Highland calf, Seymour, has quickly become a family favourite of the Camerons. Ryker Cameron, 15, Seymour the calf, three months, Zander Cameron, 18, and Charlie-Rose, 6.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
When Ross Cameron and his partner Ambre brought their Highland cows to the Seymour Expo last year from their property in Mt Lonarch, they had no idea the visit would leave a lasting legacy.
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Nine months on, that unexpected chapter arrived in the form of a calf named Seymour.
Seymour’s curious story begins at last year’s expo, when the Camerons arrived early to prepare their stall for another busy show day.
“We came in that morning to feed and water and clean up, and the first thing we noticed was the cows were not in the same order that we tied them up in the night before,” Ross said.
Ross describes himself as “a bit of a knot nerd”, so it did not take long for him to realise something was awry.
The ropes weren’t tied the way he had left them, and nearby exhibitors reported similar disturbances.
“We think what happened is maybe some teenage pranksters jumped the fence in the middle of the night and came over and untied them,” he said.
Security rounded up and retied the cattle, and the incident quickly faded into the background.
While they had a bull at the event, a youngster named Pedro, he was believed at the time to be too young to breed.
With everything appearing settled, it became little more than a blip in an otherwise smooth event.
Two Highland cows from the Lilie a'Ghlinne Highlands stud in Mt Lonarch. The stud had several animals on show at the Seymour Alternative Farming Expo earlier this month.
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Contributed
In the months that followed, the Camerons were focused on their day‑to‑day running of their business, Lilie a’Ghlinne Highlands, and caring for their herd of 19 cows.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, until one unexpected message changed everything.
“About three months ago, my partner Ambre messaged me and said, ‘I’m going to send you a photo, what’s this?’” Ross said.
“That’s a newborn calf, but we don’t have anyone pregnant ... what is going on?”
The answer came quickly.
“Where were we nine months ago? Seymour.”
One of their Highland cows, Cathcart, had quietly calved.
The expo where the story began gave the calf his name, cementing Seymour as a permanent reminder of a very memorable show.
Now three months old, Seymour has already made an impression.
Calm, curious and easy‑going, he reflects the careful handling and patient approach the Camerons take with all of their animals.
“You need to spend time with them,” Ross said.
“You need to handle them and teach them that you’re not a threat, that you’re not going to hurt them.”
That steady approach was one of the reasons Cathcart and Seymour were chosen to attend the expo together this year.
“We picked mum and baby because they’re so calm and so easy to handle,” Ross said.
“We wanted to see how he would go.”
The pair has settled in comfortably, drawing smiles from passers‑by and quiet interest from fellow exhibitors.
Seymour, blissfully unaware of his unique backstory, has taken it all in his stride.
As Ross put it simply: “Seymour’s story is extra special.”
