Nine local farms compete in Holstein on-farm challenge
Drouin South farmers Craig and Felicia Bills scored the highest pointed cow at the West Gippsland SubBranch’s Semex Holstein Australia OnFarm Challenge.
The competition is the largest dairy livestock judging competition in Australia, attracting about 2500 entries from 350 breeders each year.
The West Gippsland Sub-Branch received entries from nine farms across the region. After judging 97 cows, a successful presentation dinner was held at the Ellinbank Football/Cricket Clubrooms.
The judge, Philip Hentschke of Lyndoch, South Australia, awarded “Caloula Ridge Gold Jackie” of Craig and Felicia Bills as highest pointed cow in the sub-branch. The cow also won the five-year-old category.
“Avonlea Golden Fan” of John and Cherie Gardiner won the two-year-old class, “Arrowlea Atwood Candy” of Sophie Louden won the three-year-old class, and “Arrowstar Reginalds Gardenia” of David and Elaine Louden won the four-year-old class.
“Thornhill Creek Jeeves Angie” of Dale and Colin Armstrong won mature cow and “Creswick Igniter Susan 2” of Jarrah Holsteins won the sub-branch mature cow class.
Sophie Louden took out the prize in the sub-branch youth class.
“Group of Unix” of Craig and Felicia Bills won the sub-branch pen of five by the same sire class.
The judge was escorted on farm by subbranch president Mathew Robertson and Holstein classifier Shane Patten, who also took the photographs presented to the gathering.
Rohan Butler was thanked for putting the photographs into a visual presentation.
The On-Farm Challenge differs from conventional livestock judging events in that cattle are assessed for their inherent structural correctness using a specially-developed linear score sheet, without grooming, photography or showing. This format means all breeders can compete against the best in their region or state on an equal basis. Top five results: Two-year-old: First – “Avonlea Golden Fan”, John and Cherie Gardiner; second – “Cowarol Windhammer Dawnie”, Craig and Felicia Bills; third – “Mailig 3640”, John and Cobie Giliam; fourth – “Showcase Damion Desire”, Hunter Smethurst; fifth – “Jenamy Fever Bella 1620”, Marco and Rita Payette.
Three-year-old: First – “Arrowlea Atwood Candy”, Sophie Louden; second – “Thornhill Creek Goldchip Angie 4296”, Dale and Colin Armstrong; third – “Avonlea Selector Maid”, John and Cherie Gardiner; fourth – “Hearts Ridge Lauthority Jewel”, Craig and Felicia Bills; “Mailig Crvbouw Rocky 3546”, John and Cobie Giliam.
Four-year-old: First – “Arrowstar Reginalds Gardenia”, David and Elaine Louden; second – “Avonlea Reginald Fan”, John and Cherie Gardiner; third – “Arrowstar Freeze Deanne”, Kylee Paull; fourth – “Hearts Ridge Goldchip Tara”, Craig and Felicia Bills; fifth – “Taraglen Fever Loretto”, C and V Gardner.
Five-year-old: First – “Caloula Ridge Gold Jackie”, Craig and Felicia Bills; second – “Avonlea Aftershock Dorinda”, John and Cherie Gardiner; third – “Thornhill Creek Sottle Carly 3980”, Dale and Colin Armstrong; fourth – “Jarrah Atwood Bertha”, Jarrah Holsteins (D and K McCallum); “Redholme Destry Sierra”, M and T, M and E Robertson.
Mature cow: First – “Thornhill Creek Jeeves Angie”, Dale and Colin Armstrong; second - “Pardee Farnear Janice”, John and Cherie Gardiner; third - “Creswick Atwood Fringe”, Jarrah Holsteins; fourth – “Arrowstar Shottle Paradise”, David and Elaine Louden; fifth – “Avonlea Goldwyn Carol”, John and Cherie Gardiner.
Sub-branch matron cow: First – “Creswick Igniter Susan 2”, Jarrah Holsteins; second – “Monyip Exhaust Charlotte”, M and T, M and E Robertson; third – “Redholme Bullion Tulip”, M and T, M and E Robertson; fourth – “Jenamy Powerplay Belle”, Marco and Rita Payette; fifth – “Wilrob Stormatic Rowdy”, Craig and Felicia Bills.
Sub-branch youth class: First – “Arrowlea Atwood Candy”, Sophie Louden; second – “Showcase Damion Desire”, Hunter Smethurst; “Chessybrook Windhammer Carlie”, Joshua, Jack and Charlotte Robertson; “Budgeree Acme Jodes – R”, Charlotte Bills; “Harrietville Barbalot Paris”, Harriet Louden. Sub-branch pen of five by the same sire: First – “Group by Unix”, Craig and Felicia Bills; second – “Group by Utah”, Marco and Rita Payette; third – “Group by Archrival”, Troy Smethurst.