DROUIN West farmers Rob and Kerrie Anderson shared a poignant moment last week, after collecting the glossy supreme Jersey trophy at Melbourne.
The Anderson family showed their cattle at the Royal Melbourne Dairy Show for more than 100 years, but stopped 15 years ago.
However in 2011, the Andersons and their children Emily, 12, Meg, 10 and Holly, 6, decided to make a grand return, with five Jerseys from their Gippsland-based Kings Ville stud in tow.
“It was a nice return to the show - to come here and get supreme,” Mrs Anderson said.
“There is a lot of tradition here.”
Mr Anderson, who is a fourth generation dairy farmer, said the new facility at Melbourne lured him back.
“We’ve had a great time,” he said.
“This is something we can do with the whole family.”
The couple, who milk 220 cows, have never won supreme before, but said they knew there was something special about Kings Ville Lassie 16.
After securing senior female, supreme and best vessel in her breed judging, the four year-old provided some stiff competition in the interbreed line-up.
Judge David Mayo, NSW, said it was a close call between the Jersey and the top Holstein.
“She is a beautiful animal and excellent representative of her breed,” he said.
In the end, she was selected as interbreed senior reserve.
The other stand-out Jersey entry was Glencraig Intgold Mistletoe 5007 from Steven Salway’s Glencraig stud, Bemboka, NSW – who dominated the judging from Sunday to Wedesday.
His father Jim said the family brought just one Jersey to the show, but the 18 month-old made her mark – winning the Youth Classic junior section and junior paraders (led by Erin Taylor, Timboon), as well as junior champion Jersey heifer and junior champion interbreed.
“We are just delighted,” Jim said.
The heifer’s dam had previously placed fourth at International Dairy Week, while her sire’s dam was supreme at the 2005 Sydney Royal.
Jim - who milk 260 cows - said it was the first time Glencraig had shown at Melbourne since 1998.
“Four victories in four days - that’s great,” he said.
The intermediate Jersey title was taken out by the Dickson family, Glenfyne, for their 2.5 year-old entry Emu Banks Navara Bubbly.
Beth Schulz, Cobden - who helped to prepare the heifer for show - said it was first-class effort by the Emu Banks stud, which brought just one in-milk heifer to the event.