welfare business partner for Consolidated Pastoral Company in Australia.
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CALF News
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June | July 2025
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