Two young people with multiple runs on the board – that credit International Dairy Week’s (IDW) youth show for helping shape their careers – were charged with making the decisions on the first day of action at the Tatura Show Grounds, two hours north of Melbourne, Australia.
All breeds were celebrated in the Youth Show.
Brad Gavenlock judging the Youth Show
Brad Gavenlock recently re-located back to Australia after nine months living and farming in Central Wisconsin.
Hayley Menzies is an integral part of the 600-strong Cairnsdale Holsteins and Rivendell Jersey herd at Nowra (NSW). Notably, she is also the daughter of Lyn and Maurice Boyd – of Brunchilli Jersey fame – who have won Premier Breeder in the Jersey show at IDW for the last 13 years.
Both spoke about their youth experience before placing this year’s champions at the show that welcomes many international visitors – including a strong North American contingent.
“I’ve been fortunate to show a few heifers out here, but at the end of the day we’re a small industry, we’re a tight industry, and I think we all need to respect every breed for what they are because every breed has its place,” Brad said.
“To see these heifers who are representing their breeds today is quite a compliment to the junior show at IDW.”
He said the experience was priceless.
Ella Young was on the same page as her lead, Calthorpe Vanahlem Cream.
“It was that and beyond,” Brad said. “IDW has grown immensely and the youth show is as strong as the open show in some respects. I give credit to all those that support it so early in the week. The day I got the email asking about judging IDW, it made a time during a pretty miserable winter (in North America) pretty good. The youth show has also given young people like myself and Hayley a chance to judge in front of international visitors. You never know where that will lead.”
“That’s why we came back to Australia. We missed IDW and we missed showing with our close family and friends. It’s great to be home and it’s great to be settled.”
And it was Sun Vale Holsteins who dominated, winning Junior Champion (senior handler), Honourable Mention Junior Champion (junior handler), and Senior Champion (junior leader). It would take them through to the ultimate title – Grand Champion of the Youth Show with a young Red and White Holstein entry.
“We were hoping to make the top five,” Katie Anderson, of Sun Vale said. “We’re pumped with the day. We never expected it.”
Brad said he couldn’t go past Sun Vale Redliner Wonka-Red. Wonka is a Fradon Redliner from a Reality. Born March 2013, she freshened in October. Katie said her parents bought Wonka’s Advent granddam from Travis and Melissa Deans (Leader Holsteins). They bred the Advent to Reality and it was the Reality that had formed the backbone of the family at Sun Vale. Brad first made her Champion of the in-milk show for the Junior Leaders before taking her all the way.
Sun Vale’s triumphant display.
“She was so well balanced and she showed me the depth of fore and rear rib and more dairyness right through than the Reserve,” Brad said.
He made it clear early on he was looking for balance.
“If you’re going to get sick of listening to me saying ‘balance’, well, it’s probably a good time to leave because I’m going to keep saying it all day long,” Brad said.
“If they’re not balanced, then I’m probably not going to win with them.”
Avonlea Selector Figsie was Honourable Mention
While Brad was impressed by his two young in-milk Champions, a young heifer that gave away three months in her 2015-born class was right up in there with her 14-year-old handler, Ashleigh Van Leeuwen. Avonlea Selector Figsie, sired by a homebred Windbrook son, and owned by the Gardiner family, of Avonlea Holsteins, slid into Honourable Mention Grand beside two in-milk entries.
Elmar Zelgardis Jessica 3 (Brady Hore) was Senior Champion (senior leader) and Mikandan Vanahlems Caramel 2275 (Olivia Hendebo) was Reserve Senior Champion (senior leader)
“For me, that heifer gets me excited,” Brad said. “And for all the ones that think I’m crazy placing her there – when she wins next year – I’ll be the first one to tell you,” Brad said.
John Gardiner said that they were really good friends with Ashleigh’s family and she had asked to take a calf.
“We got one for her last year and she got second and we said we’d try and find one for her this year again,” John said. “We really just wanted to give Ashleigh the chance, even though we liked the calf, but we never expected to do anything like that. Ashleigh did a really nice job on her.”
In the showmanship classes, judge Hayley Menzies was taken back to the first year she competed in the youth show in 1999.
“I went in the paraders classes every year until I won,” Hayley said. “It was a real buzz to be out here today. I guess I’m a picky handler myself, and I’m very hard on myself, so I knew what I was looking for.”
She had a big job in a ring that was quickly heating up at the end of the afternoon. There were 43 handlers in the biggest class of the day – the Junior Handlers.
“As a whole, there was class where I asked every competitor when their animals had been born and everyone told me. Back when I started, hardly anyone would have known that. There is definite progression and to have more than 40 in a class was amazing,” Hayley said.
“Overall, it was wonderful to see so many young people out there today having a go.”
Complete Show Results
Grand Champion Heifer: Sun Vale Redliner Wonka-Red, Leader – Renee Anderson
Reserve Champion Heifer – Elmar Zelgardis Jessica 3, Leader – Brady Hore
Honourable Mention – Avonlea Selector Figsie, Leader – Ashleigh Van Leeuwen
Senior Reserve Champion in Milk Heifer – Junior Leader, Cobrico Shuttle Susette. Leader – Jake Scott
Honourable Mention Carisma Cairnhill Presence-1-ET. Leader – Zali Deenen,
Junior Leader, Sun Vale Redliner Wonka-Red, Leader – Renee Anderson
Honourable Mention – Wallacedale Topeka Melanie. Leader – Scott Lockeridge
Senior Champion in Milk Heifer – Senior Leader Elmar Zelgardis Jessica 3. Leader Brady Hore
Reserve Junior Champion Heifer – Junior Leader Avonlea Sanchez Alarna-IMP-ET, Leader – Luke Gardiner
Honourable Mention, Sun Vale Ninja Lady, Leader Renee Anderson
Reserve Junior Champion Heifer – Senior Leader, Runway Veronicas Cupid, Leader – Thomas Wade
Honourable Mention Lightning Ridge Armani Licorice-RED. Leader Sarah Dodd
1. Lightening Ridge Armani Licorice – Sarah Dodd
2. Shirlinn Romney Queen – Jaclyn Lindsay
3. Enterprise Burette Gaiety 4533 – Hayley Maddern
4. Gorbro Atwood D Kassie – Corey Macgillivray
5. Billabong Attorney Dingles – Courtney Afford
1. Burn- Brae Baltimor – Isabella Mackie
2. Miami Tequila Girlie 5115 – ET – Abbie Hanks
3. Burn- Brae Max Maize – Scott Mackie
4. Eclipsepierce LR Class Cale IMP-ET – Anna Dickson
1. Sun Vale Armani Rommy – Katie Anderson
2. Juggling Babs 7262 – Matt Gregory
3. Riversleigh Pingerly Dorris 4 – Rachael Barnes
4. Kelenmare Liquid Gold Evelina – Rebecca Daley
5. Gorbro Atchez Shimmer – Caleb Quinn
1. Avonlea Sanchez Alarna-IMP-ET – Luke Gardiner
2. Carisma Dreamy paradise 1-ET – Mia Deenen
3. Hillview Park Kaliber Victoria – Tahlia Railton
4. Foleama Lix Rose II – Charlie Lloyd
5. Lloydstar Flawless Vanilla – Sarah Lloyd
1. Runway Veronicas Cupid-ET – Thomas Wade
2. Burnside Gun Honey – Olivia Handebo
3. Llandovery LB Betty – Zoe Hayes
4. Southern Star Shadow Pam – Sophia Wright
5. Elmar Guthrie Farley 2 – Brady More
1. Avonlea Selector Figsie – Ashleigh Van Leeuwen
2. Sun Vale Ninja Lady – Renee Anderson
3. Woodlawn McCutchen Delight 5657 – Josh Blake
4. Cleveland Dashdawn Butter – Mikaela Daniel
5. Ghinni Creek Hariette – Jess Eagles
1. Glenbrook Poppy 6 – Joanna Owers
2. Ripponlea Davids Duchess 2872 – Alana Schulz
3. Diamond Hill Maddison Bambi Star 2 – Cameron Lindsay
4. Quality Ridge Windbreak Bonnie 3-ET – Sarah Dodd
5. Gorbro Goldendreams Shimmer – Erika Quinn
1. Brunchilli Excitation Belle – Billy Michael
2. Langdale Verbatim Martha – Brianna Weaver
3. Brindabella Goldchip Natalie – Georgia Sieben
4. Diamond Hill CV Tequila Crystalyn – Mali Dillon
5. Wallumlands Ethel 22 – Charlotte Strong
1. Sun Vale Spectrum Renita – Katie Anderson
2. Camberfield Galaxy – Sam Hackett
3. Glenbrook Venus 30 – Brittany Liebich
4. Dryfesdale Tanbark Pretzel – Rebecca Daley
1. Calthorpe Vanahlem Cream – Ella Young
2. Three Creeks Rosarian 8 – Sophie Chittick
3. Brunchilli Gator Maquita – Jack Michael
4. Kookaburra Gwab Boondabar – Joseph Clarke
1. Sun Vale Attitude Jodie-RC – Katie Anderson
2. Shirlinn Tequila Dawn – Jaclyn Lundsay
3. Lemon Grove Honeymoon – Zoe Hayes
4. Wisteria Park Sweet Dreams – Sarah Ludington
5.Paschendaele Vicki Titan – Jamie Why brow
1. Rowlands Park Brax Shamrock-ET – Kaitlyn Wishart
2. Pooley Bridge -Rover kay 179 – Rachel Lucich
3. Emu Banks Shuttle Shade 7427 – Rachel Dickson
1. Bolview Dream-A-Rilla – Brittany Liebich
2. Pooley Bridge Fever Blackrose 48 – Sam Hill
3. Bolview Rhythm Atalia – Dylan McDonald
4.Sunshine Farm Fowler 5 – Dylan Morris
5. Inverell Fernleaf 193 – Tracey Millett
1. Burn Brae Baltimore Jolene – Jasmin Mackie
2. Bruncilli Glory belle 2 – Christopher Wright
3. Segenhoe Park Reginald Patsy – Cally O’Shannassy
4. Boldview Faraway Dreamer – Hayley Brander
1. Wallacedale Topeka Melaine – Scott Lockeridge (sells Tuesday 11:30am)
2. Lindon deb Fire Kite-RED – Katie Anderson
3. Darrynvale Vans Cheryl – Ellie Hourigan
4. Juggling Hazel 6866 – Matt Gregory (sells Tuesday 11:30am)
5. Pooley Bridge-Aftershock – Sarah Dodd
1. Crobico Shuttle Susette – Jake Scott
2. Pooley bridge fever Kay – Rachel Lucich
3. Gower Park tequila Marthas Joy – Allie McDonald
4. Chevron AS Lady – Taya Hayes
1. Elmar Zelgardis Jessica 3 – Brady Hore
2. Mikandan Vanahlems Caramel 2275 – Olivia Hendebo
3. Strongbark Sid Georgette – Erika Quinn
4. Sensei Atwood Electra – Anthony Glennen
5. Bluechip Windbreak Paradise 2-ET – Rachel Mason
1. Sun Vale Redliner Wonka-RED – Renee Anderson
2. Carisma Cairnhill Presence-1-ET – Zali Deenen
3. Hillview Park Brina Eve – Tahlia Railton
4. Rowlands Park Braxton Farlex – Kaitlyn Wishart
5. Hyena PP Caboose – Cally O’Shannassy
Intermediate Championship Handler – Zoe Hayes
Junior Championship Handler –Sarah Lloyd
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