Young Breeders Belgium-Bound

A talented group of six young dairy enthusiasts will represent New Zealand at the prestigious European Young Breeders School (EYBS) in Belgium in 2027, bringing together some of the country’s most passionate and accomplished young breeders for a once-in-a-lifetime international experience.

Under the guidance of team facilitator and chaperone Kate Scheepers, the New Zealand team will comprise Patrick Aitken (Christchurch), Haylee Baker (Palmerston North), Jacoba Gread (Morrinsville), Ella Pirie (Thames), Paige Taylor (Hāwera) and Riley Taylor (Ōpunake).

The team was selected following a competitive application process, with a panel of industry representatives reviewing applications, conducting interviews and selecting the final six.

Widely regarded as the world’s premier dairy youth development programme, the European Young Breeders School attracts around 200 participants from across the world each year. Held in Battice, Belgium, the event focuses on all aspects of dairy cattle preparation and presentation including clipping, fitting, showmanship, judging and animal care, while also providing invaluable networking and leadership opportunities.

For Kate Scheepers, the role of chaperone is particularly meaningful. Having attended EYBS herself in 2023, she knows first-hand the impact the experience can have on young people.

“I feel honoured to be entrusted with the role,” she says. “”It has been me in a youth role for such a big period of my life, so I kind of see this as passing the torch.”

Kate says the school helped develop her leadership skills, broaden her knowledge and introduce her to lifelong friends from around the world.

“All of us who went took away some really good learnings,” she says. “If the team go over with the mindset that no matter your skill level there’s always something to learn, they’ll get so much out of it.”

The six young breeders selected for 2027 bring a wide range of skills and experiences to the team.

Morrinsville’s Jacoba Gread has already established herself as one of New Zealand’s leading young judges. A multiple Holstein Friesian NZ award winner, she has claimed honours including the Frank Pfister Junior Judging Award, Kingsland Trophy and Pitcairn’s Trophy, while also earning the titles of 2025 World Wide Sires All Breeds Junior Judge of the Year and NZ Dairy Event Junior Judge of the Year. Currently studying marketing and agribusiness at the University of Waikato, Jacoba hopes to pursue international judging opportunities and a career in agricultural marketing while continuing her passion for elite dairy cattle.

Seventeen-year-old Patrick Aitken, from Tai Tapu in Canterbury, discovered his love for showing through his involvement with Tahora Farms from the age of 13. Since then, he has become a highly sought-after fitter, working at shows throughout New Zealand and Australia. The 2026 Lenslea Trophy winner currently works for Cresslands Farms and has ambitions to fit cattle in Canada and at World Dairy Expo before eventually returning home to pursue sharemilking.

Palmerston North’s Haylee Baker brings a diverse agricultural background to the team. A full-time farm assistant with Northbrook Enterprises, Haylee has been showing dairy cattle since she was just four years old. She has participated in competitions and programmes including the NZ Dairy Event Youth Clipping Competition, National All Dairy Breeds Youth Camp, Hereford Youth Development Forum, Future Beef and Junior Young Farmer of the Year. Her long-term goal is to become a large animal veterinarian.

Twenty-year-old Ella Pirie combines a passion for dairy cattle with an impressive talent behind the camera. A skilled photographer, she has spent recent seasons photographing bull dams, daughters and bulls for CRV and World Wide Sires. Ella established her own Laurendale Milking Shorthorn stud at just 11 years old, which now comprises around 20 animals. Having attended National All Dairy Breeds Youth Camp and represented Jersey New Zealand Youth at International Dairy Week for five years, she hopes to build a full-time photography business alongside clipping cattle.

Taranaki’s Paige Taylor has grown up immersed in the dairy industry, helping on her family’s farm from an early age and taking responsibility as sole calf rearer since she was 13. Showing cattle since the age of three, she recently achieved a significant milestone by registering her first calf under her own Tangaroa prefix. Away from farming, Paige is also a talented basketball player who has represented her region and competed internationally.

Fellow Taranaki team member Riley Taylor has amassed an impressive list of achievements through judging, showing and fitting. His successes include winning the Paramount Cup at the 2024 HFNZ Youth Camp, multiple Jersey New Zealand junior judging titles and numerous showring awards. Riley has also developed a strong reputation as a fitter, working at events including Christchurch Show and NZ Dairy Event, while establishing his own stud, Snowview Genetics, and contributing to the Jersey NZ Youth Committee.

Before the team can head overseas, significant fundraising and sponsorship efforts are required to help cover flights, accommodation, food and programme costs. Fundraising is already underway, with the auction of 25 Westcoast Alcove straws, donated by Semex NZ, raising an impressive $5,000 towards the team’s campaign.

Commercial sponsorship packages and other support options will be available through Holstein Friesian NZ, and organisers are encouraging industry supporters to get behind the team.