Gorbro Holsteins has dominated the junior and intermediate championship judging at the Victorian Winter Fair at Bendigo, Vic.
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The Cohuna, Vic, stud claimed the premier breeder and premier exhibitor of the show awards, the intermediate championship and the top four spots in the junior championship.
It also won the Red and White Holstein junior champion and the Red and White Holstein intermediate reserve champion awards.
Glen Gordon, from Gorbro, said he was pretty stoked to be mixing it at the top with the calibre of cows on show.
"The numbers are up this year but the quality is so deep," he said
"There's no cows on the showgrounds that don't deserve to be here.
"It's been an incredible show, so we're absolutely thrilled to be lucky enough to be standing at the top."
The Victorian Winter Fair, held from July 2-4, celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, having stamped its place on the showing calendar as the only opportunity for autumn-calving Holstein cows to be showcased at their best.
Intermediate champion's udder impresses
![The supreme intermediate champion Gorbo Sidekick Repa with associate judge Courtney Afford, judge Lachlan Fry, owner Glen Gordon, Gorbro Holsteins, Cohuna, Vic, leader Brock Neal and owner Drew Gordon. Picture by Carlene Dowie The supreme intermediate champion Gorbo Sidekick Repa with associate judge Courtney Afford, judge Lachlan Fry, owner Glen Gordon, Gorbro Holsteins, Cohuna, Vic, leader Brock Neal and owner Drew Gordon. Picture by Carlene Dowie](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/8yYKiJXq2Ks3fRrBZY5gaD/1b9d1534-0d9a-4d15-a8f5-014a1f4d3cd4.JPG/r0_101_4551_2781_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The intermediate champion was Gorbro Sidekick Repa, from the senior three-year-old class, a daughter of BRM Jacoby Repa by Woodcrest King Doc.
Sidekick Repa also took home the supreme intermediate udder award.
Mr Gordon said the cow's impressive udder had prompted Gorbro to bring the show debutante to the event.
"The intermediate champion cow is a cow we have a lot of time for," he said.
"She's a cow that's come straight out of the freestalls, she runs in there with the rest of the cows every day of the year.
"We love the udder.
"That's why we decided to try to break her in and bring her.
"This is her first show, her first time out so she's still learning the ropes a little bit, so hopefully she will get better."
The cow had been classified 88 a week before the show.
Judge Lachlan Fry, Brunswick Junction, WA, said he and associate judge Courtney Afford, Woods Point, SA, were impressed with the overall dairy strength and capacity and the width through the front end of the champion.
"The first-placed cow has so much horsepower and strength," he said.
"The beautiful mammary system is high and wide with veination and beautiful texture."
![The Red and White Holstein intermediate champion Rusty Red Moovin Irene - RED with associate judge Courtney Afford, judge Lachlan Fry and owner Matt Templeton, View Fort Holsteins, Dixie, Vic. Picture by Carlene Dowie The Red and White Holstein intermediate champion Rusty Red Moovin Irene - RED with associate judge Courtney Afford, judge Lachlan Fry and owner Matt Templeton, View Fort Holsteins, Dixie, Vic. Picture by Carlene Dowie](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/8yYKiJXq2Ks3fRrBZY5gaD/13fc8959-7a00-46df-9c58-b1472db1b028.JPG/r0_0_2657_2851_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The Red and White Holstein intermediate champion was Rusty Red Moovin Irene, exhibited by View Fort Holsteins, Dixie, Vic.
Gorbro Holstein's Gorbro Doral Snowy RED was reserve.
Gorbro takes top four in junior championship
![The supreme junior champion Gorbro Sidekith Ruth with owners (back) Glen, Stacey, Janette and Ross and (front) Maggie Gordon. Picture by Carlene Dwie The supreme junior champion Gorbro Sidekith Ruth with owners (back) Glen, Stacey, Janette and Ross and (front) Maggie Gordon. Picture by Carlene Dwie](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/8yYKiJXq2Ks3fRrBZY5gaD/1c2a5a99-70da-4691-87b2-64ac72325b99.JPG/r680_427_4680_3694_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The junior champion was Gorbro Sidekick Ruth, a July 2023 drop heifer, out of Avonlea Jacoby Ruth and sired by Walnutlawn Sidekick.
Mr Gordon said she was owned in conjunction with John and Luke Gardiner, from the renowned Avonlea Holsteins.
Gorbro had picked up the dam at Avonlea's dispersal sale.
"It's been a great partnership with those guys," he said.
Gorbro had shown the dam at International Dairy Week two years ago, where she was fourth in her class.
The dam's sister Avonlea Rival Ruth was champion for Gorbro at the Victorian Winter Fair and reserve champion at International Dairy Week in 2022.
Mr Gordon said to take the top four spots in the junior championship was incredible.
"We came with nine dry heifers and six of them were either first or second - so there were six out for champion," he said.
Mr Gordon said they had put a lot of work into preparing the heifers for the show.
"They've been on a show diet or a program since about March," he said.
"So hard work pays off, I guess."
He thanked the team who helped prepare and show the animals.
Judge Lachlan Fry said the four heifers fitted the mould of the type of animals he and associate judge Courtney Afford liked.
"We like balanced heifers, we like heifers with fore rib and rear rib, strength of loin, heifers that walk on good sets of feet and legs," he said.
"And all four of these heifers are exceptional in their own right."
He said the champion and its sister matched each other so well.
"They are heifers with that beautiful extreme rib," he said.
"They not too extreme in their frame but they just show that beautiful balance that you really need to strive for."
The supreme reserve junior champion was Gorbro Chief Satin, while the honourable mention was Gorbro Jagged Ruth, a sister of the champion.
![The Red and White Holstein junior champion Gorbro Pompeils Altitude - RED with leader Jett Easterbrook. Picture by Carlene Dowie The Red and White Holstein junior champion Gorbro Pompeils Altitude - RED with leader Jett Easterbrook. Picture by Carlene Dowie](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/8yYKiJXq2Ks3fRrBZY5gaD/e7b8e0ef-74bd-4474-a167-7ac4a03dd4b6.JPG/r1787_0_6000_4000_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The Red and White Holstein junior champion was Gorbro Pompeils Altitude - RED, which was shown by Gorbro in conjunction with Strongbark Holsteins, Kit Holsteins and Yarunga Farms.
The youth junior champion was Elm Banks Kickstar Dina, exhibited by Elm Banks Holsteins, Crossley, Vic.
![The youth junior champion Elm Banks Kickstar Dina, exhibited by Elm Bank Holsteins, Crossley, Vic, with leader Hannah Gleeson. Picture by Carlene Dowie The youth junior champion Elm Banks Kickstar Dina, exhibited by Elm Bank Holsteins, Crossley, Vic, with leader Hannah Gleeson. Picture by Carlene Dowie](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/8yYKiJXq2Ks3fRrBZY5gaD/cdeaee80-2ea5-41a0-8f74-7f461342826b.JPG/r0_560_6000_3947_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)