G.O.A.T Goat comp winners to be displayed at the Ekka
09 August 2024
At this year’s Royal Queensland Show Ekka, winners of the exciting new G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time) Competition will be announced.
The G.O.A.T Competition is a fun and interactive way for Queensland school students to learn about Australian food production through use of Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) Australian Good Meat Education school resources, while also showcasing what makes their local region the ‘greatest of all time.’
Competition entrants submitted an artistic design concept on a goat-shaped template with 19 finalists selected to receive a life-size fibreglass goat model to bring their concept to life. This was awarded in order to celebrate the herd of 19 goats that arrived in Australia with the First Fleet in 1788.
Students could take inspiration from their family, school, town or local agricultural industry to influence their design, with entries accompanied with a 20 –100-word explanation to support their artistic direction.
Finalists’ goat models will be displayed in the Ekka Ag Education Hall at the RNA Brisbane Showgrounds, with winners announced on August 9.
Prizes include:
1. First: $500 Prize and a Virtual “Meet a Goat Farmer” Experience, Goat Product Hamper, Trophy & Sash.
2. Second: $300 Prize, Trophy & Sash.
3. Third: $200 Prize, Trophy & Sash.
Prize money is to be used by the winning classes to support purchase of classroom resources. There is also a People’s Choice Award, which is assessed through votes captured during Ekka.
Integral to the competition was the opportunity for students to learn about Australia’s dynamic goat industry.
According to Schools and Education Manager at MLA, Susan Howe, MLA saw this competition as a great opportunity to generate teacher awareness of MLA’s Australian Good Meat Education school resources provided as part of MLA’s wider Australian Good Meat program.
“Australian Good Meat Education provides free, curriculum-linked school teaching resources available for primary and secondary teachers and students, easily accessible from the Australian Good Meat website” Ms Howe said.
“The G.O.A.T competition provided MLA with an opportunity to support teachers with classroom-ready educational materials for younger students to learn about primary production by exploring the goatmeat industry, a smaller but rapidly growing sector within Australian agriculture.
“MLA’s Australian Good Meat program exists to engage and inform the community about the Australian red meat and livestock industry, with a focus on animal welfare, environmental management, and the role of red meat in a healthy lifestyle.
“Royal Shows like the Ekka are an effective platform for the red meat industry via the Australian Good Meat program to reach a large audience who are interested in learning more about these topics. Additionally, it attracts MLA members and other key industry stakeholders allowing MLA to demonstrate how it is building community trust.
“We are delighted to be able to continue to tell Australian red meat’s good news stories at the Ekka for another year,” Ms Howe said.
MLA will again bring virtual reality experience to the Ekka. The Australian Beef and Lamb Paddock to Plate Experience shares stories of Australian red meat production in virtual reality. The ‘Experience’ allows viewers to feel they are immersed in the video content via the VR goggles.
MLA will also have a series of the Australian Good Meat animations and domestic marketing recipe footage running on loop to inform the attendees about red meat production in Australia.
Guests can collect merch including Cow and Sheep magnets, Red Meat Green Fact booklets and recipe brochures.
MLA’s stand is located within the Ag Education pavilion.
An Australian Good Meat strawberry sundae Ekka commemorative goat (Not one of the competition goats)
