MELODY WAS ON SONG AT THE 30th NORTHERN DAIRY EXPO

On Friday 26th October the 30th Northern Dairy Expo took place within Harrison & Hetherington’s Borderway Mart. A tremendous show of 60 Holstein cattle ranging from 1 month to 8 years old was exhibited, with Mick Gould of Woodmarsh Holsteins having the difficult task of judging.

Grand Champion Feizor Shottle L Melody with left to right - Mick Gould (Judge) William Booth, Andrew Holliday of World Wide Sires (Sponsor) David Booth and Hannah Booth

The evening started with the Junior calf class shown by young members under 16 years. It was Holmland Lavan G Polly from Matthew Harper & Ruth Watson that stood at the top of a 10 calves, this February born Comestar Lavanguard, shown on the night by Thomas Horsley, is out of ALH Polly EX92. The second junior class saw M/s Lawrence’s Lynholme Gold Wishes take first prize. A very stylish December born calf she was imported as an embryo and is by Braedale Goldwyn and out of the show cow Raeland Leduc Wilhelmina EX92.

The Intermediate calf class, for those born between 1st August & 30th November, was won by a stylish Destry sired calf from D & H Horsley. Woodcatt Destry Rachel was born in October and is out of Willsbro Shottle Rachel 2. The Senior calf class was won by Drointon Savard Marq I Red from A & D Mackellar, born in May this red calf is backed by 10 generations VG and EX of the Marq I family.

The calf championship saw the 1st and 2nd prize winners from the four calf classes forward with Mick tapping out Lynholme Gold Wishes from M/s Lawrence as Champion winning the Michael Armstrong Perpetual trophy with Drointon Savard Marq I Red as Reserve. Wishes was commended for her cleanness of bone and dairy quality.

We moved on to the In-calf heifer class where the reign of the Melodys began, Feizor Fever S Melody took the red rosette shown by WA & A Booth and out of Feizor Shottle L Melody EX92.

The milking classes commenced with the Junior 2 year olds where a Mario Xacobeo daughter, Aliann MX Elegance stood at the top of the line ahead of Tameside Ricki 9 which won best udder in the class. Elegance was exhibited by JD & JA Holgate and calved a heifer at the end of July, she classified VG87 2yr and stems from the great Krull Broker Elegance EX96.

The senior 2 year olds saw local breeders Mark & Diane Wilson’s Hailstone Lightning Daisy VG88 win and take best udder in the class. Daisy is sired by Sir Linerway Lightning and out of Hailstone Riley Daisy EX95.

As the top 2 from the In-calf heifer class and the two 2 year old classes entered the ring for the junior contest Mick gave the Championship and exhibitor bred championship to the junior 2 year old Aliann MX Elegance from the Holgate family. Standing reserve was the first prize senior heifer from Mark and Diane Wilson.

The premier junior Exhibitor and Breeder awards were presented to A & D Mackellar’s, Drointon herd for gaining most points through the junior show classes. This year’s Genetic Merit award went to Holmland Man O Polly from A & A Bunting, sired by Man O Man she is out of ALH Polly EX92 and maternal sister to the shows junior heifer calf.

A class of 10 3 year olds saw the judge take his time with David Yates eventually getting the nod into 1st place and presented with the rosette for best udder in the class. Meiklefirth Plaid Lutske VG88 is by Windy-Knoll-View Plaid and out of an EX93 Roylane Jordan.

Another well supported class was the 4 year olds where Kellywell Marshall Brooke, this time from Brian Yates, was pulled to the top of the class. Purchased from the Kellywell herd of David Robinson as a maiden heifer Brooke produced over 12,500 kilos in her heifer lactation and calved twin heifers at the end of 2011.

Though not the biggest class of the evening the 5 year olds were a fantastic display of the Holstein breed with Feizor Shottle L Melody, Sterndale Goldwyn Ghost and Logan Mr Sam Gail going head to head. WA & A Booth’s Feizor Shottle L Melody EX92 took the red rosette like her Fever daughter earlier in the day. Melody is the 5th generation Excellent and calved for the third time in May, she recorded 11,167 litres as a heifer and 13,871 litres as a second calver.

The final class of the night saw the turn of Brian & Valarie Davidson to stand at the head of the line with their 7 year old Errolston Militant Tina which is sired by a home bred bull Errolston Militant and out of an Annan Approval sired dam.

As the special awards commenced the breeders pairs was won by the Errolston herd of B & V Davidson ahead of WJ Nadin & Co’s Sterndale herd. WJ Nadin & Co also won Best New Exhibitor at the show. The overall Premier Breeder & Exhibitor at the show went to the Bridge End Herd of Colin, Yvonne and Mark Dent, Kirkby Thore with their team of 5 cows and calves from the Raven & Rapture families.

As the class winners entered the ring for the final time the audience hushed to listen to Mick Gould as he commended all the exhibitors for a tremendous turn out of cattle. As he walked around the cattle it was the 1st prize 5 year old Feizor Shottle L Melody from WA & A Booth he quickly tapped out as his Grand Champion, Exhibitor Bred Grand Champion and Best Udder in Show. Reserve Grand Champion, Reserve Exhibitor Bred Grand Champion and Reserve Best Udder in Show went to the winning Mature Cow Errolston Militant Tina from B & V Davidson. Honourable Mention was presented to last year’s Northern Dairy Expo Grand Champion and this year’s 2nd prize 5 year old from Brian Yates, Logan Mr Sam Gail.