Entries are strong for the New Zealand Dairy Event (NZ DairyEvent) despite a clash of dates with Australiaโs International Dairy Week (IDW).
Most of the New Zealanders have got behind the homegrown Kiwi event, and there are a number of South Island exhibitors preparing to brave crossing the Cook Straight โ hoping the sailings will be smoother than over Christmas.
NZ DairyEvent officials say that the entries are on a par with last year, with a heavier weighting of in-milk entries from its 60 exhibitors. There is a total of 376 head entered (2024: 367). The breed breakdown comes in at 167 cows, 71 yearlings, and 138 calves.
The youth show numbers took a slight hit as Jersey NZโs youth team has continued with its plans to attend IDW. The balance of the show has held up.
โข ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ โ 108 entries (2024: 96). The biggest class โ 18 entries.
โข ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ โ 59 entries (2024: 62 entries). Its biggest class includes 13 senior heifer calves.
โข ๐๐๐๐๐๐ โ 81 entries (2024: 82 entries) The biggest class โ 13 entries (2yrs).
โข ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ โ 125 entries (2024: 127 entries). Its biggest class โ 18 entries (junior calf) followed closely by 16 two-year-olds.
Returning South Island exhibitors include Tahora Holsteins โ whose prefix was on the Grand Champion Holstein owned and shown by Waipiri Holsteins last year โ Cresslands Holsteins (Rangiora), and Glenalla and Snowfed Farms (Ashburton).
The Glenalla/Snowfed team includes an Ayrshire entry who never fails to impress all breeds, the 2021 Supreme Champion of the show โ Pukekaraka Elle Delila. Delila, who is now 10-year-old will join some heavy hitters if everything goes right for her in the lead-up to the show. If they do, it promises to make the show interesting. Because that group also includes the 2023 Supreme Champion (and fellow Ayrshire), Raetea Rubicom Debbie, who is returning as a fourth-calved five-year-old. Glenalla also have the 2024 Intermediate Champion Jersey, Ferdon Victorious Shirlee in their team after buying her at Ferdon Geneticsโ 75 years of Ferdon sale in April 2024 for $17,000.
Another returning exhibitor โ after a decade away from the NZ DairyEvent โ comes from Mangatoki, in southern Taranaki. Bradley and Nicole Parkes, of Hasty Spring and Bradnic Jerseys, and they have entered six in-milk animals and three dry heifers. Their team is a mix of Holsteins and Jerseys. Nicole said it was the South Island contingent that made them want to saddle up.
โOur friends from Tahora and Cresslands are coming up from Canterbury, so we thought weโd tie together and make it an enjoyable week,โ Nicole said.
In the Jersey show there is a slew of talent headed to Feilding. The 2024 Grand Champion Jersey, Ferdon Tbone Veneer, is in the starting gates, along with the last yearโs Honourable Mention Intermediate Champion, Ferdon Skyclass Fancy 21.
And, to make sure the right choices are made, the NZ DairyEvent has assembled a strong judging team, which includes:
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ โ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
Loughborough, UK
ASSOCIATE – KAREN FEEK
Auckland
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ โ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐
Yorkshire, UK
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ โ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐
Brunswick Junction, Western Australia
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐- SARAH LEECH
Tirau
๐๐๐๐๐๐ โ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
Boonsboro, Maryland, USA
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ – ANNIE GILL
Otorohanga, Waikato
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ โ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
Rangiora, Canterbury
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ – CLAIRE BOURKE
Opanake
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Ceredigion, Wales, UK
๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐:
Additional action will include a segment from Jersey judge Terri Packard and her husband, Ernie Kueffner, on their remarkable career caring for, and marketing cattle.
They now live at Kueffner Cows in Western Maryland, but Terri and Ernie were the pairing that launched Arethusa Farmโs brand, and taking its cows โ among other achievements โ to a history-breaking effort at the WDE in 2004 when Arethusa won both Supreme and Reserve Supreme Champion with their Holstein and Jersey (Read more: Arethusa: A Winning Focus).
The couple also co-managed (with Dan Donor and Isaac Lancaster) and hosted the Global Glamour sale from Arethusaโs Connecticut base in 2008, which averaged US$97,491, when Apple was sold for US$1 million.
The list of their achievements is too long to detail here, but they have continued to have spectacular results while giving unrivalled care to their animals. They remain as cutting edge in 2025 because of their joint passion and drive.
Terri will host a handlersโ session at 8am on Monday, January 20, and the couple will then talk about their career off the back of that. Whether youโre a young or more mature exhibitor, this represents a rare opportunity to have access to two of the best minds in the global business.
