Charlie Perry

Backing the Big Decisions: How the Zanda McDonald Award Helped Charlie Think Bigger. 

When Charlie applied for the Zanda McDonald Award, his Wagyu business was at a crossroads. The operation was growing steadily, but Charlie was wrestling with one question that would shape its future. "At the time, I was trying to work out whether we should take the leap to running a public bull sale. It felt like the next big step, but I wanted to make sure it was the right one." The Award came at exactly the right time. Travelling through Australia and New Zealand, Charlie found himself learning from some of the most respected seedstock businesses in the industry. 

Visits to Bondfield, Te Mania, Reenylea and Lambpro provided a rare opportunity to observe how elite breeding operations were built and managed. "If you asked 100 people to name the top seedstock businesses in the country, those operations would be on almost every list. Spending time with them was an unbelievable opportunity." Along the way, countless conversations challenged his thinking. Lessons from Julie McDonald on negotiation have stayed with him, while every business visit offered practical ideas that could be applied back home. But it was the atmosphere of the Zanda McDonald Award's Impact Summit that had perhaps the greatest influence. "You're sitting in a room with some of the biggest names in agriculture, and they treat you like you belong there. That changes the way you see yourself." "It gives you the confidence to realise you belong in any room." That confidence proved to be a turning point. Charlie returned home and made the decision to move to a public bull sale. Today, that decision has transformed the business. Since winning the Award, the enterprise has grown from around 3,000 acres to more than 12,000 acres. Annual turnover has increased from approximately $2 million to $7 million, the team has expanded from no staff to six employees, and the business now hosts the world's largest Wagyu bull sale—one of the highest-grossing bull sales in Australia. 

While Charlie is quick to acknowledge that growth comes from years of hard work, he believes the Award gave him the confidence to make bold decisions sooner. It also accelerated his profile within the wider industry. Over the past few years, Charlie has spoken at more than 20 agricultural events across Australia and New Zealand, sharing his experiences with producers, industry groups and emerging leaders. "I don't think those opportunities would have come as quickly without the Award." 

The value of the Zanda McDonald Award, however, extends far beyond public recognition. For Charlie, one of its greatest strengths is the network it creates. "There are people I met through the Award who I still speak with almost every week. They're ambitious, smart people, and having them in your corner makes an enormous difference." Those relationships continue to deliver practical value. 

During a recent drought, Charlie turned to another Zanda alumnus who manages a 20,000-head feedlot for advice on containment feeding. "One phone call saved me a huge amount of trial and error." The network has also led to buying and selling livestock, finding agistment during difficult seasons, collaborating with businesses and engaging fellow alumni to help promote his own operation. "The circular economic impact of the Award is massive. It's an incredibly supportive community where people genuinely want to help each other succeed." 

Charlie is equally committed to giving back. His farm regularly welcomes university students, benchmarking groups and industry visitors who want to learn from the business. He mentors young people entering agriculture, speaks at industry events whenever he can and makes a conscious effort to share what others once shared with him. "I've always felt that if people invested their time in helping me, I have a responsibility to do the same for the next generation." Looking back, Charlie sees the Award as far more than a study tour or leadership programme. "It gave me confidence at exactly the right time. It helped me believe that I could make bigger decisions and that I belonged alongside some of the best people in agriculture." 

He believes that is precisely why programmes like the Zanda McDonald Award matter. "The relationships you build, the businesses you see and the conversations you have would normally take decades to accumulate. 

The Award compresses all of that into one incredible experience." For Charlie, the biggest lesson has been simple: surround yourself with exceptional people, learn from the very best, and don't be afraid to take the next big step. That mindset has helped transform not only his business, but also the leader he continues to become.