Winning ribbons thrill Jersey breeders

"I've won footy premierships and played in footy premierships and this is right up there with the top. This is what you do all your life and this tops it off," breeder and part owner of the cow, Frank Walsh said.

The champion cow was Windy Ways Galaxies Dawn 7 shown by Cherrylock Cattle Co & Windy Ways Jersey, Tallygaroopna, Victoria.

Mr Walsh said they milked up to 400 cows this year.

"This makes everything look up. She's a great cow, easy to handle and has just kept improving all the time."

Mr Walsh said the win and genetics of the winner went back to 1925 when the family started milking.

"She has never been beaten," he said.

Brad Gavenlock said "hopefully she's pregnant".

"The plan was always to get her pregnant and hopefully bring her back next year. We didn't know if this was going to be a fairy tale or not.

"We'll do some IVF work with her. She was supreme intermediate at Sydney last year, so I guess she's got some unfinished business up there.

"I'm not ruling out a trip to Sydney in April yet."

Mr Gavonlock said the win ranked right up there

"Our last grand champion that we owned was 2005, so it's been a while between drinks," he said.

Judge Chris Hill, Maryland, US, said the winner represented "why we do this".

He said the champion had the perfect combination of strength and dairyness. She walked on tremendous feet and legs and had a beautiful udder.

"What a dairy machine," he said.

The reserve senior champion was Brookbora Love Lies 678 shown by Brookbora, Aspire, Parrabel & Rockstar, Tennyson, Vic.

Intermediate champion was another thrilling story for Trevor and Julie Campbell, Rochester, who bred and showed Jimann Tequila Maree.

Mr Campbell said the cow had never been to IDW before but had been shown at local shows.

The winning cow was out of a "Spiritual" cow in the "M" family..

Mr Campbell said the cow was from a humble background that went back 50 years ago when he started milking with a line of heifers he paid $60 each for.

"She descends from one of those heifers. She is the culmination of 50 years of breeding," he said.

He said they had dispersed their herd but retained the cow plus another.

"It's a great thrill to win something like this at dairy week - it's not a bad way to finish," he said.

Reserve intermediate was Bushlea Viral Iris shown by Shae Tweddle, SA.

The junior champion was shown by Andrew Cullan, Cohuna. The heifer was Philmar FC Upto Mischief.

The reserve junior was Rivendell Victorious Valana, shown by Hayley Menzies, Worrigee, NSW.

The best sire award was Tower Vue Prime Tequila from Agri-Gene.

The premier breeder and premier exhibitor was the Bacon family's Brookbora Jerseys, Tennyson.

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