Ribbons a plenty for young Casino ‘cow-fluencer’

Teenager Rhani Dorey from the far north coast has put her beloved cattle in the spotlight at the Royal Easter Show and come up trumps.

All the social media stars know about “duck face” but Rhani Dorey has taken things to a new level as a “cow-fluencer”.

While most children her age were flocking to the Sydney Royal Easter Show for the rides, the showbags and the food, for 16 year-old Rhani, the show is a chance for country teens like her to put her livestock in the spotlight.

It’s something she takes just as seriously as her studies.

And her second year giving cattle parading a go certainly paid off for Ms Dorey, from Casino, when she stepped into the show’s main arena to represent the Far North Coast.

The teen took out four ribbons on Saturday, including reserve junior female champion, reserve junior bull, senior champion cow and senior champion bull.

“It was pretty nerve-racking there were a lot of different faces. I have never seen that many people, I felt like a cow-fluencer,” she said.

“It feels like a real accomplishment. A lot of hard work goes into this. This will bring up their value a lot.”

Rhani and Clay Dorey from Casino pictured with Sasha, a six-week-old Brahman Bull, at the Royal Easter Show. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

While city slicker teens may be more likely to favour clothes, make-up and the latest trends, Ms Dorey has “dedicated her whole teenage life” to her beloved bovine charges, which she proudly helps care for on her family’s cattle stud.

Much like the influencers which dominate our social media feeds, champion cows require plenty of pampering, with the teen spending hours giving them a makeover worthy of any Instagram model, complete with plenty of washing, blow-drying and brushing.

Just don’t expect them to purse their lips when they pose for a selfie, in the classic influencer pose dubbed duck face.

“They take up my time, I don’t really get time to do much else,” Ms Dorey said.

“It takes up a lot of preparation. It gets your brand out there – people say you can’t sell a secret.”

Children enjoy the rides at the Easter Show. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

But it’s worth every minute for a win in the show ring.

“I love coming to the Easter Show. It gives me a break from home and I get to do what I like doing most, which is showing cows,” she said.

And for someone with real duck face, check out another animal whiz, Kollah Cannon.

Day two of the Easter Show also featured feline and canine extraordinaires being put through their paces in Saturday’s Advance Sydney Royal cat and dog shows, as well as fancy fowl at the Sydney Royal Purebred Poultry Auction.

It was there that 17-year-old Kollah won big, taking out the top gong in the Youth Poultry Showmanship Competition, a ribbon that blows her away.

“I have never won an award this big before. I feel pretty proud,” she said.

While Friday marked the biggest first day of show in two decades, with 57,000 showgoers by day’s end, the figures were expected to be every bigger by closing time on Saturday with more than 56,000 in by 4pm and more pouring in ahead of the evening’s events.

Originally published as Ribbons a plenty for young Casino ‘cow-fluencer’