Each year the National Association for Dairy Education in Australia puts on a Youth camp, giving young dairy enthusiasts the opportunity to work with dairy heifers, learn and improve upon their judging techniques, showing and clipping skills and become aware of the latest in breeding technology.
The All Breeds National Youth Camp has been running in Australia for over 25 years, but has gone through many phases during this time. The location has moved around extensively and the structure has changed to adopt industry moves and policy (legal) requirements. For the past 5 years the camp has been held at the Melbourne Showgrounds.
This year the camp saw a huge jump in participants with teams coming from all parts of Australia and New Zealand, bringing in 48 keen young adults between the ages of 16 and 20. Participants are broken down into 8 teams and each individual is given a calf to use throughout the week. When the calves arrive at camp they are halter broken to tie up. So throughout the week, they must wash, feed, lead and clip their heifer to a show-ring level performance. When I try to explain camp to my North American friends, the closest thing I can call it is “4-H in a week”.
Each team has a youth camp leader that is there to help them with their organisation and this year we were privelidged enough to have 3 Canadians help out: Danielle Saelman (BC), Leanne Hopkins (ON) and Roxanne Montplaisir (PQ), who is the Semex-Holstein Canada exchange winner. – Alexandra Walker, Committee Chairperson/Co-ordinator.
Winners of this years awards, scholarships and competitions are as follows:
$2000 Genetics Australia Scholarship Winner: Cameron Yarnold
Package of 4 embryos from Murribrook Holsteins: Marty Hore
Package of 4 embryos from Jugiong Jerseys: Kate Forbes
Top Clipper Award: Cameron Yarnold
Runner Up Clipper Award: Marty Hore
Aesculap Clipping Encouragement Award: Clare Martin
Aesculap Clipping Encouragement Award: Matt Reeves
Top Judge: Alexz Crawford
Novice Showmanship Winner: Scott Essom
Experienced Showmanship Winner: Cameron Yarnold
2015 Youth Camp Scholarship: Sarah Nesbit
2015 Youth Camp Scholarship: Scott Essom
Champion Team: Jersey Australia