European Championship Show 2016 – Preview

The European Championship is the most prestigious Holstein breed championship in the world. It happens every three years in one of the participating countries of the European Holstein and Red Holstein Confederation (EHRC). About 20 countries, represented by breeders, will participate in the event. This years event will take place in Colmar. Located in the heart of the Alsace region and of Europe (near the German and Swiss borders), Colmar is easily accessible from all French cities and European capitals.

History of the Event

In 1989 in Paris, France paved the way to what would become the European Championship, organising the first European breeders’ meeting. The event was then more of an animal exhibition. 6 countries participated in the event : Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, The Netherlands and West Germany. And they entered their best animals, cows and heifers, for the « General Agricultural Competition »..

This first European meeting aimed at presenting the genetic level, production and economic performance of the breed in each country.

As France hoped, the event evolved and eventually grew into what is now known as the European Championship .

The number of represented countries, the number of animals in competition, the coat colour, the production, the morphology, etc, are criteria which have evolved or have been added with each edition. .

The European Holstein breed Championship is now a full-fledged event, a renowned championship renommé, organised in turn by the EHRC member states.

France has excelled on several occasions. In 1996 in Brussels, the French group won the European Championship. In 2000, Nuée, Fatal’s daughter, became Junior Champion.

Then in 2006, not only did the French group win the European Championship but Ninon, one of Dombinator’s daughters,became Senior Champion.

In 2013, the event was held in Switzerland in Fribourg. On that occasion, 16 country delegations, including France, participated.

The Location

To host such a prestigious event, the setting had to be quite unique too. The exhibition centre in Colmar was selected because of its location, its layout, its capacity and its team’s dynamism. Just a few kilometres away from the German, Belgian, Swiss and Luxembourg borders, Colmar is ideally geographically located to host a European event.

The exhibition centre was built as a modern version of ancient Roman theatres. The best Holstein specimens will be right in the heart of it, on the stage. This unique environment will highlight the level of excellence of the championship. Thanks to tiers arranged in semicircles, visitors will all be able to enjoy the show as well as the quality of the animals. With a capacity of 8.000 seats, everyone should be able to fully enjoy the event.

The Past Champions

Decrausaz Iron O’Kalibra EX-94
2013 European Senior and Grand Champion

CASTEL JAMES JOLIE
2010 European Senior and Grand Champion

M.E.DAL STORMATIC ILMA
2010 European Intermediate Champion

PESS FARM GOLDWYN NEVIL
2010 European Junior Champion

PEPITA
2010 Junior Champion & Grand Champion Red

Schedule

June 17th- 4pm CEST (10am EST) Red Holsteins & Group Classes
June 18th- 10am CEST (4am EST) Young Breeders Showmanship
June 18th – 12 Noon CEST (6am EST) Holstein Show

The Classes

Different from the standard classes many North Americans would be accustomed to, the classes for the All-European Championships for Holstein and Red Holstein are as follows:

Junior category: only 1^st lactation cows, having calved, up to 32 months.
Intermediate category: only cows having calved twice, up to 60 months as at 1 March 2013 (born 1 March 2008 or later).
Senior category: only cows having calved three times or more (at least two completed lactations).

In addition:

1^st Lactation cows must make up at least 20% of a country’s contingent. The same applies to cows having calved twice.
All cows must have been born in Europe and must have been recorded in the herdbook of the participating country since 1 March 2012 or before (subject to milk testing). All the cows and reserve cows must be registered by 25 January 2013 at the latest.

The Judges

Holstein judge: Markus Mock, from Germany
Markus and his wife Kerstin own ‘Mox Holsteins’. They manage 130 Holsteins and 350 head in total and cultivate 130 ha with grass, corn/maize, wheat and barley. Since 2013 Markus is a member of the board and Vice President of Rinderunion Baden-Würtemberg (RBW).
Judging career: German Holstein Show, Oldenburg 1998 and 2009
Internationally: National Show UK (2011), National Show Austria (2008), National Show Denmark (2013), International Show Montichiari in Italy (2013), NRM National Show Netherlands (2012), National Show Finland (2011), National Show Portugal (2011), Asturias Regional Show in Spain (2012), Cantabria Regional Show Spain (2010), 2 National Brown Swiss Shows (Switzerland).
Language spoken: German and English

Red Holstein judge: Jaume Serrabassa Vila, from Spain
Jaume owned the Comas Novas farm, Barcelona, untill 2010 and still keeps some of his best cows in Cal Marquet farm (Best Breeder National Show 2013), where he has been technical director. Today he is Breeding Adviser at Triangle Holstein, and also he is a teacher at the Spanish National Young Breeders School and European School in Battice, Belgium.
Judging career: Jaume is an official CONAFE Judge since 1998 and since 2002 he is a member of the Spanish Judges Committee. He has also judged showmanship competitions in Spain. He has judged all major local shows and regional shows, including the Spring National Show CONAFE 2005 and 2009.
Internationally: Colombia, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Finland, UK, Portugal, Hungary and France.
Languages spoken: Spanish, English and Italian.

Showmanship Judges – 17 countries are currently engaged in this contest (33 young people – maximum 2 young people per country). These young people will be divided in two categories: 16-20 years and 21-25 years (1 young by country and by category).For the tie, Erica Rijkneveld (Netherlands) and Zsolt Korosi (Hungary) will analyze their work on these two days: clipping contest Friday 17 and presentation contest Saturday 18.

Erica Rijkneveld Polsbroek lives in the Netherlands, where she is the manager of the company Livestock Show Equipment. Aged 38 years, it was during a university course in Italy she discovered contests presentation and clipping. The trigger occurs. A passion born in it will mark a turning point in his life and career. Today, this passion led him to travel all over the world as a clipper (Europe, North America). Apotheosis, she joy to pass on his expertise and experience to young European farmers through the European School of Battice (EYBS). Recognized for her experience, she quickly became clipping contest judge and presentation. The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Slovenia, France, Spain or Germany, have already used its services to judge one of their competitions.

Zsolt Korösi is 44 years old, married with 3 children and a graduate of the University of Agricultural Sciences Godollo (Hungary). After 4 years classifier, Zsolt was, since 2000, responsible breeding and responsible technicians for the Hungarian association of breeders of Holstein-Friesian breed. Judge in Hungary, where he officiated several times on local and regional shows, he has extended his resume at international level by integrating in 1999 the program of harmonization of the School of European judges. Germany, France (Rennes – progeny group), Slovakia or the Czech Republic have in turn received.
It recognizes other competitions to his credit, including several national (Croatia, Estonia and Czech Republic) and regional (Sweden, Finland, Germany and Spain). Finally, Zsolt has a very good experience of the European Confrontation and presentation contest. He was a member of the Hungarian preparation team in Oldenburg and Cremona, trainer and supervisor for young presenters of the Hungarian team in Cremona and Freiburg, and largely responsible for the Hungarian team at the last three editions. He also ruled presentation competitions in Hungary, Finland, Sweden and Germany.

The Cattle

Ashlyn EX96, 6LACT, 10,5 years (Spain)

GALYS-VRAY Junker, Staub, AL.BE.RO, 3305 Iffwil (CH)

Lady Gaga, 1st Swiss Expo & Grand Champion Schau der Besten ’16 (Germany)

Bel Barclay Selen, Verona Grand Champion (Italy)

Check out the following team pre-selections:

The Bullvine Bottom Line

The European championship plays a major role in promoting the Holstein breed in Europe and around the world. It is one of the three most recognizable championship shows in the world, with many international guest planning their holidays around this event. It allows all participating countries to present their best cattle in the best of conditions. A win at this show catapults the animals into international stardom and helps their respective countries towards the greatly coveted championship team award. If there is one show you must see this year, it has to be this show!

The Bullvine is pleased to bring you full coverage starting on June 17th at 4pm CEST (10am EST)

(T2, D1)