IDW Holstein champion descended from cow bought by family years ago

Six-year-old InStyle Solomon Dahlia, shown by Brenton and Ellie Thomas, Cooriemungle, Vic, was also named Australia's Grand Champion on January 18.

Brenton's father Rodney said the champion was from a cow his father bought at the dispersal of the Swan's family's Philro stud at Taree, NSW.

"When I was about 15 years old, I had this cow with the Philro prefix and I used to drag her around the shows," he said.

"Fast forward 15 years and the Philro herd was dispersed and my Dad went over and bought eight or nine cows.

"The champion and our second-placed five-year-old were both descendants from that sale."

Brenton and Ellie picked up both cows from Rodney, after he dispersed his Dorrigo, NSW, herd in 2019.

Rodney said after that sale he retained a bunch unjoined heifers for Brenton and Ellie.

"He and his wife have a good partnership," he said.

"They've got a good start and hopefully they are back here more.

"It is great to see the success."

Brenton said the cow was out of a Solomon.

"She calved down nicely as a two-year-old, and I've been working on her ever since, and she's finally made her way up," he said.

Brenton said the move from NSW to Cooriemungle in Victoria came about after his father sold his farm.

"We were looking in NSW for a long time but it was sort of too expensive, so we got looking down in Victoria," he said.

"We liked the area and it is affordable and we found a really nice farm."

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Judge Barclay Phoenix, Ontario, Canada, said the grand champion cow was the epitome of a Holstein cow.

"I love this cow," he said.

"She has a tremendous, tremendous mammary system.

"She stands on a great set of feet and legs.

"She nicely balanced, because she's a lot bigger than you think."

The Princess cow family came to the fore in the intermediate and junior championships.

The intermediate champion Eclipse Perennial C Princess was junior champion at last year's event.

She is owned by Brad and Jessica Gavenlock, from Tayllgaroopna, Vic, and the Polson family, from Oxley Island, NSW, who bought her from Richard Hull in 2022.

Mr Gavenlock said the cow was from the Eclipse Princess family.

Her mother is an excellent Crushabull that Gorbro Holsteins own and goes back to the original Damian that was the imported cow.

Mr Phoenix said Eclipse Perennial C Princess was tremendous young cow.

"You go around the world and you try to compare cows to North America," he said.

"But this two year old, ladies and gentlemen, if my suitcase was big enough, I'd be taking her home with me.

"She exemplifies for me the way a young cow should look.

"She's got a beautiful mammary system, she's got that show style but she has that adequate width and great feet and legs."

The junior champion was Gorbro Hano O Princess, shown by Gorbro Holsteins, Cohuna, Vic.

Owner Glen Gordon said the heifer stood out right from the hutches.

"She's been a beautiful calf," he said.

"She comes from a hell of a cow family - the Princess cow family, which was brought into Australia by Richard Hull."

Mr Gordon bought the heifer's mother as a three or four year old and said she had been an incredible cow.

The junir champion was the youngest heifer in her class.

"She managed to win that, then win her breed and then win supreme all breeds," Mr Gordon said.

"So we are stoked with that."

The heifer was immediately put up for sale at the IDW St Genetics Create the Future Sale after the claiming the championship.

She made $18,000 and was sold to a syndicate of Maxmount, Smethurst Park, McDonald Park and CL Cawcutt.

HOLSTEIN HONOUR ROLL

Grand champion: InStyle Solomon Dahlia, Instyle, Cooriemungle, Vic.

Senior champion: InStyle Solomon Dahlia.

Reserve: Bluechip Black Rose, Elm Banks & Struan, Koroit, Vic.

Senior best udder: InStyle Solomon Dahlia.

Intermediate champion: Eclipse Perennial C Princess, Gavenlock & Polson, Tallygaroopna, Vic.

Reserve intermediate: Clydevale Doc Cleavage-Imp-ET, Clydevale Holsteins, Macorna North, Vic.

Intermediate best udder: Kelisher Tatoo Salina, View Fort Holsteins, Tarwin, Vic.

Junior champion: Gorbro Hano O Princess, Gorbro Holsteins, Cohuna, Vic.

Reserve: Hillview Park Link Me Up, McPhee Family, Finley, NSW.

Junior premier breeder: Gorbro Holsteins.

Junior premier exhibitor: Gorbro Holsteins.

Premier breeder: Avonlea Holsteins.

Premier exhibitor: Gorbro Holsteins.