AT only 22 years old, Ruby Canning has wisdom and knowledge beyond her years, with a passion for the beef industry that continues to see her career in agriculture grow.

A Western District local, Ms Canning grew up on a farm near Mortlake surrounded by family and cattle, although to her they’re the same thing.

With her grandparents on her mother’s side running the successful cattle business, Maverick Simmentals, and her father coming from an angus ranch in Canada, the cattle industry runs deep in Ms Canning’s veins.

“I’ve been showing and competing with the family cattle since I could walk,” she said.

“We were always on the farm learning about cows and just being immensely dedicated to the farm and agriculture.”

Now employed in a marketing role for Outcross Agri-services and as a yard sale administrator in Mortlake, whilst running her own rural photography business, Mavstar Photography, and family business, Mavstar Simmentals, it’s fair to say Ms Canning’s love for all things agriculture has only continued to strengthen as she’s gotten older.

Ms Canning attributes her passion for cattle and photography to the person she refers to as the “greatest influence” in her life, her grandfather, Peter.

Ms Canning’s grandfather established the Simmental farm, Maverick Simmentals, in 1973, which Ms Canning said was his pride and joy.

“His love of the beef industry was contagious, we always spoke about cows, cows and more cows,” she said.

“He was so passionate about sharing his knowledge and his dreams about his cattle.”

In 2001, Ms Canning, along with her parents and brother, opened Mavstar Simmentals, a cattle farm based off genetics from her grandfather’s cattle, which now runs around 30 mostly pure-bred cows in Myamyn, Victoria.

Ms Canning’s grandfather passed away in 2012 from cancer when she was 12 years old, however, she said he left a lasting mark on her life and gave her the greatest gift of all, her heifer Dakota.

“It’s crazy to see how much of an influence he had on my life in only 12 years,” she said.

“Losing him made me realise how much of his love for the beef industry he passed on to my brother and me.

“There’s an influence of Pa in everything I do, especially remaining in the beef industry.

“In 2008 Pa gave me Dakota, she’s a home bred cow from the genetics Pa was so proud of.

“I share this unbreakable bond with Dakota, every time I look at her I get memories about Pa flooding back.

“Dakota and I are inseparable, side by side for 14 years and it’s so truly special to see his legacy live on with those genetics he was so proud of.”

A love of photography was another gift Ms Canning got from her grandfather, after accompanying him to take photos of the cattle to send to potential overseas buyer at the age of nine.

“We’d always take photos of cows together and bulls, he had so much pride in sharing his photos of cattle with people, I think that’s where my love of it started,” she said.

“In his last days before he passed away, it was those photos of the cattle that we’d look back on together.”

Since starting Mavstar Photography in 2015 after receiving encouragement from her high school teachers, Ms Canning has worked tirelessly to grow her business, producing livestock and rural family images and fine art prints that her grandfather would be proud of.

Drawing on her own experience growing up in a farming family, Ms Canning said the aim of her business was to capture the fleeting, precious moments and stories of love and devotion that make up life on the land.

“I think people really underestimate the power of photography and capturing that moment that you could so easily take for granted,” she said.

“On the farm everyone is down to earth and raw, with the farm often being passed down through generations.

“If I can capture those connections that rural families share with the land, it’s a privilege.”

Life was turned upside down for Ms Canning, when a serious car accident at the age of 18 left her with a fractured spine and severe nerve damage, which took away a lot of her independence and made her mother, Rita, her primary carer for three months.

“She did everything you have to do to help someone who is bed ridden, she was my greatest support,” she said.

Ms Canning reflected that after the accident she struggled with her mental health as she was not able to interact with her cattle in the same way she used to, which had been a significant part of her life.

“It put a dampener on anything I thought I could physically do with cattle from then on, so that was obviously a very hard thing to come to terms with then I was 18-years-old,” she said.

“I had a pretty rocky 12 months after that, just really struggled with my physical and mental health because when you break your back you don’t know what you’ll be able to do afterwards.

“I couldn’t physically be with stock for a fair while due to my recovery and that was hard.”

During her recovery, Ms Canning used Mavstar Photography to remain connected to her cattle, which she said was “vital” for her mental health.

“My photography business kept me alive, even though I was immobile for so long, I could still take photos and hop in the car with mum and dad to go see the cows,” she said.

“I was always so grateful for my photography; it was something that really kept me positive.

“About 12 months after the accident I was finally able to show cows again and that was the most exciting thing.”

Ms Canning said everything she does today is to make her grandfather and parents proud, who have always been her biggest supporters and who taught her to appreciate the land.

Going forward, Ms Canning said she has many big goals including growing Mavstar Photography and Mavstar Simmentals and showcasing her family’s Simmental studs at Beef Week in February 2022, however, her biggest goal is to continue her grandfather’s legacy.

“I just want to be happy every single day, doing something I love, learning and continuing the legacy my family has established,” she said.