A 12-year-old cow that’s had eight calves capped off an incredible record of showing in claiming the grand championship in the Ayrshire ring at International Dairy Week on Tuesday.
Magic Park Shady Maiden, owned by Munden Farms, Nilma North, Vic, has been competing in the ring at IDW for more than a decade.
Owners Karl Munden and his partner Imogen Steiner were thrilled when the grand old dame was called to the front of the line by judge Mark Patullo.
“I have had her since she was five years old and I actually came to dairy week to help show her when she was two years old,” Mr Munden said.
“I’ve always loved her.
“We’ve had her here multiple times, she’s won the mature class a couple of times now and been up for best udder.
“She’s finally taken the crown as a 12-year-old cow.
“We’re just stoked.”
The Mundens bought the Shady Walnut Conn out of a Glen Afton Trident cow from Rob McFee’s Magic Park Ayrshires.
“She goes back to a Margiebelle, which had a big show career as well,” Mr Munden said.
“So she’s from a long line of show cows.
“She’s an exceptional producer; she’s the highest producing cow in our herd.”
That herd of 650 cows includes about 150 Ayrshires.
Judge Mr Patullo said Shady Maiden was a tremendous cow.
“She’s got that dairy quality right throughout,” he said.
“She’s got that width right throughout, that openness of rib, that depth of rib.
“She’s a 12-year-old cow that’s had eight calves – certainly an outstanding effort for the breed.”
The intermediate champion Lara Orlando Connett was bred by Ferguson Farms, Toolamba, Vic, from a cow they bought six years ago in a group of Ayrshires when they were expanding their herd.
Erin Ferguson said the cow was a grand-daughter of one of those cows.
“She’s a beautiful herd cow,” she said.
“She gets in calf, has her heifers, I am not going to complain.”
Ms Ferguson said the Ayrshires had “gone gangbusters” in their herd.
“They’re milking well, they’re getting in calf, they’ve really taken off in our herd,” she said.
The Ayrshires have also proved a good choice for the Ferguson show string.
“We show all breeds,” Ms Ferguson said.
“We have a large team of Ayrshires; we had seven here and six of them were vying for championship.”
The success of the team saw Ferguson Farms pick up the premier exhibitor award.
Judge Mr Patullo said the intermediate champion was “very stylish with a beautiful udder”.
The junior championship topped of an amazing show for Casey Treloar, Victor Harbor, SA.
The calf Finesse Reagan Maisie picked up the youth show junior champion heifer – senior leader award on Monday before going on to win the Ayrshire junior championship on Tuesday.
“That was pretty emotional out in the ring, I may have shed a tear,” Ms Treloar said.
“It’s incredible.
“I couldn’t have been prouder to have bred such an incredible young animal and to be able to show so well in such as strong show.”
The heifer is being sold at the IDW sale on Wednesday night.
“It’s going to be tough to let her go, but the timing is right now,” Ms Treloar said.
The calf was sired by Palmyra Barkley Reagan out of Ms Treloar’s 2018 World Ayrshire Photographic Competition yearling winner Finesse Burdette Marcie.
“Reagan has has been popular in the show ring, particularly in North America and I do look to North America for my genetics,” Ms Treloar said.
“A pretty magic cross seemed to be Reagan out of Burdettes.”
Ms Treloar said she had flushed Marcie a few years ago and had managed three pregnancies to Reagan sexed semen.
She had sold the other two heifers last year but held onto Maisie “knowing she was a pretty special one”.
Mr Patullo agreed.
“What a quality heifer right throughout,” he said.
“She has everything I am looking for in a young cow.”
AYRSHIRE HONOUR ROLL
Grand champion: Magic Park Shady Maiden, Munden Farms, Nilma North, Vic.
Senior champion: Magic Park Shady Maiden.
Reserve: Roland Lodge Cornette, Canobie Partnership, Drouin West, Vic.
Best udder: Magic Park Shady Maiden.
Intermediate champion: Lara Orlando Connett, Ferguson Farms, Toolamba, Vic.
Reserve: Paschendaele Klassy Tri Time, Eagles Partnership, Gooloogong, NSW.
Junior champion: Finesse Reagan Maisie, Casey Treloar, Victor Harbor, SA.
Reserve: Arila Primitive Marquisite, W & A Macadam, Merrigum, Vic.
Premier breeder: Paschendaele – Eagles Partnership.
Premier exhibitor: Ferguson Farms.
Source: Stock Journal