John and Cherie Gardiner's Avonlea Holsteins swept the awards in the in-milk classes at the Victorian Winter Fair in Bendigo recently.
The Gardiners owned or part owned the senior and intermediate champions and the reserve intermediate champion and were named premier breeder and exhibitor of the show.
It was a sweet victory for the Cardinia stud as the fair is its last major show before the herd is dispersed in September.
Mr Gardiner said a health scare last year, when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, had prompted a rethink about their future.
Their farm is on Melbourne's urban fringe and they finally decided to sell, after receiving numerous offers for it over the years.
They have bought a new farm at Nar Nar Goon, Vic, where they will rear the herd's heifers and continue to sell them for the next couple of years and move in to a beef venture.
Mr Gardiner said dairy farming and showing was a big commitment - with focus needed to breed quality animals.
The Avonlea animals will no doubt be in demand at the dispersal.
In the intermediate show the Gardiners took all three placings - champion, reserve and honourable mention.
The six animals entered in the intermediate show certainly impressed judge Brian Leslie and associate judge Patrick Anderson, who placed all six in the earlier classes.
The intermediate champion Avonlea Stanleycup Missy was from the senior three-year-old in milk class.
"I love this cow that was champion, she's just flat out my kind of cow," Mr Leslie said.
"She's as dairy as you come but she's got the width and capacity and the power that we talk about and the udder that's right up in her.
"She's a beautiful young cow.
"When you get in close on it she's got that amazing spring to her rib, hard top, wide pin and an udder that's capacious and right up in her."
Mr Gardiner said the second calver was sired by Stanley Cup from the Canadian Gold Missy family.
It had won its class at International Dairy Week three years ago as a young calf.
"She's a really good herd cow, she's did over 8000 litres in her first lactation," Mr Gardiner said.
Read more:
Intermediate show results
Supreme Intermediate Champion: Avonlea Stanleycup Missy, JH & CJ Gardiner, Cardinia, Vic.
Reserve Intermediate Champion: Avonlea Unix Anna 2nd ET, JH & CJ Gardiner, Walkerbrae & Cowan, Cardinia, Vic.
Honourable Mention: Avonlea Stanleycup Evie, JH & CJ Gardiner.
Red Intermediate Champion: Bluechip Awesome Daisy ET Red, Alexz Crawford.
Reserve Red Intermediate Champion: Eclipse Avalanche Delight Red, Robsvue Holsteins.
Honourable Mention: Cherrylock BH Apple Cider Red, Hargreaves, Franchise & Sun Vale.
Supreme Intermediate Udder: Avonlea Unix Anna 2nd ET, JH & CJ Gardiner
Class 18: Senior 3 year old in milk born 1/7/17-31/12/17: Avonlea Stanleycup Missy, JH & CJ Gardiner, 1; Avonlea Stanleycup Evie, JH & CJ Gardiner, 2; Instyle Solomon Shower, B, E & R Thomas.
Class 17: Junior 3 year old in milk born 1/1/18-30/6/18: Avonlea Unix Anna 2nd ET, JH & CJ Gardiner, Walkerbrae & C Cowan, 1; Gorgala Crush Rose, C & K Gordon, 2; Elmar Istgrade Farlex 4194, Elmar Holsteins, 3.
Class 16: Senior 2 year old in milk born 1/7/18-31/12/18: Gorbro Undenied Unbelieveable, Gorbro Holsteins & BRM Farms, 1; Brindabella Doorman Cheerio, Brindabella Holsteins, 2; Avonlea Validation Ritzy, JH & CJ Gardiner, 3.
Class 15: Junior 2 year old in milk born after 1/1/19: Avonlea Doorman Princess, JH & CJ Gardiner & Col Cowan, 1; Gorbro Tatoo of Shimmer, Gorbro Holsteins, 2; Avonlea Kingdoc April, JH & CJ Gardiner, 3.
Carlene Dowie
Carlene Dowie is the editor of the Australian Dairyfarmer magazine and has more than 30 years' experience as a rural journalist.
Carlene Dowie is the editor of the Australian Dairyfarmer magazine and has more than 30 years' experience as a rural journalist.
