Simmentals bring a lifetime of success

For 70 years Gina Ryan has been competing at the Melbourne Royal, and a partnership with an F1 racing legend has led her to great success.

In 1954 Gina Ryan competed at the Melbourne Royal Show for the first time, showing a dress she had made at school.

And 70 years later, Gina loves the show as much as ever, finding success with sheep, horses, dogs and now cattle through the years.

Gina, 81, runs Glenview Del Simmental stud at Glenburn, but it was only through Australian Formula One racing legend Alan Jones that she and her late husband Mel began running the breed.

“I never knew anything about Simmentals. Mum and dad were dairy farmers. Then in 1980 we began managing Jones’ place, and he wanted the Simmental cattle that he saw in Switzerland,” Gina said.

Gina Ryan, 81, from Glenburn, with Glenview Dell Unique. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Alongside the Jones property, Gina and Mel began managing other large operations across southern Australia, before eventually buying out their own stud at Glenburn.

“When we got our own stud in 1995, I still had that killer instinct (to have success). I’d spend all day every day trying to get one thing right, and would train the cattle from June 1 in preparation for the October show,” she said.

In forty years of showing cattle Glenview has won champion heifer at Melbourne several times, as well as achieving success elsewhere across Australia, with 2024 the first year since her dress showing in 1954 she has not come away with a ribbon.

Gina said she loves the industry, and the opportunity to come across people from all walks of life, including former prime minister Malcolm Fraser.

“We bought a bull off Piggot Range Poll Douglas, we showed him and he won everywhere. Malcolm Fraser just loved this bull and rang my husband to see if he could come up and see the bull,” Gina said.

“The people that you meet in the industry, they’re beautiful people and they are all there to try and help you.”