1ST PLACE: WESTERN DISTRICT COBDEN AB
It was outstanding response for the 2024 Holstein Australia Youth Challenge, with thirteen teams participating. The overjudges for the 2024 installment of the Youth Challenge were Courtney Afford (Judging), Daniel Bacon (Clipping) and Olivia Millhouse (Parading) who provided a combination of youth along with valuable experience.
The Youth Challenge was commentated by highly respected fitter and showman Simon Tognola of StGenetics Australia.
Participants represented New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland and Victoria with one hundred and thirty young people, along with team leaders, supporters, family and friends gathering in around the ring in the Blackmore and Leslie complex for the three-hour long competition.
Teams competed in three sections; Clipping, Judging and Parading, each of which had components that were judged for points which provided the team total at the end of the competition.
The Clipping heats were made possible by the generous support of Kim and Brent Mitchell of Mitch Holsteins in Bamawm, North West Victoria, who provided a halterbroken heifer for each team to care for and clip during the challenge. We cannot thank Mitch Holsteins enough for their efforts and ongoing support of the Holstein Australia Youth Challenge.
Following heats of clipping, parading and judging – it was the Western District Cobden AB team who prevailed to win the 2024 competition.
Coming in second was Eagle Direct from Northern Victoria, with only a half point difference back to third placed team, the South Australian Sub Branch.
2024 Holstein Australia Youth Challenge teams (alphabetical order):
Australian Ayrshires, Australian Dairy Youth, Brown Swiss Australia, Eagle Direct, Gippsland Dairy Youth, Guernsey Australia, Illawarra Australia, Northern Victoria H & G Real Estate, Northern Victoria Profit-A-Bull, North West Victorian Sub Branch, South Australian Sub Branch, Western Districts Cobden AB and Western Districts Reach Agri.