Young dairy cattle judges carried on a fine tradition at the Sydney Royal Show, with Tamworth student, Mitchell Atkins, selected to represent NSW at the national competition in Adelaide this September.
The 15-year-old from Oxley High School relocated to the north-west from Johns River near Taree last July with his family and their Kendale Jersey stud. Clearly this young judge understands the breed, scoring a remarkable 144 out 150 points.
In the last 25 years 10 state champions sashed at this show have gone on to judge at Sydney Royal including this year’s competition judge, David Mayo. The competition itself started one year before the young beef cattle judging competition in 1981.
Sydney dairy parader will head to nationals
Royal Agricultural Society’s dairy cattle paraders’ competition awarded its champion ribbon to James Patrick Bush who will head to the Royal Adelaide Show in September to compete at the national level.
Mr Bush, a student at St Gregory’s College in Campbelltown, was praised by judge, Hayley Menzies, Rivendell Jersey stud at Berry, for presenting a well balanced heifer with excellent control of her movement.
“This handler really wanted it,” said Mrs Menzies of the winning parader.
“He kept his heifer moving, the head carriage was lovely. I hardly noticed the handler was there, tucked as he was behind.”
“Oh yeah, I wanted it,” agreed Mr Bush who competed in the beef cattle paraders’ competition last week and made it to the champion class but didn’t place. That near miss only galvanised his enthusiasm in the cattle tent on Saturday.
Mr Bush credited good mentors, including his father, Russell, who works with the school of veterinary science at the University of Sydney, along with South Coast dairy farmers, Paul and Vicki Timms, for leading him down the right path. This was Mr Bush’s fourth Sydney Royal show.
Second place went to Mali Dillon, a year 9 student whose family own Storm Hill Jersey stud at Picton. Ms Dillon bred her own heifer and prepared it for show, saying her main aim was to have fun. Keen on a career in agriculture she is less enthusiastic about dairy, noting the uncertainty of fair price for product in that industry made her very wary.
Third place went to Leah Dickson, Colac, Victoria, competing in the under 13-year-old division.