Australia's biggest dairy livestock competition, involving roughly 2800 cows and 500 farms, is complete!
Semex's distributor in Australia, Semex Pty Ltd and Holstein Australia host an On-Farm Competition. The Semex/Holstein AustraliaOn-Farm Competition is in its 10th year and the nationwide spectacle has a number of unique points of difference.
All the cows are judged (for conformation) on-farm by a judge in a collective logistical marathon involving thousands of kilometres and an army of people.It has a special application in that cows that may not have enjoyed a profile (because of the work, time and knowledge needed to be able to show cattle) have the chance to shine or be discovered in this format, because there is no additional work or preparation involved for the farmer.
"This is the second most recognised award dairy cows can win outside a first place at International Dairy Week," Semex Australia Pty's general manager Jim Conroy said. "But for many it is the No.1 event."
Each of Holstein Australia's 29 sub-branches involved are currently running their competitions, which involves one judge per sub-branch. Entries peak at more than 250-head in some of the sub-branch strongholds of the breed.
The first and second placegetters in each class at the sub-branch level then move forward to the state finals where they were re-assessed by a fresh over-judge in early November to find the state champions. The state lines are divided into Northern Queensland, Southern Queensland, New South Wales, South-Eastern Australia (incorporating Victoria, New South Wales Riverina and South East South Australia), Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia.
Check out the winners by clicking the state below:
New South Wales
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
South East
New South Wales On Farm Competition:
A man now well-versed in the Semex-Holstein Australia On-Farm Competition concept was in the hot seat for the competitive New Sales Wales final recently.
Daniel Holmes, of Arabella Farming Company, at Brookstead, Queensland, was the Victorian state overjudge in 2009 and he has proved a popular choice for the competition this year, also judging the Western Australian state champions. Milking 450 cows, Daniel knew what he was looking for and he covered 4000 km in five days to find it.
"First of all cows have got to pay the bills," he said.
He was also unconsciously consistent in his sire choices. In both the two and three-year-old classes he placed 0200HO03280 Gillette Final Cut daughters champion and Comestar Stormatic daughters reserve. In his five-year-old class two Canyon-Breeze Allen daughters finished one-two, and in his mature class both his champion and reserve were sired by Comestar Stormatic.
He said the toughest class to judge was the mature group.
"The top cows in all classes were pretty close, but it was more evident in the older classes, the four and five-year-olds and the mature cows. There were more form cows in the older classes. They're the cows that have lasted, spelled milk and they are the cows that we all like to own. Some of these mature cows were just outstanding."
He gave the thumbs up for the competition, now in its tenth year.
"It's got such a hype about it now," he said. "It's great for the breeders to be able to get exposure for their cattle without doing a huge amount of work and without the tension of the show. People have got so much enthusiasm for the event and I imagine in many of the sub-branches, it is one of the big events of the year where everyone gets together and people are excited if a cow from their sub branch goes on and does well at the state level.
"Although, in saying that if finalists want to do well, they still do need to have the cows presented full of milk and with a good rumen fill, so that the judge can appreciate their animals."
Daniel's two-year-old winner Cairnsdale Final Kittykat, came from the Menzies farm, at Numbaa.
"This black heifer was balanced, she was extremely soft in her hide and open in her rib, she had great depth of forerib, beautiful texture to her udder and a lovely strong loin," he said.
"Second (Shenandor Comestar S Franchise-ET) was soft but she didn't have the same bloom to her."
In the three-year-old class Fraser Final Kay, sired by Gillette Final Cut and owned by Mark and Leeane Fraser, at Aberdeen, headed up the group. Second was a Comestar Stormatic daughter, Coolea Stormatic Bess, from Rob and Jenny's Crawford Coolea Holsteins, at Numbaa.
"My winner was clean, she had a great spring and depth of rib and cleanness of bone and a beautiful udder," Daniel said. "She's a young cow that should develop out and have a great future, I believe.
"She was cleaner throughout and in better form than the Stormatic, which I put in second. Although I will grant that the Stormatic had an awesome rear udder and she would have been my best udder of class - based on her height and width of rear udder and her teat shape and size. I absolutely think the Stormatic also has a great future, but she was not in the same form as the winner."
In the four-year-old class Murribrook Holsteins, of Murray and Margaret Sowter, at Moss Vale headed up the danger class. Their Durham daughter, Murribrook Durham Caddie, had Daniel at "hello."
"This young cow had an awesome dairy frame and it was that dairy frame that placed her at the top of the class. She was clean in the bone, she had a lovely soft hide and veination throughout her body. She also had depth of fore and rear rib."
The five-year-old provided the surprise of the competition. Leighigue Allen Ailsa, sired by Canyon-Breeze Allen, and owned by Katrina Wilkie, of Denman, flew home, ahead of another Canyon-Breeze Allen daughter, Clinton Park Allen Jewel.
"There is some good Allen daughters out there, that's for sure," Danield said. "He's a bull that didn't leave flash two-year-olds and they tend to be cows that take time to grow into themselves, but I was impressed by the Allens, obviously.
"This class winner was the surprise package for me. When you got to farms where you perhaps don't know of the people there and you find great cows in their herd. That is one of the beauties and strengths of this competition.
"This cow (Allen Ailsa) had just about everything, I thought. She had great width of rear udder, definition of ligament all the way to the top and she maintained the width of her rear udder all the way through; she tracked really well past her udder, she had plenty of middle, beautiful bone and she had style. She was just too balanced and capacious for the other finalists..."
The class included last year's four-year-old winner, Boscawen Blackstorm Dolly 3554, owned by Geoff and Bob Herne and Tracey Russell, of Boscawen Holsteins at Brundee. Dolly was again competitive, finishing honourable mention.
The mature class was headed up by two Comestar Stormatic daughters. The champion was Avonlea Stormatic Jacqueline-ET, owned by Jamie and Michelle Drury at Attunga.
"My winner is long, she's clean she's had five calves. Her udder is right up in the cow like you'd like to see it. She has magnificent height of rear udder and she tracks extremely well on her legs and feet. She's cleaner in the bone than the cow I placed in second and she is more desirable at the top of the rear udder than the cow in second. I will grant the reserve has more forerib. That's about all it is in those top placings, small points. The top three cows in this class were exceptional exhibits."
NSW STATE OVERJUDGING RESULTS
TWO YEAR OLD - 1st: Cairnsdale Final Kitty Kat (0200HO03280 Gillette Final Cut), Menzies Farms (Cairnsdale Holsteins, Numbaa) - 2nd: Shenandor Comestar S Franchise-ET, D and E Ernest (Shenandor Holsteins, Singleton).
THREE YEAR OLD - 1st: Fraser Final Kay (0200HO03280 Gillette Final Cut), M and L Fraser (Fraser Holsteins, Aberdeen) - 2nd:
Coolea Stormatic Bess, R and J Crawford (Coolea Holsteins, Numbaa).
FOUR YEAR OLD - 1st: Murribrook Durham Caddie, M Sowter (Murribrook Holsteins, Moss Vale) - 2nd: Wyoming Empress Mary, Wenham, Cochrane and Allen (Sweet Holsteins, Singleton)
FIVE YEAR OLD - 1st: Leighigur Allen Ailsa (Canyon-Breeze Allen) (K Wilkie, Denman) - 2nd: Clinton Park Allen Jewel, D and M Walker (Clinton Park Holsteins, Wattamolla).
MATURE - 1st: Avonlea Stormatic Jacqueline-ET (Comestar Stormatic), J Drury (Caloula Ridge Holsteins, Attunga) - 2nd: Glenalbas Stormatic Kooee-ET, A Garratty P/L (Glenalbas Holsteins, Nowra).
Queensland Writes History :
History was made when the Queenland state champions were named in the Semex-Holstein Australia On-Farm Competition recently.
Meadowland Igniter Nona has become the first North Queensland cow to win a state championship crown. She is owned by Frank and Dawn Cuda, together with Mark and Kym Cuda, who farm at Upper Barron.
She was part of a national competition that now features more than 2800-head - the biggest gathering of cattle Australia puts together. Queensland's overjudge was Murray Polson, Mario Park Holsteins, from the Manning sub-branch of New South Wales.
The Cuda family milk 300 cows, in addition to running a 400-acre potato farming operation. They have been entering the competition for three years and this is not the first time they have put North Queensland in the limelight in the last 12 months.
In January they took Barron Bella Finalcut Hero (0200HO03280 Gillette Final Cut) into Victoria to International Dairy Week. She was Grand Champion of the Youth Show, becoming the first North Queensland animal to win a broad ribbon at the biggest show in the southern hemisphere. Hero has remained in Victoria, so to back up the victory with Nona's achievement signals their intent in the industry.
The Cuda family bought Nona in a line of heifers from John, Diane and Brad Daley. She was a little behind the rest of her group when she arrived after of a bout of pneumonia. Mark Cuda said they kept her back until she recovered, because they thought she had potential.
"She always had a nice cage," Mark said. "And when she calved in with a good udder on her first calf, we knew we had something."
Nona, who is classified 85 points, has also been out at the shows. She was Reserve Champion Cow behind another Barron Bella exhibit at the Malanda Show and Supreme Dairy Cow at the North Queensland Spring Fair.
The two-year-old champion also has a story. Wellstrand Finalcut Georgia is owned by Kelvin Cochrane and Chad Parker, of Wild Oats Holsteins at Kenilworth. Chad is well-known for his Jersey prefix, Glen-Echo, but in a spontaneous moment the pair bought the Western Australian-bred Georgia at International Dairy Week as a joined heifer.
She is now one of four Holsteins running in Chad's 300-cow Jersey herd. She delivered them a Shottle heifer this year and was Reserve Intermediate Champion at the Brisbane Royal Show.
The Betts family, who bred her, established the family from some of the earliest embryos that were imported from Canada in 1986. Georgia's third dam went on to classify EX 5E and become a six Star Brood Cow. Georgia's EX91 dam is also the dam of the Reserve Intermediate Champion at the Perth Royal this year and another Braedale Goldwyn daughter that calls Fraser Holsteins home in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales.
Chad said it was a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Kelvin put the buy into perspective.
"She is without doubt the best investment I have ever made in cattle, fullstop," Kelvin said.
"She went in calf at her first joining as a maiden heifer, delivered us a Shottle heifer calf and settled into the herd without any dramas.
"I wasn't sure how that would go at Chad's, given that he milks pretty much all Jerseys, but she's been fine. She's just so balanced, she's not extreme but she has no real faults and she's developed her rear udder three-fold even since Brisbane.
"She milks hard and we saw the Goldwyn sister at Fraser's recently and she's almost identical, so there's a real pattern to the family. At the time we bought her we thought she was pretty cheap and we didn't really study her pedigree until the next day."
The four-year-old champion was gifted to Natalie Crank. Arabella Igniter Candy is a second-calved four-year-old, scored 88 points, in a 110-cow herd. She is backed by VG85 Integrity x EX92 Maughlin Storm x VG89 Townson Lindy x EX-2E Warden and her breeding originated from the Waldron family and was later developed through the New South Wales Glenalbas herd of Allan and Amanda Garratty and Arabella Farming's Holmes family.
Candy was placed second in her sub-branch, but triumphed at the state level.
"We like the competition because it allows different people to come to our farm without the added cost of getting ready for a show," Natalie said. "My niece, Giana, and I were involved in taking Murray (the judge) between farms and it was a good chance for us to see other people's cattle too."
The five-year-old champion, Leader Roy Satin, is the current All-Australian four-year-old. She was also Queensland's 2009 Reserve Champion On-Farm four-year-old for her Oakey owners, Travis and Melissa Deans.
Satin is from a family that is five generations EX and two of her daughters by Jasper and Mr Sam sold for 12,500 and 11,000 respectively during 2010. Satin is run in a 70-cow herd and her last completed lactation was 11,390 litres, 3.1% 354kg protein, 3.6% 404kg fat in 305 days. She is classified EX91 1E and backed by a 91-point Durham x 90-point Rudolph.
Satin is a family that has already richly rewarded Travis and Melissa. At their on-farm sale in July, which averaged $8536 for 69 head, Satins made up half the offering (34) and grossed $317,500.
"She is a special cow and Melissa's favourite - we always joke Satin is hers in the divorce," Travis said. "Seriously, it was a thrill to win. And of the three key cows we've kept to rebuild after the sale all have won a state title in the On-Farm competition."
Travis said the competition had become part of their marketing strategy and he had no doubt that it added additional value to their animals.
The mature-aged cow came from the Ardylbar herd of Adrian, Sheryl and Waylon Barron at Hodgsenvale, in Toowoomba. Plana Modest Steph EX92 was 1st in the five to seven-year-old class and Champion Cow at the Toowoomba Royal this year. She is in a flush program and she will be set for International Dairy Week 2012.
Waylon, who judged Australia's biggest sub-branch in the competition that exceeded 300-head (40 farms) in the Western Districts, of Victoria, said the competition had established itself as an integral part of breeders' calendars.
"I think it has a place for everyone, hasn't it?" he said. "The judges come to your farm and it doesn't cost thousands to enter so everything you do win is a bonus."
QUEENSLAND STATE RESULTS:
TWO YEAR OLD - 1st: Wellstrand Finalcut Georgia (0200HO03280 Gillette Final Cut), K Cochrane and C Parker (Wild Oats Holsteins, Kenilworth) - 2nd: Instyle Shottle Amy, R Thomas (Instyle Holsteins, Kyogle).
THREE YEAR OLD - 1st: Meadowland Igniter Nona (Summershade Igniter), F and D Cuda (Barron Bella Holsteins, Upper Barron) - 2nd: Kaloola Damion Symphony, T and L Northfileld (Kaloola Holsteins, Tatham).
FOUR YEAR OLD - 1st: Arabella Igniter Candy (Summershade Igniter), EP and N Crank (Minash Holsteins, Kingsthorpe) - 2nd: Burnleigh Mrsam Michelle, P Rough (Burnleigh Holsteins, Kenilworth).
FIVE YEAR OLD - 1st: Leader Roy Satin (Comestar Leader), T and M Deans (Leader Holsteins, Oakey) - 2nd: Clarkdale Allen Monty, Clark Partnership (Creswick Holsteins, Caniaba).
MATURE - 1st: Plana Modest Steph, A and S Barron (Ardylbar Holsteins, Hodgsenvale) - 2nd: Adadale Jed Chandon, Paulger Partners (Adadale Holsteins, Kenilworth).
SOUTH AUSTRALIA RESULTS
South Australia is a haven for outstanding Holsteins and this year's state judge for the Semex-Holstein Australia On-Farm Competition proved to be no exception.
This year's judge Bill Thompson (who has exhibited Grand Champion Holstein at the Adelaide Royal Show for the last two years with different animals) placed 139 animals from 21 breeders.
Bill moved between individual farms, covering more than 600km in his biggest day's judging as he worked to place cows, in first the Central and Fleurieu sub-branches, before going on to name his state champions.
A proactive group of people who bring the South Australian event to life have also given it wings and it is now considered to be a highlight of the year for exhibitors. More than 70 people attended the finals evening and all commented on the exposure they enjoy because of the extra work Semex representative Vaughn Johnston put in with the video work.
A new face on the championship podium this year was Andrew and Angela Koch, of Glenunga Holsteins. The couple milk 180 cows (including 150 Holsteins and 30 Jerseys under the Ashtaney Jerseys prefix).
"This is our first championship, but then again we've been a bit on and off with entering in the past, because we've been so busy," Andrew said. "But we've improved our act a bit and since Vaughn (Johnston, Semex) started videoing it because all the competition has subsequently had a lot more exposure and there is more interest and value in it for us," he said.
Their championship four-year-old entry, Glenunga Jordan Glenna is a VG85 Roylane Jordan daughter from a VG88 Comestar Outside, who traces her roots back to a Rockwood Park foundation cow (fourth dam) - Rockwood Park Quality Glenna EX2E. The family finds its original roots at the Deloraine Stud in New Zealand.
Quality Glenna is a former Reserve Champion Cow at the Adelaide Royal and the Mt Pleasant Autumn Fair and she has developed into a valuable brood cow for the Koch family. Jordan Glenna who was milking 40 litres a day at the time of the competition has had two daughters and she is back in calf for the spring shows next year. Her maternal sister finished second in the five-year-old class at branch level in this year's competition.
Glenna had a rough start to the show season, finishing last in her four-year-old class at the Adelaide Royal Show.
"We were a bit shocked, to be honest," Andrew said. "But we went home and she did all sorts of developing and two weeks later she won Grand Champion, Supreme Champion and Best Udder at the Fleurieu Spring Show, at Murray Bridge."
Dean and Beverley Thorpe, of Balara Holsteins at Meningie, won the competitive two-year-old class with Balara Advent Dancer-Red. Dancer's dam was a Red and White Talent daughter which died before she was classified. Dean said Dancer is an aggressive young cow who was in the first run every milking in their 185-cow herd. She was giving 30 litres at the time of the competition, and given her success they are toying with breaking her to halter in time for next year's Royal Adelaide Show. The event remains an important date on their marketing calendar.
"It is certainly good. We've made it into our major state social event as well. There were nearly 70 people there on the presentation night and everyone had a fantastic time."
The three-year-old winner, Paravale Rubens Rose-ET VG85 (STBVQ Rubens), gave Jack Bramley, of Paravale Holsteins at Yankalilla, one of his final high points as an active breeder in the industry. She also proved that every cow has a story.
Jack recently dispersed his milking herd for an average that was a sniff over $2600 with a top price of $25,000. Rubens Rose, who traces her roots back to the famous US matriarch Stookey Elm Park Blackrose herself, now belongs to Dean and Beverley's Balara Holsteins and she cost them $4900. Jack, who thought Rubens Rose was one of the bargains of his sale, is no stranger to lucky buys.
He secured her dam, Pooley Bridge Milestone Redrose, for $1000 as a six-year-old after seeing her waiting in the yard to go to the choppers and recognising her as the cow that had cost Anthony Steiner $15,000 at International Dairy Week. She had failed to get in calf that year, given Jack the chance to buy her.
"We flushed Milestone Redrose to Rubens and she had three black daughters for us and I've still got embryos," Jack said. "Rubens Rose's full sister had a Red and White calf though, so Rubens Rose would have to be a red carrier and there is no doubt that her udder is her most outstanding feature."
Milestone Redrose is a 6 Star Brood Cow and she has 16 daughters (eight VG) and the Red and White gene is coming through in many of her daughters. Her win essentially gave Balara the majority of state champions.
"The Red and Whites are a bit of a novelty," Dean said. Everybody wants one and I will try and breed some reds out of her. She's a good young cow with a beautiful rear udder."
Jack said the competition was fabulous.
"We feel no differently about this competition. It's great and the hardest thing is finding judges to do it."
The five-year-old champion Misty Brae Alan Della-ET (Canyon-Breeze Allen) came out of Gino and Amanda Pacitti's stable. The couple, who farm with the help of their sons, Ashley and Andrew, are always a force. The VG85 Allen daughter is backed by EX91 x VG88 x Tarinka Park Mascot Deanne EX4E. Della, who calved in August, was Reserve Champion at the Fleurieu Spring Feature Show and a class winner at the Adelaide Royal.
"Della's dam has been a foundation cow in our herd and Allen Della's two ET sisters are both classified high VG," Gino said.
He said the competition was a welcome part of their business.
"It gives us a fantastic medium to promote our animals without the show environment. I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone who wants to see how their cattle fit with their peers because it's about honest, all-round animals."
The mature cow class winner belonged to Eden Valley producers Steve and Verica Seeliger. Their VG88 homebred entry, Esjay Dividend Treva, won the aged cow class at the Adelaide Royal and she was pulled out in the championship line-up.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA STATE OVER JUDGING RESULTS:
TWO YEAR OLD - 1st: Balara Advent Dancer-Red, L Thorpe Pty Ltd (Balara Holsteins, Meningie) - 2nd: Billabong Bolton Pippa, K and G Afford and Son (Billabong Holsteins, Murray Bridge).
THREE YEAR OLD - 1st: Paravale Rubens Rose-ET (STBVQ Rubens), J Bramley (Paravale Holsteins, Yankalilla) - 2nd: Jervois Logon Shannon, C and F Mason (Jervois Holsteins, Jervois).
FOUR YEAR OLD - 1st: Glenunga Jordan Glenna, A and A Koch (Glenunga Proprietors, Moculta) - 2nd: Billabong Informer Marion, K and G Afford and Son (Billabong Holsteins, Murray Bridge).
FIVE YEAR OLD - 1st: Misty Brae Alan Della-ET, G and A Pacitti (Misty Brae Holsteins, Myponga) - 2nd: Tauwitchere Shaker Laurel, K and G Afford and Son (Billabong Holsteins, Murray Bridge).
MATURE - 1st: Esjay Dividend Treva, S and V Seeliger (Esjay Holsteins, Eden Valley) - 2nd: Joyley Luckystrike Della-ET, G and A Pacitti (Misty Brae Holsteins, Myponga).
Tasmania Results
Two operations featured double champions in the Tasmanian state final of the Semex-Holstein Australia On-Farm Competition recently.
Ian and MaryAnn Hortle, who milk 220 cows with their son, James, and daughter, Alana, at Moriarty won the two-year-old and the four-year-old class. Ross and Leanne Dobson, of Bracknell, who are habitually a force in the competition won the five-year-old and mature class, leaving the three-year-old to John and Vicky Lilico, of Smithton.
The Dobsons also won two reserve champions, which gave them four of the 10 titles (40 percent) on offer. The Hortles were close on their tail, winning a reserve, in addition to their champions. It gave them 30 percent of the title haul.
The competition was judged by William Leggat, of Craigbank Holsteins, Murray Bridge, in South Australia and he dealt with 136 entries from 19 breeders.
Ian Hortle said they believed in their two-year-old champion, Panatana Lucente Patch, whose dam, Panatana RJ Patch, won reserve champion in the mature class.
"We rated her a good chance, because she has an outstanding high and wide rear udder, she's tall, her rump structure and her bone structure are good. She is quite dairy, which is a little different for Lucentes. Her dam is a tremendous bodied cow who has had four calves and she's due in January so she was a bit stale. I had the two-year-old picked out and she looked good on the video too."
Ian said the competition was a super way to achieve recognition without washing, clipping or showing the cows. Ian and MaryAnn owned the two-year-old and James owned the four-year-old.
"People get to know what cows you have and they see them on the videos. It's a great help with our marketing."
The other double-winner, the Dobsons, won the five-year-old and mature class with Fairvale Iron Butter 84 VG85 and Fairvale Leader Ingot 45 EX90 1E respectively.
"The Butters are a family that just keeps on winning for us," Ross said. "She is a cow that we have fielded a fair bit of interest in, but at this point we're still enjoying her.
Leanne confirmed that Butter is one of her favourites. She said the third calver, which produced 9697 litres on her second lactation, badly needed to see the classifier again.
"She's my favourite type-wise. She's tall and when she's fresh she has a beautiful dairy strength about her. She is so well balanced and she has a beautiful long neck and a picture-perfect udder. She's not huge, probably around the 61 inches but she's a trouble-free cow that always comes through the dairy early and just likes to get on with business."
Their mature champion, Ingot 45, comes from a cow family Ross bought into for $250, who went on to win a "heap" of championships in her day. The nine-year-old modern exponent of the family is out of an EX 1E Lindy x VG85 Inspiration. She is carrying on the legacy of making great herd cows. She is the 45th Ingot in the Fairvale herd, proving the family's substance. She produced 11,500 litres in her last 305-day lactation.
"She's another Leader daughter and I don't have to talk about the success of Leader daughters in this herd," Ross said. "They are not the biggest cattle, but they are so balanced."
Leanne agreed.
"She's medium stature, but she is so capacious with such a deep rib and a really snug udder," Leanne said.
John and Vicky Lillico, of Smithton, were the names on the three-year-old champoin, Hindlee Donante Danielle 7163.
Danielle is a second-calved three-year-old from a family they have bred themselves. The couple milk 680 and Danielle was milking 44 litres a day 103 days into her lactation.
"She surprised us a fair bit," John said. "In saying that she is a pretty nice young cow and she's PIing at 111, but we're always time challenged and we don't have a lot of time for self-promotion.
"So this competition is terrific for us. They just ring up and say the judge is coming and we sort out a few cows and if you win a class it's pretty nice."
He said Danielle was from a VG85 Prelude x VG86 Nucleur.
"It's been a prolific cow family and every now and again you hit the Jack Pot and get a really nice one, including an EX5 Nucleur," John said.
TASMANIAN STATE RESULTS:
TWO YEAR OLD - 1st: Panatana Lucente Patch, Greenbanks Pty Ltd (Panatana Holsteins, Moriarty) - 2nd: Murribrook Freelance Glory, P and E Geard (Green Glory Holsteins, Broadmarsh).
THREE YEAR OLD - 1st: Hindlee Donante Danielle 7163, J and V Lillico (Hindlee Holsteins, Smithton) - 2nd: Fairvale Talent Butter 117, R and L Dobson (Fairvale Holsteins, Bracknell).
FOUR YEAR OLD - 1st: Jamala Mailing Nicole, J Hortle (Jamala Holsteins, Sassafras) - 2nd: Fairvale Igniter Josie 32, R and L Dobson (Fairvale Holsteins, Bracknell).
FIVE YEAR OLD - 1st: Fairvale Iron Butter 84, R and L Dobson (Fairvale Holsteins, Bracknell) 2nd: Rengaw Ladino Mannequin, G and D Wagner (Rengaw Holsteins, Winnaleah).
MATURE - 1st: Fairvale Leader Ingot 45, R and L Dobson (Fairvale Holsteins, Bracknell) 2nd - Panatana RJ Patch, Greenbanks Pty Ltd (Panatana Holsteins, Moriarty).
South East Results:
Two maternal sisters owned by different operations emerged from 1262 entries as state champions in the South Eastern Australian Semex Holstein Australia On-Farm Competition recently.
High Green Goldwyn Noni and High Green Bolton Noni won the two and three-year-old champions respectively in what judge Jenny Grey described as an exceptional display of young cows during the presentation luncheon at the Witchmount Winery at Melton.
They come from the same family as the reigning Intermediate Champion from International Dairy Week (IDW), Page House Shottle Noni, who was bought by Roger and Helen Perrett for $33,000.
Adding weight to the titles is that just over 2800 animals competed throughout the country, giving the South Eastern state close to 50 percent of the total numbers. The biggest sub-branch surpassed 300 head.
Both Nonis are bred by Richard Ellis, of Leongatha, but ultimately trace back to the Fernyhurst Nonis of Max, Elaine and David Spring in Queensland.
Goldwyn Noni is owned by Brad and Leesa Windridge, from Windy Ridge Holsteins, at Leitchville in northern Victoria. The young couple milk 280 head without staff and this year was only the second time they had entered.
"We were definitely surprised," Brad said. "This will be hard to back up to." They bought Noni at IDW this year for $7000 as a joined heifer. She has since calved in with a bull calf, she is milking 36 litres a day, waiting for the classifier and she will now probably show at IDW.
"It's very good for us to be involved in this competition and we'd never have considered showing her without the competition," Brad said.
High Green Bolton Noni is owned by another couple, which underscored the soul of the competition. Steve manages a 1000-cow herd and keeps his six show cows at his Broadwater property away from the farm and he milks them before and after work on a midget milker to feed calves.
The family enjoys developing their registered cattle together and the win meant more to them than most of the audience would have realised.
"I've always dreamed of standing up here in front of breeders that you've grown up with admiring their cattle," Steve said. "And it's even better to beat them - in a nice way of course, because you know you're doing something right." Steve Joyce.
"Today was therapy - it makes it all the work worth it and makes up for the losses we all have at some time."
Crossley dairy producers Chris and Mary Gleeson took their kudos from not one, but two state championships from their 250-cow herd.
"It's a pleasing result, because to get to the top of our sub-branch which had more than 300 entries and make the final and then go in front of another judge and to win is exciting. Because at this level any one of five cows on screen could be as good - it's just so competitive and by the law of averages you do need a little bit of luck."
Elm Banks Durham Berry won the five-year-old title and she was one of four Elm Banks animals that classified EX just days before the presentation, taking their tally to 39 EX on-farm (seven with third calvers).
Melville Park Storm Queen-ET EX93 won the mature class and with more than 10,000 litres up in 225 days she is paying her way.
Robin and Lois White, of Finley, won the four-year-old class with Luccombe Lheros Fairy. The EX90-scored third calved four-year-old finished second at sub-branch level. She was milking more than 50 litres a day and her owners took the news she had leapfrogged her competition at state level in their stride.
"It's a wonderful competition," Robin said. "And, to be honest, the animals that finish first and second and present to the next judge it is a bit of a lottery, because there are so many variables. Fairy really did look very good on the day Jenny visited, but we didn't have high hopes."
Judge Jenny Grey, from Kiama, in New South Wales was officiating in her first Victorian judging role. She had be the overjudge in Queensland and judged sub-branch competitions in New South Wales, in addition to New Zealand.
She only had one piece of advice for her Victorian colleagues.
"They should keep doing what they're doing, because what they're doing is very, very good," she said. "In particular I thought the udders were very, very good. The attachments on the young cattle and the ligaments were exceptional. The older cows were also very impressive with the youthfulness of their udders."
SOUTH EAST STATE RESULTS:
TWO YEAR OLD - 1st: High Green Goldwyn Noni (Braedale Goldwyn), B and L Windridge (Windy Ridge Holsteins, Leithville). - 2nd: Glenorleigh Alladin Paulie L, W and J Thompson and James Breen (Glenorleigh Holsteins, Mt Gambier).
THREE YEAR OLD - 1st: High Green Bolton Noni-ET, R Joyce and Beclah Park Holsteins (Broadwater) - 2nd: Gowerville Hope Marlene, N Goodfellow (Gowerville Holsteins Kyabram).
FOUR YEAR OLD - 1st: Luccombe Lheros Fair (Comestar Lheros), R and L White (Luccombe Holsteins, Finley) - 2nd: Cooltah Freeman Alice, H, V and J Gardiner, Avonlea Holsteins, Freeway)
FIVE YEAR OLD - 1st: Elm Banks Durham Berry, C and M Gleeson (Elm Banks Holsteins, Crossley) - 2nd: Creswick Spirte Betty 2nd, G and M Male, Creswick Holsteins, Caldermeade.
MATURE - 1st: Melville Park Storm Queen-ET (Maughlin Storm), C and M Gleeson (Elm Banks Holsteins, Crossley) - 2nd: Jubulani Stormatic Wanda 2-ET, P and A Edmonds, Jabulani Holsteins, Glencoe).
