2019 will certainly be a year the family will never forget - after claiming two grand champion ribbons at International Dairy Week, with Exkwizit Active Barbell in the Guernsey ring and and Fairvale Goldchip Melody in the Holstein (both also claiming best udder awards as well), they backed it up with a swag of major titles in the Nowra dairy section including supreme champion cow.

Exkwizit Active Barbell backed up her success at dairy week to get the nod from judges Craig Cochrane and Brett Hayter the take out the top award.

Abbey Crawford led the five-year-old, which also won senior champion Ayrshire.

Darren Crawford claimed senior champion Holstein with Horizon Bradnick Ambrosia, which also claimed the interbreed best udder award.

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For the first time this year, the Nowra Show dairy section operated with just two rings - a Holstein ring and a coloured ring for the other cattle breeds.

The best placed animals in each breed then contested the champion ribbons.

Also tasting success, dominating the coloured ring were Tom and Kyleigh Cochrane, of Pyree.

They claimed Interbreed supreme junior champion and junior champion Illawarra with Kangawarra Heather, junior champion Brown Swiss with Blissed Blooming Ritzy, senior champion Illawarra, taking out the KJ Henry Memorial Award with Kangawarra Matilda and senior champion Brown Swiss with Kevindale Zeuss Rosina.

They also took out overall most successful exhibitor along with the most successful exhibitor and most successful breeder in the coloured ring.

A minute’s silence was held during the judging to mark the passing of well-known local dairyman Brian Burgess earlier in the week.

Chief cattle steward Alan Garratty gave an emotional address saying Mr Burgess had been a mentor to many and would be sadly missed.

“He always had a word of advice, he was very encouraging” he said.

“He [Brian] was here last year and was always a keen observer of the Joe Calcraft Memorial Award for most successful breeder in the Holstein ring.”

The minute’s silence also marked the passing of two other notable dairymen t in the last 12 months, Tom Walsh and Bruce McIntosh.

The other major award winners were -

Junior champion Guernsey was the Marty Downes entry Brookleigh Hello Byclure.

Junior champion Jersey was the Cochrane and Pepper entry Parrabel BP Colton Ricochet.

The Holstein junior champion for the Fern Garratty Memorial was taken out by Melissa and Tim Chittick with Timissa Doorman Juliette.

Intermediate Holstein champion was Boscawen Addiction Gala.

Senior champion Jersey was Boscawen Action Rosebell.

Herne and Russell from Boscawen Holsteins, of Brundee took out the Joe Calcraft Memorial Award for most successful breeder and were also the most successful exhibitor in the Holstein ring.