This past May, Montana Angus breeders and Angus enthusiasts alike packed their bags and headed halfway across the world, landing in Australia for the 2025 World Angus Forum and the accompanying pre- and post-tours. The event, hosted this year by Angus Australia, is a global gathering that occurs every four years, bringing together Angus cattle breeders, industry professionals, and enthusiasts from around the world. The forum serves as a platform for sharing knowledge, showcasing cattle, and discussing advancements in genetics, sustainability, and innovation within the beef industry. The 2025 forum, themed “Beef for a Better Planet,” featured a two-day conference in Brisbane, preceded by the Zoetis AngusEXPO in Tamworth and the AngusTREK tour, which spanned from Sydney through the Tablelands to Brisbane, offering participants a firsthand look at Australian Angus operations. 

For the first time ever, the U.S. also sent a team to compete in the World Angus Youth Competition, which took place during the forum. Montana’s own Claire Stevenson was selected to be a part of the team and helped bring home the Grand Champion title. The teams competed in a variety of competitions, including stock judging, handling, and public speaking. That same spirit of excellence and exchange carried throughout the rest of the forum, as breeders and delegates came together to share knowledge and celebrate the Angus breed on a global stage. The entire journey to Australia offered more than exotic landscapes and wonderful hospitality; it gave Montana breeders the chance to showcase their genetics, observe cattle in unique environments, and connect with like-minded breeders from around the globe.

The forum brought together over 500 participants from 26 different countries. Weston Merrill, an international trade specialist at the Montana Department of Agriculture and part of the Montana delegation, describes the experience: “They had several top-notch breeders from Australia showcasing their cattle. You could see lots of good cattle and had the opportunity to kind of get on the farms and see how they managed things and do things, and all at the same time network with Angus breeders from all over the world, which was pretty awesome.” For Weston, the tour was also about putting Montana on the map. His goal in attending was to network with as many breeders as possible, all in an effort to build networks and promote U.S. and, specifically, Montana products. He and other Montana breeders, including Stevenson/Down T Angus, Montana Ranch Angus, Black Trace Cattle Company, Timberline Angus, and Sitz Angus, represented a cross-section of the state’s genetic programs. “Montana showed out,” Weston says, “We had quite a few breeders there, which was really exciting. We went from kind of new up-and-coming younger breeders to very well-established, you know, people that had sent genetics over there.” 

Among those younger breeders was Trista DeVries of Black Trace Cattle Company, who echoed Weston’s appreciation for Montana’s representation but also saw the experience through the eyes of the next generation. For her, the trip underscored not only the global reach of Angus genetics but also the importance of ensuring the breed’s future through youth involvement. “I think a lot of young people should be involved in it too,” Trista says. “I saw a lot of the bigger names, a lot of the ranches that have been around for a while, but getting more of the youth into it and excited about it is important for the breed and the industry.” Her perspective offers a forward-looking reminder that while the forum celebrated decades of Angus progress, it also served as inspiration for the next wave of those in the industry who will carry the breed’s legacy into the future. Sharing the trip with her grandmother made the experience even more special, highlighting how the Angus community’s strength lies not only in genetics and global reach, but in the families who sustain it generation after generation. “She's probably the reason that I'm even in the cattle industry,” Trista expresses.

That spirit of pride and continuity regarding the future of the breed was shared by others on the trip, each contributing to Montana’s growing presence in the global Angus conversation. The Montana delegation demonstrated not only the breadth of Montana’s Angus program but also the depth of commitment breeders and professionals in the industry have to excellence and collaboration. By participating, folks from Montana were able to see firsthand how Montana genetics are utilized and valued in environments overseas. Mac Spickard, part of World West Sire Services, became involved with the tour because of the bulls they collect. World West collects semen for a lot of ranchers whose bulls have drummed up interest overseas, including in Australia. He found the experience rewarding in a very tangible way. “It's a neat deal. The bulls that we're collecting that we work hard for for that customer, it pays that customer back by the Australian using them and having seen them at World West. So, it was a neat full circle kind of deal,” Mac says. Beyond the satisfaction of seeing genetics succeed internationally, Mac noted that these interactions also foster trust, credibility, and long-term relationships with breeders around the world, reinforcing the global network that Montana Angus producers are increasingly part of.

Reflecting on the cattle he saw, Jim Sitz of Sitz Angus noted that the Angus cattle he observed were larger-framed than expected, given Australia’s forage-heavy systems. He also emphasized that the underlying goals of breeders remain universal and are similar to ours here in Montana—to raise sound, functional, and efficient cattle that thrive in their environments. “They've been working on foot and leg structure for a lot longer than we have. And all the cattle we saw, I never saw a bad foot,” Jake Callentine of Timberline Angus says. “They're proud of that. Some of those places where those cattle run, they travel a long way to and from water, so foot and leg structure is very, very important to those guys. But they just like to breed good, functional, high-performance cattle, like us.” Trista echoed this idea: “I think we all just want good cattle that can cover ground and do their job.” 

Just as the ranch visits highlighted the importance of functional, environmentally adapted cattle, the forum sessions reinforced those themes on a broader, global scale, offering a complementary kind of education. Discussions focused on emerging industry issues, including sustainability and environmental pressures. “The Angus Forum was two days, and it was two days of listening to some of the smartest people I've ever met from around the world. The whole theme of the forum was Beef for a Better Planet,” Jane Callentine says. Jane and Jake thoroughly enjoyed the forum and the different aspects of it, whether it was discussions on genetics or marketing your beef products to consumers. Jim mentioned that these conversations, combined with the pre-tour observations, provided a holistic view of the global Angus industry, focusing on the environment, cattle, and producers all working together. Much of what was discussed included beef's impact on the world and how the Angus breed can continue to push forward to be a reliable livestock breed. 

For Jim, the event’s true highlight was the camaraderie and global connections it fostered. “Probably what I enjoyed most was the people from all parts of the world who came in for learning,” Jim says, adding that, “You know, the issues that we face here are the same issues that other people in other countries face. The camaraderie and the friendships that you develop at that event were just second to none.” That sense of shared experience resonated with many attendees, including Lane Nordlund of Western Ag Network, who found common ground with producers from across the globe. “Getting to talk with so many of those producers, it just felt like we were in another part of the U.S., and they just talked a little bit differently. We all go through the same struggles and some of the same successes, it's just a different part of the world,” Lane remarks, reflecting on his time spent getting to know new folks in the industry. One of the biggest reasons that Lane wished to attend was in the hopes of learning more about agriculture and the possibility of sharing a story that might allow producers here at home to see themselves in producers that are across the world. “I just really enjoy the opportunity to learn about agriculture and to be a storyteller,” Lane expresses, “I was very excited just to see ranchers in Australia, what they go through, what challenges they have, and see different examples of production agriculture on a different scale.”

Networking was a cornerstone of the experience. Every person I spoke with mentioned the value of the relationships formed. This tour and forum allowed breeders in Montana to develop new contacts and friendships that they’ll be able to maintain for years. Mac emphasized trust in these worldwide connections, as well as the connections they already have here at home: “We want to be good stewards of those bulls that we are fortunate enough to take care of, so that we can maybe be a little bit of a conduit or offer a little bit of trust in those kinds of cattle just through insight. And being able to better make those connections means that maybe next time an Australian that has a goal to import some semen or wants an outcrop, they come to World West and say, I think I can trust what they has to say because it seemed like they had the bulls’ best interest in mind, and those cattlemen’s best interest in mind.”

Pride in representing Montana shone through every part of the trip and in every attendee. For the Montana delegation, standing among breeders from 26 countries wasn’t just about showcasing cattle; it was also about showcasing those in the Montana Angus business. “I would just like to express my appreciation to our breeders from Montana who are willing and able and excited. It is so exciting for me to represent Montana cattle producers when they're so easy to represent. They're so good at what they do,” Weston says, “They're good at making connections, building relationships, and so I just really appreciate the breeders and producers in our state because it's so exciting to represent them when you just know it's high-quality genetics, high-quality beef, high-quality cattle. Whether you're at the World Angus Forum or somewhere in South America, it's always exciting to represent Montana.” Weston’s words underscore the deep sense of pride and professionalism that Montana cattle producers bring to the global stage, and they are a reflection of the hard work, integrity, and quiet excellence that define the state’s beef industry. 

The 2025 World Angus Forum left an impression that extended far beyond the time spent in Australia. All who attended returned with new insights, stronger connections, and a renewed appreciation for Montana’s role in the global Angus community. “I would encourage breeders, not just from Montana, but from the U.S., that when these tours are available, to pick one; whether the forum is in Australia or Brazil or wherever it may be, if you have the opportunity, you really should attend because I promise you, you will learn something,” Jim expresses. After all, it’s not just about seeing cattle; it’s about seeing the bigger picture. For Montana breeders, this experience only reinforced the simple truth that the challenges in the industry are shared and that the things each person in the industry seeks, including knowledge, relationships, and high-quality cattle, are universal.