About Us
The beginnings
Roseleigh is one of South Australia’s oldest Angus studs and has been breeding some of the state’s finest cattle since 1954.
Originally founded by the late Charles Cowley, with the purchase of two Wallah females at the Royal Adelaide Show. They were run in conjunction with a few milk cows and gradually over the years the number of Angus increased.
Sires from Victoree and Wallah shaped the stud in its early years, and another eight females were purchased in the early 1970s at the Wallah dispersal. It is from here that the Cowley family began building its Angus herd, and lifted numbers to what it is today.
Roseleigh Princess Royal 9th
1966 – Junior and Grand Champion, Sydney Easter Show, Senior and Grand Champion, Adelaide Royal Show
1967 – Senior and Grand Champion, Sydney Easter Show and Adelaide Royal Show.
Roseleigh Aristocrat, son of Roseleigh Princess Royal 9th, Junior & Grand Champion, Adelaide Royal Show 1968.
Industry leaders
The Cowleys have been industry leaders, and in March 1972 they embarked on what was regarded as a groundbreaking move by introducing the first on-property auction of Angus cattle in South Australia. Roseleigh has continued to hold annual sales, which is now held in Keith in conjunction with Angus Week in February.
1972 also saw Roseleigh import Baker 935 Puketutu from New Zealand, which was the beginning of adding frame into our cattle.
Baker 935 Puketutu, imported from New Zealand in 1972.
Show success
Ron, and wife Judy, took over the stud in 1983. In 1989, Roseleigh purchased the renowned genetics of Dulverton Grant followed by Landfall Scotch Cap K186 to further increase frame size while retaining capacity and eye-muscle area. Since then artificial insemination and embryo transfer have allowed United States influence into the stud.
Landfall Scotch Cap K186, Reserve Junior Champion Bull, Sydney Easter Show, 1992, at right with Mathew & Ron.
Roseleigh has had great success in showing in the country circuit and the Royal’s of Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne over the years. Because of our location we thought this was the best way for our cattle to be seen and was also the reason why we shifted our bull sales to Keith in the South East. The stud can boast that it has won every champion ribbon at the Royal Adelaide Show, and only the junior champion bull title eluded the stud in Sydney during its 40-year showing career. The stud has sold bulls far and wide into every mainland state in Australia.
Roseleigh Yeny Y22, at the Adelaide Royal Show, 2004, 15 months.
A Family Affair
In 2005, Roseleigh was recognised for 50 years of registered cattle breeding. Roseleigh is currently owned and operated by Ron, Judy and Mathew Cowley, and is run in conjunction with cereal, legume and hay production.
The Cowley family has recently welcomed the 4th generation of cattle breeders, and looks forward to continuing the Roseleigh Angus stud for many years to come.
Service to the Angus Breed
Charles Cowley was heavily involved in the Angus Society of Australia at both state and federal level. Charles was Federal President in 1973-1975, as well as serving on both committees for many years. Charles, and wife Irene, also represented Australia at the World Angus Forum in Kansas City, Texas, USA in 1973. His dedication and commitment to the society saw Charles awarded life membership in 1987.
Charles was also heavily involved in judging cattle at most Royal Shows in Australia. He was an astute handler judge, judging at the Angus National at Wodonga and at the Junior Heifer Show in Adelaide.
Ron has continued the family tradition of service to the Angus breed, serving on the SA state committee from 1982 to 2019, holding the vice chairman position in 1987 and chairman position in the 1988 and 1989. He was also a director on the Angus Australia Board from 1988 to 1998. Ron was also the chairman of the Wodonga Angus National Show and Sale for 3 years in the mid 1980s. Ron was awarded a ‘Service Recognition Award’ from the Angus society in 2009 for his committed and dedicated service to the Angus breed. In 2005, Roseleigh Angus was recognised by Angus Australia for 50 years of registered membership.
Ron has also contributed to various other committees during his life, notably with the Royal Adelaide Show as Inspector and General Inspector, as a South Australia Federal Council Delegate, a member of the Angus National Show and Sale Committee, the Federal Classic Committee, Judging School Committee, South Eastern Committee, Financial Advisory & Chief Executive Committee, Breed Development Sub-Committee and as a South Australia Stud Beef Cattle Breeders Association Representative.
In 2021, Ron was bestowed the Angus Australia Honorary Life Membership by President and Board Chairman Sam White in recognition for his contributions to the Angus breed and Angus Australia.
