THERE'S no doubt the dairy industry runs in the blood of many families and it would be hard to argue that there was a better example at this year's Ekka than the Henry family.
A staple of the Royal Queensland Show's dairy competition, the Henry's introduced a fifth generation of the family to the judging ring with three-year-old Liv.
Representing the family's White Park and Tara Illawarra studs, Liv was flanked by her father Matt and her grandfather Mike as she helped parade cattle in an Ekka ring for the first time.
"Our family has been showing dairy cattle for a long time, generations in fact," Matt Henry told the Queensland Country Life.
"Obviously it's pretty special for my daughter to be able to show here with us and for my dad to be here as well makes it three generations showing together, which is pretty special."
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The COVID-19 pandemic has meant the Henrys have been unable to visit the Ekka for the past two years, but Matt said the family had been eagerly awaiting the chance to enter the ring on Monday.
"It's a bit of a tradition for us to show here and I have a lot fond memories of the Brisbane show from when I was a kid," he said.
"Hopefully Liv will be able to look back on her days at the show when she's a bit older because it is pretty special to come along as a kid.
"She's been practicing with a calf at our place near Toowoomba, but she has been pretty excited to come to the Ekka.
"We have been to other shows where she has been able to have a go, but this her first Ekka where she's been old enough to have a go."
Mr Henry said he was hopeful his daughter would carry on the tradition of showing dairy cattle at the Ekka, which was first started by his great-grandfather.
"I hope we're able to carry the tradition on for Liv's generation and beyond, but it is a bit difficult to say," he said.
"Every year it gets more challenging to bring cattle in for the show, but we will certainly like to keep it going.
"It's given me so many good memories and it is always special to come with your family, so I'm hoping we can continue on for hopefully a long time to come."
As well as celebrating a fifth generation entering the judging ring, the Henry family also tasted plenty of success in the Illawarra competition by taking out the champion intermediate female with White Park Joyce 38 as well as the reserve champion junior female with Mash Rosso Beauty alongside the Bourke family.
Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
