From The Kerryman newspaper ….. what a good idea.
http://www.kerryman.ie/news/dingle-dexter-breeder-paddy-has-his-ear-to-the-ground-2979203.html
A great start to the Dexter Breed Show in NSW, with 12 Dexter studs exhibiting from NSW and Queensland – approximately 70 head faced our Judge, John Haigh, from Queensland, Eldaah Gurnsey Stud. John MCclean, Heerlen Stud of Narrabri was our ever-watchful Chief Steward.
John commenced Judging in a lovely sunny, crisp Saturday morning with the Best Udder class – most important in a dual-purpose breed like our Dexters. The winner he was Bon Vista Peppercorn, who ended up the day as winner of the 30 months an over class and reserve Senior Champion purebred female A big well done to her breeders and owners Geoff and Lea Germanym Swan Vale NSW!
Junior Champion Bull went to our president, Bryan Watts of the Mellive Roy stud, Bowraville with the winner of the 6-12 months Bull class – Mellive Roy Caloss. Reserve to him was Maureen Sellars, Lamrockvale Stud, Belli Park Qld with the red bull, Lamrockvale Nugget.
John’s choice for Senior bull was the well performed Hobbit Hill Legoas, who ended up grand Champion bull, and eventually Supreme Exhibit for the Neale and Jeanette Bourne of Toowoomba Qld. Reserve to him was another Queenslander – Summer Creek Black Sabbath shown by the Pla Family of Summer Creek Stud, Veresdale Scrub, Qld.
The Supreme Grade Dexter exhibit was Bon Vista Araulen, owned by Jan and Lyndsay of Jaylyn Stud, Barrabra NSW.
We had some super youngsters in the two Junior Handler classes – under 16 was won by Charles Pye, Talli Qld, with his twin brother Lewis in 2nd and Mitchell Marks was 3rd. A very strong class, and they worked really hard. Special “highly commended” went to a very young Logan Johnson, Inverell (4yrs), who has been asking – since the Show – when the next one is!
The Over 16 was even more difficult. Carrie Germany – whose heifer decided she was not going to co-operate in any way at all, won the award, with equal 2nds for Sophie Pla, Ryan Marks and Ben Passmore, whose animals were much more obliging! Very well done to all these youngsters – the breed is in good hands here!
There were some super young females put forward, with the Junior Champion going to the Neale’s Bourton Park Stud with Lana2, and reserve to Summer Creek black Saphire. Some lovely Senior Females – again many with a calf at foot, with the Champion and Supreme Female going to the under 24 months class winner, Hobbit Hill Gem 2 and reserve to the winner of Best Udder, and over 24 months class, Bon Vista Peppercorn. Grand Champion Female went to Hobbit Hill Gem 2.
The storms started to come over, as they can at Inverell, so our Judge was pushing through and awarded Hobbit Hill Legolas the Supreme Exhibit of show – just as the storm hit! Great timing John!!!
We all re-grouped that evening at the local Bowlo Club for a great Dexter Dinner and evening of fun and relaxation. The storm had abated by then, bringing a crispness to the evening temperatures. We had a most enjoyable “mystery auction” – at which I was the successful bidder for bottles of human hair product!!! Oh well – all in a great cause. The local Auctioneers – John and Miles Devlin of LJ Hooker, Inverell were fantastic. The evening was such a great success that the packing up and leaving for home the next day was, in some cases, somewhat slower than normal!
An interesting sidelight was seeing a mob of buffalo in the stockyards being “worked’ by some enthusiastic young folk training their cutting and stock horses.
Exhibitors watching the judge
