Gavenlocks take inaugural International Dairy Week Red and White Holstein championship

The grand champion Bluechip Ev Shesaawesome Apple-ET is the dam of the reserve senior champion Cherrylock BH Apple Cider.

The grand champion is owned by Brad and Jess Gavenlock's Cherrylock Cattle Co, Tallygaroopna, Vic, and is from the famous Apple family.

The Red and White Holsteins featured in their own standalone show for the first time at this year's IDW.

Mr Gavenlock is a big supporter of the initiative.

"If I am not the biggest fan, I want to meet the biggest fan," he said.

"Every other country in the world does it - every sale we see a premium for Red and White animals."

The award added to the trophy cabinet for Shesaawesome.

The six-year-old cow, which has had five calves, has collected reserve and honourable mention awards at IDW in the past four events and was grand champion at the Victorian Winter Fair.

Mr Gavenlock said the Apples simply didn't miss.

"There's never been a more iconic cow family or a cow family that has had an impact in a breed in my generation and maybe the next," he said.

"It is quite a special family - not just on the female side but on the bull side and globally.

"It's a US family but they dominate in Canada, right across the US, in Australia and all way through Europe."

Judge Callum McKinven, Quebec, Canada, was taken by the quality of not just his grand champion but the entire offering.

"I was actually really surprised by the quality," he said.

"The cows particularly impressed and were of the quality you could take to North America."

He said the champion was a standout.

"Look at the bloom to that udder, look at that dairy frame," he said.

"A cow with that much milk in her udder .. and she's had a lot of calves... but is still very youthful."

Gorbro Holsteins, Cohuna, Vic, dominated in the intermediate judging taking the champion and reserve awards.

Glen Gordon said the champion was the result of an imported embryo.

He saw the cow's grand dam, the "formidable uddered" Luck-E Advent Asia, in the US in 2008.

"I just loved the cow and then there was an opportunity to buy a daughter, so we did that and she went to a mate's place Jason Prince's in Canada," he said.

"We flushed her and brought the embryos back."

Mr McKinven said the champion was his kind of cow.

"She's the overall package, the balance, the depth of that fore rib ... and the mammary system," he said.

"She's the epitome of balance."

The junior champion Elmar Mirand Farlex 4688-PO was shown by Abbie Hanks, Cobden, Vic.

The Hanks run a small dry cow farm, so the champion is to be sold at the IDW sale on Wednesday night.

Ms Hanks said the family bought the calf at the Elmar sale.

"I always wanted a Red and I thought she was pretty cute," she said.

"I was pretty excited when the Red and White show was announced because it was another opportunity for her."

Mr McKinven said the heifer stood out in the junior classes.

"You've just got to love everything about her," he said.

"She's got the balance, the flatness of top, the right rump, the beautiful width."

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SALE REPORT

AWARD WINNERS

Grand champion: Bluechip Ev Shesaawesome Apple-ET, B&J Gavenlock Cherrylock Cattle Co, Tallygaroopna, Vic.

Senior champion: Bluechip Ev Shesaawesome Apple-ET.

Reserve: Cherrylock BH Apple Cider, Sun Vale, G Hardgraves, D&N Schirm, F&D Borba, Yarroweyah, Vic.

Senior best udder: Bluechip Ev Shesaawesome Apple-ET

Intermediate champion: Gorbro Unstopabull Admire, Gorbro Holsteins, Cohuna, Vic.

Reserve intermediate: Gorbro Unlucky Jodie, Gorbro Holsteins, Cohuna, Vic.

Junior champion: Elmar Mirand Farlex 4688-PO, Abbie Hanks, Cobden, Vic.

Reserve: Westmuir Lr Mirand Apple-ET-PO, R & S Goode, Poowong North, Vic.

Junior premier breeder: Eclipse Genetics, Warrnambool, Vic.

Junior premier exhibitor: Eclipse Genetics

Premier breeder: Eclipse Genetics

Premier exhibitor: Gorbro Holsteins

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