Following a one-year hiatus, then a COVID-19 induced smaller event, the Victorian Winter Fair is set to go ahead this year.
Exhibitors and spectators will make their way to Bendigo Exhibition Centre from June 28-30 in what is sure to be a top-class showcase of dairy cattle in the state and further afield.
Event organiser Clare Modra said the 2022 event, the eighth edition of the Victorian Winter Fair, will run in the same format as previous years.
"COVID-19 has certainly impacted the cancellation of the show in 2020 and then reduced cattle numbers and spectators in 2021," Clare said.
Organisers are expecting about 200 head of cattle at this year's fair.
"It's hard to say if there has been an increase of entries on last year yet as we won't know until entries close in June," Clare said.
"I think people, in general, are happy that events are starting to happen again, and there's a bit more certainty going forward that lockdown should be a thing of the past.
"You know you can put all the time, effort, and money into preparing your cattle without worrying about the show being cancelled.
"Entrants are looking forward to seeing great cattle on display and hanging out with like-minded people."
About the Victorian Winter Fair judges
Molly Sloan is the chief judge and Olivia Millhouse is the associate judge for the 2022 Victorian Winter Fair.
Molly lives in Lake Mills, Wisconsin, US, with her husband, Matt and their two kids, Dane and Claire.
She grew up on her family's registered Holstein herd in Marengo, Illinois.
Molly has owned and worked with many elite show animals, including her own All-American Holstein and Red and White Holstein nominations.
Today she owns and works with a small herd of elite genetic heifers.
Molly works for URUS Group, a dairy and beef holding company known for its family of organisations including Alta, GENEX, PEAK, Jetstream Genetics, SCCL, and VAS.
She serves as the global director of people development and HR, where part of her focus is to develop training for global dairy producers and internal staff.
During her 16-year career, she has traveled to 16 countries and throughout the US to speak about and implement dairy genetic programs.
She has judged major shows in 20 states throughout the US and has been a lead judge three times at World Dairy Expo, where she judged the 2021 International Guernsey Show, the 2016 International Ayrshire Show and the 2014 International Junior Holstein Show.
She has also judged internationally at major shows in Australia, Brazil, France, UK, Peru, and Canada, including the UK Dairy Expo; the 2015 National Canadian 4-H Classic at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, and the 2013 International Dairy Week Brown Swiss Show in Australia.
She has also been on numerous All-American and All-Canadian judges' panels for six major breeds.
Born and raised on the family dairy farm, Olivia was indoctrinated at an early age into Holstein breeding via the established family studs Leslie Sands Holsteins (RF Millhouse and Sons) and Southwick Holsteins (M and L Millhouse) in north-west Tasmania.
After graduating college, she complemented her dairy upbringing by pursuing study and a career in financial planning before returning to her true passion dairy farming and currently holds the position of herd manager at Radford Bros Dairies, a 600-cow operation at Riana.
Olivia has demonstrated a clear passion and involvement in showing and judging over the past 10 years.
In 2011, she won the Australian National Junior Judging title and has judged shows across the country in Tasmania, South Australia and Victoria.
Olivia is a regular member of the family team preparing and showing Holsteins with her family under the Southwick prefix throughout Tasmania and has extended her craft by working and showing with some of the best herds in Australia including Avonlea, Murribrook and Starcrest.
Schedule of events:
Tuesday, June 28
- 12pm, Junior Judging Competition
- 6.30pm, Exhibitor Pizza Night (dining room)
Wednesday, June 29
- 10am, Dry Heifer Judging
Thursday, June 30
- 10am, In Milk Judging (Intermediate Section)
- 1.30pm, In Milk Judging (Senior Section)
Contact: Clare Modra, phone (03) 5487 1127, mobile 0419 200 981, email victorianwinterfair@gmail.com.
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