Australian grand champion heifer awarded to Daniel Webster at International Dairy Week

Eighteen-year-old Daniel Webster took the top award in the IDW Youth Show with Brurob Radio Star in just his first time in the show ring.

Radio Star is owned by Robert Hiscock and was bred at his Numurkah, Vic, farm by manager Bruce Walmsley.

Mr Walmsley said the heifer was classified 86 points last week and its dam was an 89-point Piranha with a 92-point mammary.

He said he decided to step back into showing after an absence of 20 years to provide encouragement for Mr Webster to continue in the dairy industry.

"This is the first time he has ever been on a halter ... I've given him a few pointers and his done fantastic," he said.

Mr Webster said he could not believe he had won the top award.

"I didn't come in with high hopes but it has definitely reaffirmed how beautiful she is," he said.

He said he planned to stay in the dairy industry after initially becoming involved when his parents started working on a farm near the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, where they lived.

This led to Mr Webster being offered a job on another of owner's farms in northern Victorian, under the tutelage of Mr Walmsley.

"I like the responsibility of looking after so many animals and crops ... having the big responsibilities," Mr Webster said.

Judge Ben Govett, from Dingee, Vic, said Radio Star was not an extreme cow, but an extremely good cow.

"She's dairy right throughout, she's correct and she's super balanced," he said.

The junior champion heifer, senior leader Gorbro Dylan Noni also caught the eye of Mr Govett.

He placed it as honourable mention in the overall award, saying it had a big future.

"It's a heifer with such wow factor and style," he said.

"She ticks all the boxes, she's a heifer that's so clean and dairy and angular."

The heifer will be offered for sale at Gorbro's Raise the Roof sale in February.

The junior champion heifer, junior leader Geelunga Reagan Joyus's owner said secret trainings had helped prepare the heifer for the show.

Ten-year-old Chloe Bailey, from Meadows, SA, was given the heifer as a birthday present.

It had been bought as an embryo at the Ayrshire conference sale at IDW in 2020.

Chloe said she was very excited and happy to win.

"Before I knew she was mine I started leading her and teaching her," she said.

"She had a full sister and I liked leading her more but she was a little bit crazier, so I decided on this one.

"And I just kept leading her and our relationship grew.

"I gave her a little bit of secret lessons just leading her around in the yard to get her to this stage."

Chloe said this included lots of walking in circles and getting her mum to walk with the heifer so it knew it couldn't run away.

Mr Govett said he admired the heifer's overall length of body, her balance and her style.

The senior champion heifer, junior leader was Benlargo Crushabull Noni, exhibited by Shae Tweedle.

Mr Govett said the heifer's mammary system "really gets her over the line".

"The snugness of the fore attachment, the venation of the udder, the teat size and shape and placement," he said.

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AWARD WINNERS

Grand champion heifer: Brurob Radio Star, exhibited by Daniel Webster.

Senior champion in milk heifer, senior leader: Brurob Radio Star.

Reserve: Wyndell Doc Jade, exhibited by Jett Easterbrook.

Senior champion in milk heifer, junior leader: Benlargo Crushabull Noni, exhibited by Shae Tweedle.

Reserve: Camalot Tequila Regal, exhibited by Alexis Allen.

Junior champion heifer, senior leader: Gorbro Dylan Noni, exhibited by Abbie Hanks.

Reserve: Gorbro Arrow 1st Peaches, exhibited by Luke Gardiner.

Junior champion heifer, junior leader: Geelunga Reagan Joyus, exhibited by Chloe Bailey.

Reserve: Finesse Bking Juniper, exhibited by Sienna Ross.

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