A LATE decision and 20-hour round trip has paid off for first-time Royal Adelaide Show-entrant Karl Munden, Munden Farm Ayrshires, Warragul, Vic.
When his 10-year-old cow Magic Park Shady Maiden was recently classified Excellent 93, and was showing "good form", he decided to bring it across to Adelaide, where it was awarded senior champion Ayrshire cow.
Mr Munden said the cow was originally bought as a six-year-old, and has performed well since.
He said it was one of the highest producing Ayrshires in Australia - in 2018, it produced 15,600 litres and more than 1100 kilograms of milk solids in one lactation.
Mr Munden was the only interstate competitor in the Ayrshire competition.
He said he usually competes at International Dairy Week or local shows, but rarely travels interstate to compete with his cows.
"It was worth the trip," he said.
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Judge Rob Dolman said the cow was a "deserving winner".
"It has been fresh since January, but still looks like it is milking the house down and doing what it should be doing, putting money in the vat," he said.
Shady Maiden came from a class of over six-year-olds, which gave Mr Dolman "chills".
"These are cows that have had a lot of calves, they've got runs on the board and are still putting runs on the board," he said.
"If they can produce offspring that are even 50 per cent the quality of their parents, the breed is in good hands."
Reserve champion senior cow was six-year-old Cher-Bar Burdette Secret, Boldview Farms, Kalangadoo, SA, which stood second to the champion in its class.
"These two cows deserve to stand together," Mr Dolman said.
Intermediate champion went to three-year-old in milk class winner Enterprise HB Lorna, B Liebich & D Wallis, Glencoe, SA, which Mr Dolman praised as a "stylish" cow of the type he wanted to see.
The reserve champion, from the same class, was from a similar type.
It was Enterprise Burdette Gaiety 2nd, Boldview Farms.
"They (intermediate champion and reserve) belong together, and were hard to split," Mr Dolman said.
"The champion was a little fresher."
Juvenile champion went to 13-month-old Finesse Lady Martha, shown by Casey Treloar, Victor Harbor, SA.
"This heifer caught my eye as soon as it entered the ring," Mr Dolman said.
"It had style and balance, strength and dairyness."
Reserve juvenile champion went to 18-month-old Ben-E-Geez Feebeer Rose, exhibited by BG&CJ Hentschke, Glencoe, SA.
Mr Dolman praised the heifer for its "overall balance and style".
"It has such strength and depth of chest," he said.
AYRSHIRES
Judge: Rob Dolnan
Exhibitors: 12
Entries: 85
Senior champion: Magic Park Shady Maiden, Munden Farm Ayrshires, Warragul, Vic
Reserve: Cher-Bar Burdette Secret, Boldview Farms, Kalangadoo, SA
Intermediate champion: Enterprise HB Lorna, B Liebich & D Wallis, Kalangadoo, SA
Reserve: Enterprise Burdette Gaiety 2nd, Boldview Farms
Juvenile champion: Finesse Lady Martha, Casey Treloar, Victor Harbor, SA
Reserve: Ben-E-Geez Freebee Rose, BG&CJ Hentschke, Glencoe, SA
Most successful exhibitor: Boldview Farms
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