It was all smiles as young Liam Deans enthusiastically accepted the Grand Champion Dairy Youth Show trophy at Queensland’s Toowoomba Royal Show.
The year 10 school student’s exhibit, Leader Guthrie Tammy ET heifer, took the judges eye early during competition showing.
Dairy Youth Show judge Stuart Lockhart, Dairy Livestock Services, Nowra, New South Wales, said the Deans family bred heifer had all traits required for an excellent dairy heifer; balance, style, and dairyness.
“From the moment I saw the heifer she was a winner and the young parader, Liam, did a great job showing her in the ring as well,” Mr Lockhart said.
The 18-month-old Leader Guthrie Tammy ET heifer, sired by USA’s Fustead Goldwyn Guthrie, was bred by Liam’s parents Travis and Melissa Deans, Leader Holsteins, Oakey on Queensland’s Darling Downs.
“The Tammy bloodline has been in our Holstein stud dairy herd since the beginning,” Mrs Deans said.
“The Guthrie Tammy heifer was out of a high performing Leader Gibson Tammy cow, who was sired by Silky Gibson.”
It was the first time Leader Guthrie Tammy ET heifer was exhibited by the Deans family at a dairy show.
“It felt really good to win and awesome getting some experience leading our dairy cattle,” Liam Deans said.
“I think it’s always exciting when you can show-off the fruits of our family’s hard work.”
It was the first Grand Champion win at Toowoomba’s Dairy Youth Show for the Deans family, which incorporates three competition segments of under 12 months, 12 to 18 months, and 18 months up to 2 year old heifers with each age class split into junior and senior cattle parader sections.
Toowoomba Show’s dairy chairman Wayne Bradshaw said this year’s youth show entry numbers were slightly down due to recent challenges facing the dairy industry.
“It’s all about giving young people more experience in the dairy industry,” Mr Bradshaw said.
