TOP AWARD: Supreme Champion Cow at the 125th Berry Show, taking out the FA McIntosh Memorial Award, was Jim and Karen Strong and the Crawford family’s Coolea Allen Jo, shown by Brad Gavinlock. Congratulating the winner were (from left) Phil Monaghan from Weston Milling Animal Nutrition, judge John Gardiner and Bruce McIntosh.
THE first All Australian Holstein Show staged as part of the annual Berry Show at the weekend attracted a strong field of entrants.
Normally staged as part of the Nowra Show, the All Australian Competition was moved to Berry by the South Coast and Southern Highlands sub branch of the Holstein Association as part of the 125th anniversary celebrations.
Chief cattle steward Col Walsh was happy with the numbers and quality of entries at this year’s dairy cattle section.
“We had 55 entries in the Holsteins and it was stiff competition,” he said.
“There were some wonderful entries, across all classes.
“We also had 36 entries in the Illawarra section and 26 in the Jerseys.
“Sure, it would have been nice to have had more numbers but the quality, considering we have had a dry season, was superb.”
Supreme Champion Cow at the 125th Berry Show, taking out the FA McIntosh Memorial Award, which carried $500 in prizemoney from the McIntosh Family and Weston Milling Animal Nutrition, was Jim and Karen Strong and the Crawford Family’s Coolea Allen Jo, shown by Brad Gavinlock.
The All Australian Show allows any heifer or milking Holstein that places first, second or third in its class to be entered in a nationwide All Australian Photographic Competition.
Entries are received from all over the county and are whittled down in each division to the top six, from which the overall winner is announced.
It was hoped that new undercover dairy cattle facilities would be open for this year’s show but unfortunately a host of circumstances including the recent wet weather conspired against organisers. Instead, a huge marquee was erected which was welcomed by competitors.
It is planned to have the undercover shed area, which would house stalls and preparation sections, to be completed for next year’s show.