THE ANIMALS OF CELTICFEST
Get to know some of the animals you'll see at the 2023 CelticFest. You can even get up close and personal with some of them! (Highland Coos!)
AT CATTLE CORNER
Keans Agri Highland Cattle Stud
At CelticFest on: Saturday and Sunday (daylight hours)
The most wonderful cows around – the hairy Highland Coo!
When it comes to Highland Cattle, Carolyn and Ian at Keans Agri are the experts. They are looking forward to sharing some of their special Highland Coos with visitors to CelticFest for a pat and a photograph.
Keans Agri is a family owned business based in Leyburn on the Southern Downs. They specialise in breeding stud Scottish Highland Cattle, Bush Camping with Highland Cattle, and all other aspects of looking after these wonderful animals. Their ethos is to protect highland cattle genetics for future generations.
The Highland (Scots: Hielan coo) is a Scottish breed of rustic cattle. It originated in the Scottish Highlands and the Western Islands of Scotland and has long horns and a long shaggy coat. It is a hardy breed able to withstand the intemperate conditions in the region. The first herd-book dates from 1885.
In 2002 the number of registered breeding cows in the United Kingdom was about 2500; In 2021 it was 3161. Although a group of cattle is generally called a herd, a group of Highland cattle is known as a "fold". This is because in winter, the cattle were kept in open shelters made of stone called folds to protect them from the weather at night. In 1954, Queen Elizabeth II ordered Highland cattle to be kept at Balmoral Castle where they are still kept today.
From the late nineteenth century, stock was exported to various countries of the world, among them Argentina, Australia, Canada, the Falkland Islands, the former Soviet Union and the United States.
Highland cattle were first imported into Australia by the mid-nineteenth century by Scottish migrants such as Chieftain Aeneas Ronaldson MacDonell of Glengarry, Scotland. Arriving in Port Albert, Victoria, in 1841 with his clan, they apparently drove their Highland cattle to a farm at Greenmount, on the Tarra River, preceded by a piper. Samuel Amess, also from Scotland, who made a fortune in the Victorian goldfields and became Mayor of Melbourne in 1869, kept a small fold of black Highland cattle on Churchill Island. They were seen and survived in Port Victoria during the late 1800s, but other folds were believed to have died out in areas such as New South Wales. In 1988 the Australian Highland Cattle Society was formed.
ON THE ARENA
Friesian Performance Troupe
At CelticFest on: Saturday and Sunday
The regal, costumed ladies of the Friesian Performance Troupe present a spectacular, colourful show on horseback. Their display consists of cleverly choreographed routines of horse movement, synchronized to music. The Troupe performs at walk, trot and canter with amazing poise of rider in unison with rhythmic, fluid ‘dance’ of feet by their obliging equine companions.
These horses simply love performing, and after the show, for a very special hands-on experience, the ladies of the Troupe welcome kids – big and small – to pat their gentle giants.
11th Light Horse Darling Downs Troop
At CelticFest on: Sunday
The 11th Light Horse Darling Downs Troop in their full military regalia is fast and exciting action. The Light Horsemen perform precision displays of Skill-at-Arms with Tent Pegging, Gallows (Tilting the Ring) and Turk’s Head. These riders and their mounts share a very special bond, and the skill involved in perfecting these displays takes much dedication and practice.
The 11th Light Horse Darling Downs Troop is an historical re-enactment unit. It retains a close association with the modern 2nd/14th Regiment.
The purpose of the Troop is to honour the skills and ethos of the Australian Light Horse and the contribution these made to the formation of the Australian character. Whilst it has a military connection, all members are volunteers with an interest in horse skills and various other forms of equestrian activities. As a re-enactment Troop they aim to present the Light Horse to the youth of today to raise their level of awareness of what “made us tick” as a nation not so very long ago.
In February 1915 the former 3rd Darling Downs Light Horse was expanded and renamed the 11th Light Horse Regiment. It remained under the command of Lt Col William Grant from Bowenville. It served with distinction at Gallipoli and subsequently across North Africa.
The current regular army version of the Regiment is the 2nd/14th based at Enoggera. It is equipped with Aslav armoured fighting vehicles, MKIV Abram battle tanks, and Bushmaster armoured personnel carriers, and as of September 2020 are being outfitted with Boxer Armoured Vehicles.
Glengallan Heavy Horses
At CelticFest on: Sunday
Glengallan Heavy Horses’ passion for the 'big guys' started in 1993 with the purchase of their first 'heavy', a 15/16 clydesdale they called Rembrandt. Nine years later, Glengallan Clydesdales was born with the arrival of their first purebred mare, Duneske Fancy.
The herd grew and they moved to the current farm where we have continued to breed these wonderful animals. They have also developed a strong interest in the Shire horse and are expanding the stud to include this special breed.
The Clydesdale is a Scottish breed of draught horse. It is named for its area of origin, the Clydesdale or valley of the River Clyde, much of which is within the county of Lanarkshire. The origins of the breed lie in the eighteenth century, when Flemish stallions were imported to Scotland and mated with local mares; in the nineteenth century, Shire blood was introduced.
The first recorded use of the name "Clydesdale" for the breed was in 1826; the horses spread through much of Scotland and into northern England. After the breed society was formed in 1877, thousands of Clydesdales were exported to many countries of the world, particularly to Australia and New Zealand. In the early twentieth century numbers began to fall, both because many were taken for use in the First World War, and because of the increasing mechanisation of agriculture. By the 1970s, the Rare Breeds Survival Trust considered the breed vulnerable to extinction. Numbers have since increased slightly.
It is a large and powerful horse, although now not as heavy as in the past. It was traditionally used for draught power, both in farming and in road haulage.
IN THE CELTIC COUNTRY MARKETS
Pippinwood Miniature Goat Stud
At CelticFest on: Sunday
Pippinwood is a small farm located in a small town near Stanthorpe on the Granite Belt in Queensland. They moved from Brisbane to their farm for a healthy and cleaner life, and quickly began filling it up with animals, and found their passion was for goats. After meeting some goat enthusiasts, they were introduced to the world of Miniature goats. Fast forward to today and we are the proud owners of Champions, grand champions, Supreme Champions and now two Australian Champions. They are bringing a few very cute Miniature goats to share with CelticFest visitors.
When a few of our goats had babies and had too much milk, the question arose… What to do with all this goodness? SOAP of course. Fast forward to today and many many hours studying and formulating, they are proud to supply natural skincare and soaps that are proven and stand up to the big businesses.
Australian Alpacas: South Queensland and Northern New South Wales
At CelticFest on: Sunday
Australia has the second-largest alpaca herd in the world behind Peru, with them being introduced to Australia about 25 years ago and were initially primarily used as livestock guardians. Paddocked with sheep, they will kick and chase dogs and foxes that get too close to the lambs. They make a variety of sounds including humming, snorting, grumbling, clucking and screeching as communication.
There were 350,000 alpacas in Australia in 2021. The South Queensland Northern NSW Region of the Australian Alpaca Association will share some their alpacas with CelticFest visitors, as well as wool spinning and completed textile products.
The alpaca (Lama pacos) is a species of South American camelid mammal. It is similar to, and often confused with, the llama. However, alpacas are often noticeably smaller than llamas. The two animals are closely related and can successfully crossbreed. Both species are believed to have been domesticated from their wild relatives, the vicuña and guanaco.
Alpacas were domesticated thousands of years ago. The Moche people of Northern Peru often used alpaca images in their art. There are no known wild alpacas, and its closest living relative, the vicuña (also native to South America), is the wild ancestor of the alpaca. Alpacas are social herd animals that live in family groups, consisting of a territorial alpha male, females, and their young ones.
Alpacas warn the herd about intruders by making sharp, noisy inhalations that sound like a high-pitched bray.
Irish Wolfhound Club of Queensland
At CelticFest on: Sunday
The Irish Wolfhound Club of Queensland aims to promote Irish Wolfhounds to Show and Pet homes, and to promote responsible, registered breeders and breeding.
About the breed: The Irish Wolfhound is often called the ‘gentle giant’ of the dog world. Their proud bearing, quiet dignity and intelligence are just some of their many wonderful characteristics. They are a family dog with an incredibly affectionate nature which thrives on human companionship.
They are not a guard dog but their huge size and deep bark will usually deter unwanted visitors.
They are very gentle and patient with children and the elderly, and they have an uncanny knowledge if someone is really unwell.
