Consistency pays off in competition

Some of the trophies on offer at a long-standing southern livestock competition are returning home with back-to-back winners.

The West Otago A&P Society launched its ewe hogget and two-tooth, beef and dairy heifer competition in the 1950s and introduced dairy cattle in the 1990s.

Competition winners were announced at a function at Tapanui Showgrounds last week.

Sheep judge Mike McElrea said 16 hogget and 14 two-tooth ewe flocks were scrutinised between Moa Flat, Waikaka and Waitahuna on performance, phenotype and evenness and whether they were meeting the breeding objectives of the farmer.

Overall prize winners for both flocks was Mike Power, of Waitahuna.

"I’m rapt," Mr Power said.

He also won both of the top sheep prizes last year.

He put the success of his Romdale and Texel cross flock down to the influence of the Romney genetics.

"I get a lot of lambs off mum."

Judge Sam Barton said Mr Power was a "perfectionist".

"He made sure all his hoggets and two-tooths were spot on."

Judge Pip Wilson agreed Mr Power won due to his "extra attention to detail".

She was impressed by the number of young keen sheep farmers entering the competition.

"It is great to see them doing a super job of farming."

Dairy farmers Dave and Mel Goble, of Tapanui, won the overall dairy heifer prize.

"It is awesome," Mr Goble said.

"Real good," Mrs Goble said.

The couple milk 400 cows on 185ha and won the top prizes at the competition last year.

Mr Goble said the secret was feeding the herd plenty of grass.

"They don’t have a day in their life where they go hungry."

Society committee member Luke Kane, of South Tapanui, said the dairy heifer judges Kathy McDonald and Chris Giles scrutinised more than 2500 calves and nearly 3000 in-calf heifers at farm locations including Crookston, Kelso, Maitland and Waipahi.

"The judges had one hell of a job," Mr Kane said.

Clayton Peters, of Peters Angus, said he was "stoked" to win the overall beef herd award for the first time.

Confidence was on the rise in the beef industry, which was great after a challenging time, including a wet spring.

"There is always light at the end of the tunnel. Before he died, Dad told me I would go through a recession and to hang it out and it will come right again."

Beef judge Niamh Barnett scrutinised rising 2-year-old beef heifers for the first time in the competition, including on farms in Beaumont, Millers Flat, Waikaka and Waitahuna.

"It is a really cool competition."

She was invited to judge due to her involvement with New Zealand Hereford Youth.

The Angus herd of Clayton Peters won the overall prize because they were even, docile, had good muscling and were capacious and structurally sound.

"They are the cornerstones of any kind of beef animal," Miss Barnett said.

shawn.mcavinue@alliedpress.co.nz