A: The team who attended the 2024 European Young Breeders School in Belgium are all going to participate and teach the younger generation.
The series of events run by Holstein Friesian New Zealand kicked off at the Waikato A&P Show last week. Events would also be held at the Canterbury A&P Show on November 12, Stratford A&P Show on November 29 and Gore A&P Show in February next year. Which event will you be teaching at?
The Gore show.
How old are the children you will be teaching?
Age 14 and younger.
What skills will you be teaching them?
We are focusing on showmanship. At that age, it is important we start to focus on their abilities to lead their animals, excelling in showmanship and presenting in the ring. Anyone can walk out with a heifer but showmanship is being able to present, stand right and do what the judges require.
Will heifer calves and yearlings be supplied at the events?
We are encouraging everyone to bring their own heifer because people are more comfortable with their own but if you don’t have a heifer, one will be supplied.
Are only children with a link to the dairy industry invited to take part?
No. Anyone who wants to learn is welcome to come along.
Why have you offered to pass your skills on to the next generation?
So many people dedicated a lot of time to me when I was growing up and began competing and that made such a difference in my abilities and skillset and I feel passionate about passing that on to the next generation.
When representing New Zealand in Belgium, you placed third in your breeders class and sixth in your handlers class. Will you be teaching the children any of the skills you learnt there?
Absolutely. Everything we learnt there will be taught at these events. People in Europe really respect what New Zealand dairy farmers are able to do from a small country on the other side of the world.
Are young people interested in showing cattle?
Yes. The ones that are passionate about it are deeply passionate but the number of younger people in the dairy industry has been dropping off but I think we have seen an increase of people getting back amongst it, which is really exciting to see and something we want to encourage and keep going. Being involved in this part of the industry can give you so many opportunities like I have experienced, so it would great to get more people involved so they can realise those opportunities.
How is your stud, Maylea Holsteins, going on your family farm in Wyndham?
I had a successful calving this year and had some really good heifers born, which has bumped up the numbers for the stud. We just began mating and my first heifer went up on the first day so that’s always a good sign.
You once told me you got international job offers in Europe but you enjoyed life in Southland too much to accept any of them. Has the wet weather in Southland made you question your decision?
No it hasn’t. The past season in Southland has been an extremely hard one for all farmers and while it has been tough, Southland might get you down but it won’t let you down. I love farming in Southland and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I’m so proud to be able to call it home.
