On Farm Excellence Celebrated At 20th Anniversary HFNZ-Semex On Farm Competition

Holstein Friesian cows from the South Island of New Zealand were well-represented at the 2023 Holstein Friesian NZ-Semex NZ Ltd On-Farm Competition prizegiving, held in Nelson on Sunday, June 25 as part of the 2023 HFNZ AGM & Conference.

This year, 661 Holstein Friesian cows from 89 herds were judged across eight regions, evaluated for their inherent structural correctness using specially developed linear scoring.

Of the six Champion cows, four were from down South, and the other two from the Waikato.

Flay Farms’ (Keith and Caroline Flay, Leeston) two cows Keilyn Fitz Katie and Keilyn Stan Cup Halo S3F took the Champion titles in the Hanoverhill Raider – Five-Year-Old Cow and Comestar Laurie Sheik – Veteran Cow classes.

The Parkes family also had an exceptional competition, with six animals owned by Parkes Brothers Farming Ltd (Picton) and Johnson & Parkes Partnership (Hawera) placing in various categories in the national competition.

Tahora-bred cows placed first, third and sixth in the Conant-Acres Jy Broker – Mature Cow class, with Tahora McCutchen Alissa (K & MK Singh Farms, Hamilton) taking out the Champion title in that class.

It was also a great competition for Waipiri Holsteins (Hamilton) and the recently-dispersed Rock View (Stratford), with Rock View cows placing second in both the Maughlin Storm – Two -Year-Old Cow and Townson Lindy – Four-Year-Old Cow classes.

Waipiri Sidekick Maggie took the Champion title in the Maughlin Storm – Two -Year-Old Cow class, and Waipiri Mogul Kristy (A Dreadon/A & D Fullerton Partnership, Hamilton) the Reserve Champion title in the Conant-Acres Jy Broker – Mature Cow class.

Raetea Holsteins (Schnuriger Family Trust, Rotorua) also had three animals place in the national competition, including Raetea Pegment Sweety-Red placing Reserve Champion in the Comestar Leader – Three-Year-Old Cow class.

This year, the Semex On-Farm Competition celebrated 20 years. Special prizes were awarded to the Most Successful Breeder 2004-2023 (Deloraine – AM, BV and JJ Sherriff, Canterbury, who entered 18 class-winning animals, plus two other winning animals bred by Deloraine but entered by other members) and Most Successful Cow 2004 -2023 (Okawa Tony Serenity, owned by Tim and Jo Barclay of Okawa Ltd, Waikato) who won her category in 2012, 2015, 2019 and 2021.

A special award was also presented to Dylan Lynch and Natasha Maybee (Lyncrest Dairies Ltd, Invercargill) for Comestar Leader – Three-Year-Old Cow Champion Lyncrest Sidekick Lucy-ET being the highest pointed animal in the 2023 competition.

The annual competition is aimed at attracting entries from members and non-members alike to promote the Holstein Friesian breed. Individual cows are judged on type at their home property in natural conditions without being fitted or halter led.

Six in-milk age groups classes are open to all Holstein Friesian cattle. Breeders enter their cattle for regional judging and the top two animals in each class in each region then move on to the national competition to compete for the Champion and Reserve Champion titles for each class. The top animals are judged again by a national judge – in 2023, Corey Ferguson of Otorohanga – with the results announced at the Holstein Friesian New Zealand Annual Conference.

Semex NZ’s Ryan Lett said this year’s event was a pretty special night, celebrating the 20^th year of the HFNZ-Semex NZ On-Farm Competition.

“It’s a great achievement, not only for the 20 years but because it is still such a big part of ours and Holstein Friesian NZ’s calendar,” he said.

“It’s a competition that we look forward to every year and value, and the members that enter every year hold it in that regard, too.”

Overall final judge Corey Ferguson said the quality of the cows entered in the competition was second to none.

“All the cows we saw throughout the competition were pretty impressive,” he said. “It was really interesting to see that there are some pretty good cows out there that don’t come to the shows. It would be a pretty good spectacle if they did.”

2023 HFNZ SEMEX ON-FARM COMPETITION RESULTS

MAUGHLIN STORM – TWO -YEAR-OLD COW

1. Waipiri Sidekick Maggie (D & P Fullerton, Hamilton)
2. Rock View Unix Best S3F (G & K Peters, Stratford)
3. Lucerne Ta B August-ET (Y-Not Holsteins, Huntly)
4. Parlan Sidekick Connie (Parkes Brothers Farming Ltd, Picton)
5. Busybrook Sidekick Lope (Henley Farming Co Ltd, Oamaru)
6. Oakline Tatoo Ruby (Oakline Trust, Hawera)

COMESTAR LEADER – THREE-YEAR-OLD COW

1. Lyncrest Sidekick Lucy-ET (Lyncrest Dairies Ltd, Invercargill)
2. Raetea Pegment Sweety-Red (Schnuriger Family Trust)
3. Crossroads UN Nya Red-ET (A & N Harvey Family Trust, Dargaville)
4. Ronnoco SK Odessa (B O’Connor, Seadown)
5. Charbelle Tatoo Pix (Charbelle Farms, Hamilton)
6. Just Moo’s Soloman Reba S3F (Just Moo’s, Tokoroa)

TOWNSON LINDY – FOUR-YEAR-OLD COW

1. Busybrook Solo Betty-ET (Hall’s Enterprises Ltd No.1, Invercargill)
2. Rock View Doorman Selice (G & K Peters, Stratford)
3. Parlan Reginald Tort (Parkes Brothers Farming Ltd, Picton)
4. Belbrook Chill Peonie (Belbrook Farming Ltd, Rangiora)
5. Snowfed Unix Nelda (Snowfed Farm, Ashburton)
6. Shaydoc Cinderdoor Daana (Shaydoc Ltd, Morrinsville)

HANOVERHILL RAIDER – FIVE-YEAR-OLD COW

1. Keilyn Fitz Katie (Flay Farms, Leeston)
2. Annalea Salt Peace (Joyclas Friesians, Palmerston North)
3. Raetea Ranger Elle (Schnuriger Family Trust, Rotorua)
4. Fairview Atwood Doll-ET (Fairview Holstein Farm, Seadown)
5. Parlan Mayfield Clear (Johnson & Parkes, Hawera)
6. Parlan Control Cleo (Parkes Brothers Farming Ltd, Picton)

CONANT-ACRES JY BROKER – MATURE COW

1. Tahora McCutchen Alissa (K & MK Singh Farms, Hamilton)
2. Waipiri Mogul Kristy (A Dreadon/A & D Fullerton Partnership, Hamilton)
3. Tahora Bradnick Laraline (Radly Holsteins, Palmerston North)
4. Toi Toi Apple Twist-ET (Johnson & Parkes, Hawera)
5. Raetea Trak Rosina-Red-ET (Schnuriger Family Trust, Rotorua)
6. Tahora Corvette Alanna (J, J & D Geddes, Christchurch)

COMESTAR LAURIE SHEIK – VETERAN COW

1. Keilyn Stan Cup Halo S3F (Flay Farms, Leeston)
2. Cresslands Damion Lizy (Cresslands Farms Ltd, Rangiora)
3. Makuri Duplex Satin (Halls Enterprises Ltd No. 1, Invercargill)
4. Hasty Spring Sid Tipsey (Johnson & Parkes, Hawera)
5. Brookview Wind Ra (Brookview Genetics, Tokoroa)
6. Co-Coch Chip Ruby-ET (Hukaview Holsteins, Eketahuna)