Murray Bridge shows off
Last Saturday saw the return of The Murray Bridge Show with many animals back in the show ring for the 102nd Annual Show at the Murray Bridge Showgrounds.
Show Organiser and Fleurieu & Central SA Sub-branch Secretary Courtney Afford said it was great to see animals back in the show ring after the unfortunate cancellation of the Royal Adelaide Show.
Breeders put on a highly competitive junior event this year and while numbers weren’t excessive, Judge Caitlin Hentschke of Omega Gen from Glencoe had her work cut out for her.
The Junior Champion Rockwella Farm Pemberton Buttercup of Rockwella Holsteins owned by the Hurrell family of Yankalilla was a clear standout, exhibiting great dairy quality, openness, depth of rib and tremendous feet and legs; she was also awarded Supreme Junior Champion Dairy Heifer later in the show.
Taking out the Reserve Junior Champion title was Edge Diamondback Chanel, exhibited by the Treloar family of Edge Holsteins from Victor Harbor. They also placed second with another well framed classy heifer in the Winter Yearling class.
There was strong representation from local schools who participated in the show with heifers donated from local breeders.
Murray Bridge High School exhibited a well-balanced and lengthy heifer named Billabong Tatoo Pebbles who won the Spring Yearling class and was Honourable Mention in the Junior Champion class.
“It has been very encouraging to see so much youth involvement, with the addition of school programs making a positive impact on the show circuit and the dairy industry in general” said Miss Afford.
Whilst there were only two entries entered in the in-milk class, the Senior Champion winner Jervois 5G Concorde 2nd, exhibited by Clem Mason was a remarkable individual that no doubt could have withstood much competition.
With her tremendous open frame, uphill run, dairy quality and a near flawless mammary system, she was an excellent example of the breed and went on to also be crowned Supreme Champion.
Intermediate Champion was awarded to Jervois Brady Midge who was also exhibited by Clem Mason.
Show organisers report there were high quality class winners that would do extremely well at the major shows.
Due to the cancellation of the Royal Adelaide Show, the State Young Judges and Handlers Competition was also held at the Murray Bridge Show this year and attracted over 40 young competitors to battle it out to represent South Australia in the National Finals at the 2022 Sydney Royal Show.
The young handlers were put through their paces by Judge David Peglar of Sleepy Hollow in Langhorne Creek.
Tegan Afford of Milky Way from Woods Point took out top honours in a nail biting contest with Bridget Liebelt of Torlea from Paris Creek who placed in Reserve. Both handlers are very experienced in the show ring having competed at a National level previously.
The Young Judges Competition was tightly contested with Brittany Liebich of Blue Ridge in Mount McIntyre, fine-tuning her judging skills after competing in the Ayrshire Show and winning the title. Following in Reserve was Courtney Afford of Hollow Brook in Woods Point.
Ms Afford said Judge David Peglar was very impressed by the vocabulary and knowledge of the Youth and encouraged the community to continue providing opportunities for a pathway to judging shows on a larger scale.
“It’s a credit to all the local youth opportunities provided to the competitors throughout their years of development to get them where they are today” said Miss Afford.
“We would like to offer our congratulations and many thanks to Gloria Afford (Billabong Farm) and the extended Murray Bridge Show Dairy Committee for their tireless work in getting the show up and running during trying times” said Miss Afford.