Judge: Michael Tuhan, Victoria, Australia
Class 1: Calves born after September 1st, 2021
Sponsored by: Laughlin Farms and Dr. Tim Henshaw
1. Koopycrest Astroid Ali Astrid – Shawn Koopmans, Picton, ON
2. Oceanbrae Foster Chickpea – Oceanbrae Farms, Belmont, PEI (4-H member Julia Deklein)
3. Oceanbrae Tribute Gold – Oceanbrae Farms, Belmont, PEI
4. Koopycrest Cyride Ali Ashley – Shawn Koopmans, Picton, ON (4-H member Myla Koopmans)
5. Boadewine Hoeve Make A Wish – Frans Cornelissen, Williamstown, ON (4-H member Kylie Cornelissen)
A couple of absolutely outstanding calves head this class. Both are incredibly well balanced, with strong tops, deep rib and angularity throughout. The heifer in first has an advantage in width of front end, and the way she tracks straighter on her rear legs.
The side profile of the second place heifer is incredible. The tremendous angularity and depth of rib of this heifer places her over the heifer in third.
The third place heifer again shows a little more depth of rib and a more desirable tail setting than the clean boned calf in 4th place. Whilst I really admire the tremendous capacity of the 5th place calf, her pin set prevents her from placing higher in this class.
Class 2: Yearlings born between Sept 1, 2020 and Aug 31, 2021
Sponsored by: Fieldcrest Farms and Laralor Farms
1. Oceanbrae Foster Posey – Oceanbrae Farms, Belmont, PEI
2. Ashtonia Anecdote Elsie – Rob Ashton, Port Perry, ON (4-H Briar Loney)
3. Headacher Ironman Della – Jenna Kippen, Mulmur, ON
4. Ashtonia Conrad Burrito – Rob Ashton, Port Perry, ON
Judge’s Comments:
This was a very even class of heifers. My first placed heifer is one that you have to admire for her big, open frame. A heifer showing power, yet she is angular at the same time. I especially like the open rib on this heifer. Her overall length, especially length through the rump, and the way she tracks on her feet and legs places her over the heifer in second.
Second place is another strong topped, clean boned and angular heifer. I admire the depth of rib and clean front end. Her overall capacity and more harmonious blending of parts, particularly through the front end places her over the heifer in 3rd.
It was a difficult decision placing 3rd and 4th with two different types of heifers. I have gone with the younger heifer in 3rd place for her dairy character, angle of shoulder and open rib. While she is also showing more spring to her rib than the big roan heifer in 4th, though I do admire the scale and strength of top in the 4th place heifer.
Junior Championship:
Sponsored by Richford Farms and Lynmark Farms
Junior Champion: Koopycrest Astroid Ali Astrid – Shawn Koopmans, Picton, ON
Reserve Junior Champion: Oceanbrae Foster Chickpea – Oceanbrae Farms, Belmont, PEI (exhibited by 4-H member Julia Deklein)
Hon. Mention: Oceanbrae Foster Posey – Oceanbrae Farms, Belmont, PEI
Judge’s Comments:
My Champion just an outstanding individual whichever way you look at her. One that would stand strong competition anywhere in the world. She is hard topped, clean boned and capacious, with correct set from hip to pin.
The Reserve Champion is a real eye catching heifer, just showing a little more style and angularity than the well balanced, powerful framed yearling heifer that will receive my Honorable Mention.
My HM heifer is one that I also really admire. A heifer that has the balance and dairy strength to enable her to develop into a very good milking cow in the future.
Class 3: First Lactation Cows.
Sponsored by Ashtonia Milking Shorthorns and Prinsville Dairy Farms
1. Oceanbrae Lass Ballerina – Richford Farms, St. Marys, ON
2. Koopycrest Ali Alabama-P – Shawn Koopmans, Picton, ON
3. Richford Bolero Indira – Richford Farms, St. Marys, ON
4. Oceanbrae Foster India-P – Oceanbrae Farms, Belmont, PEI
Judge’s Comments:
The winner of this class is a nicely balanced young cow showing dairyness and strong udder attachments. She uses her overall balance, angularity and more desirable rump to win this class.
I admire the length of this cow in 2nd place. She is a little further into lactation than my 3rd and 4th placed cows. Her height of rear udder and balance of udder gives her an advantage over the 3rd place cow.
In a close placing between 3rd and 4th, I have given the cow in 3rd an advantage in overall dairy character. She shows nice texture to her udder, correct teat placement and a strong ligament, but do grant that the 4th place cow exhibits better balance of udder fore to rear.
Class 4: Second and Third Lactation Cows
Sponsored by the American Milking Shorthorn Society
1. Oceanbrae Bentley Fontana – Oceanbrae Farms, Belmont, PEI
2. Ashtonia St Clare Eden – Rob Ashton, Port Perry, ON
3. Oceanbrae Finn Topaz-P – Oceanbrae Farms, Belmont, PEI
4. Richford St Clare Imogen – Richford Farms, St. Marys, ON
Judge’s Comments:
We start this class with a beautifully balanced dairy cow. She has tremendous strength of topline and width of rear udder. It is her overall dairy character and definition of ligament that places her over my second placed cow.
I admire the height and width of rear udder, as well as texture of udder on the second placed cow. I gave her an advantage in udder balance, rear udder and also length of neck over the cow in third.
The third place cow has a more desirable pin set and more open rib than the roan cow in 4th place.
Class 5: Four or More Lactations
Sponsored by Oceanbrae Farms and Kolson Farms
1. Richford Pingerly Valentine – Oceanbrae Farms, Belmont, PEI
2. Richford Conrad Snapchat – Richford Farms, St. Marys, ON
3. North Stars Jacks Dorito – Rob Ashton, Port Perry, ON
Judge’s Comments:
Our first place cow wins this class comfortably. The tremendous head on this cow tells a story before you move into a super long cow with wonderful dairy strength, and tremendous height and width of rear udder. It is this udder that gives her a clear advantage over my 2nd placed cow.
In second place we have a long cow showing good udder texture. She uses her advantages in teat placement and direction of teat, depth of heel and a more desirable tail setting to place over the older cow in third place.
Grand Champions
Sponsored by Farm Credit Canada and EastGen
Grand Champion: Richford Pingerly Valentine – Oceanbrae Farms, Belmont, PEI
Reserve Grand Champion: Oceanbrae Lass Ballerina – Richford Farms, St. Marys, ON
Hon. Mention: Oceanbrae Bentley Fontana – Oceanbrae Farms, Belmont, PEI
Judge’s Comments:
The harder I look at my Grand Champion, the more I admire her. She is strong, wide and capacious, yet still sharp over the shoulder and clean through the brisket. It is her overall capacity and tremendous height and width of rear udder that gives her an advantage over the first lactation heifer that I have made Reserve Champion.
My Reserve Champion is a lovely young cow, well balanced and showing plenty of quality throughout, especially given she has been milking since March. Though she doesn’t have the big, open frame of my Honorable Mention cow at this stage, her more shallow udder and strength of udder attachments takes her into Reserve Champion.
A sincere thanks to our Judge, Michael Tuhan of Victoria, Australia for judging our show!
