Every year the UK holds an Ayrshire Young Breeders Weekend which brings together the youth members of the society from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, the four nations that make up the United Kingdom. The weekend consists of competitions including Judging, Fitting, Showmanship and Bull mating, with the results going towards the Hugh Stevenson Trophy for the young member of the year, and of course the social side is equally important, as it is an opportunity for young breeders to mix with fellow young breeders from around the UK.
In November 2012, the decision was made to invite one youth member from each World Federation to take part in our youth weekend in April 2013, with a four day tour through the UK visiting Ayrshire breeder’s farms en route as part of the package. An invitation was sent to Canada, USA, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Finland and Sweden informing them of the trip and that once in the UK, our Society would cover all costs associated with accommodation, food and travel. We were delighted when all seven countries replied that they would be sending a representative of their country along to join us.
All seven of our overseas guests arrived at London Heathrow Airport during April 1st and 2nd where they were met by me and accommodated in an airport hotel allowing them to get to know each other.
An introduction to our guests
Greg Evans (USA)
Greg has been working with registered Ayrshires for 24 years at his family farm, Sunny -Acres, where he is currently employed. They have bred owned or developed over 175 All-American and Junior All-American nominations. He spent two summers going show to show with many breeders working on their show crews doing everything from being a night man, feeding, leading, and fitting. This experience led him into his side career of marketing Ayrshires and their genetics. He has worked as a procurement agent for two national Ayrshire sales, Maryland in 2011 and the upcoming Ohio Ayrshire convention.
Ben Hentschke (Australia)
Ben Hentschke is 22 years old from Glencoe in Southern Australia. His involvements with the Ayrshire breed began through his parents Enterprise Ayrshire stud, and from this he has been able to begin his own stud Ben-E-Geez Ayrshires. Ben really has a passion for the show scene in particular, and gets great enjoyment out of clipping and preparing animals for the show ring, and he is fortunate enough to have been able to clip at the 4 main Royals and at the International Dairy Week.
Terri-Lynn Waterston (Canada)
Terri-Lynn Waterston, is from Penobsquis, New Brunswick Canada. She is 25 years old and been around Ayrshires her whole life. Terri-Lynn is currently working full time alongside her dad on the family run Ayrshire farm. She will be the 4th generation to farm under the Prefix Braefield. They were very honoured to receive the Master Breeder title in 2011.In 2009 she graduated from Nova Scotia Agricultural College with a Diploma in Dairy Enterprise Management. Terri-Lynn has been showing cows since she was 4 years old and has had much success in the show ring.
Eveliina Kumpula (Finland)
Eveliina Kumpula has worked with Ayrshires from day one! Eveliina is currently a student of Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences in school and in the future she plans to have her own herd of Ayrshire cattle. She has visited cattle farms in Canada, and has competed in Belgium at the European young breeder’s school.
Eveliina previously worked for Alta in Finland and has visited many farms in her country.
Hayden Donald (New Zealand)
Hayden Donald is 22 years old and the sixth generation dairy farmer on the family farm. He farms alongside his father Selwyn and milks 380 cows. The farm is located in Featherston which is a one hour drive from New Zealand’s capital city Wellington. Hayden’s stud prefix is ARRAN and they milk Ayrshires, Jerseys and Holstein Friesians and breeding and showing cows is a real focus for them.
Winning the New Zealand young judge in the Ayrshire and All Breeds at the New Zealand Royal when he was 16 years old was a real highlight.
JD Marais (South Africa)
JD Marais is from South Africa is 21years old and works for the Ayrshire Cattle Breeders Association of South Africa as a Technical Adviser which in his own words is a job where he can live out one of his dreams… Working with Ayrshires! He grew up on a farm where his parents are still farming crops, sheep and milking Ayrshires cows!
Marie Gustafsson (Sweden)
Marie Gustafsson is 22 years old and lives in a small village called Fröåkra near Lyrestad in Sweden. She grew up on a farm with Red SRB cows and her relatives have owned their farm for four generations. In the summer Marie enjoys taking part in Showmanship classes and exhibits at Shows with the cows from their family farm. Marie currently works on a large farm with 1200 cows and is responsible for the Breeding and Insemination of the herd. Around 600 of them are SRB cows. In her free time she enjoys trotting horses that she is training and hopes to win many of races!
After the last arrival, we departed London on the drive north to our first visit in Leicestershire, to the Sandyford herd belonging to Blaise and Deborah Tomlinson. On arrival, Blaise had put out six outstanding heifers for our delegates to judge for a bit of fun, and this was a great insight for what we were about to see on entering his barns. Then we viewed the dry cow pen, where we came across big, open framed cows, of which several were carrying their eighth calf! The next barn contained the Sandyford lactating cows, again big cows with a lot of strength and carrying awesome udders full of milk. We then viewed Sandyford Clover EX97, the highest classified cow of the breed and many times Interbreed Champion at major shows, who was looking exceptional and carrying her eighth calf! A tour around the Sandyford young stock was also very pleasing to the eye and much amusement was had, as Ben “the Aussie” decided to mount a miniature pony! Enough said! We spent a fantastic evening with the Tomlinson family, including a lovely meal, before retiring to our hotel for the night.
The next morning we headed north to Derbyshire for the first of two farm visits. The first was to the Bigginvale herd belonging to Robert and Jennifer Adams who are regular World Conference delegates. All of our overseas guests were amazed with the beautiful old farm buildings showing the character unique to that area. The cows at Bigginvale were in fine form and what really stood out in this herd was their uniformity, great udders and fantastic locomotion from perfect feet and legs. Again we were shown great hospitality from our hosts with Jennifer providing a lovely lunch for us all, before we departed.
Next stop was to visit the Heydale herd belonging to Peter & Elaine Berresford and family. Although we were running away behind schedule, we still received a warm welcome. The Heydale herd grazes fields at over 330 metres above sea level, one of the highest in the UK. We saw many great individual cows including members of their fantastic Winsome and Bronara families, but what really impressed us all was the quality of the young stock at this farm. We all came away agreeing that a great future lies ahead for the Heydale herd. After saying our goodbyes, we set off on a three hour trip north to Cumbria where our next two herds to be visited the following day were situated.
When we arrived, three hours later, we were greeted at our hotel by the hosts of the herd visit the following day. Any excuse for a beer!! I think this was the latest night of the week and a very, very “sociable” one at that.
Next visit was to the Troutbeck herd belonging to the Mattinson family. We were all in awe of the fantastic facilities at this farm. It was kept in immaculate order and considering they milk over 200 cows, we felt this to be a tribute to their top class management. Again the cows looked in good condition, obviously milking well and included many very good individuals including the Champion cow at the recent Dairy Expo
Lunch was awaiting us when we arrived at Plaskett Lands Ayrshires, the home of the Armstrong family. What a treat for us all to see the amazing longevity within this small herd. A barn bull which was used a number of years ago named Round Bush Edward, has twelve daughters still in the herd, all having had between eight and eleven calves, all have classified Excellent with two being EX95 and two at EX94.while all still have their udders well above the hocks!! Outstanding!
Following this we headed east to the Marleycote herd and the Baynes family. There is a brand new unit with a robotic milking system and the most amazing barn creating the utmost luxury for cow comfort with so much space and light for the herd. If the facilities were top class so was the herd with cows with udders that will last forever amongst whom is the great show cow, Fawn EX 94. Before departing we were also were treated to a look around their “on farm” processing facilities which were just as impressive.
Soon it was time for the final leg of the trip to Kinross near Edinburgh, Scotland, where we would meet up with the youth members of our own society. After checking in to the hotel we went down to dinner and then followed an evening of games and entertainment. JD won the coveted title for the most marshmallows in his mouth and yet being still able to talk! Big mouth!
It was an early start on Saturday morning, too early for some, and we all boarded the coach and headed off to Swaites Farm, Lanark for the first competition of the weekend which was the Stock Judging. The Adamson family put out two high quality rings of six cows for the delegates to place and give reasons. Following this was an opportunity to look around their herd and facilities.
It was then back onto the bus for the next visit to Badenheath Ayrshires, situated at Cumbernauld, north of Glasgow, the home of the Rankin family where all were treated to a delicious lunch and a tour around their herd of big bodied cows. Many of the young stock were by a son of the EX 97 Clover which we had seen earlier in the week and they looked very impressive.
Last visit of the day was hosted by the Millar family, Newlands, Uddingston, in the shadow of Glasgow, home of the Caldervale herd of Ayrshires. Delegates were able to view again more great cows and young stock and then took part in a Bull Mating competition. Two cows were put forward to the members along with a list of six Ayrshire sires. Members had to select a sire and explain the reasons for doing so! Always interesting and often causes debate! We also inspected some ET yearlings and a young sire about to go on test
That evening a fantastic dinner was had by all along with a couple of short speeches before getting onto the dance floor for the Ceilidh! Another late night was inevitable as we discussed and debated until the “early hours”
On Sunday morning we all headed to the famous Cuthill Towers Ayrshire herd situated in a scenic situation near Milnathort, where we were met by our hosts the Lawrie family. Twenty one competitors competed in our Clipping and Presentation Competition starting with a rough clip and then washing of calves, with the youngest competitor being only 9 years old! Whilst the calves were drying again members were fortunate to view this great herd of cows including the very impressive Mandella daughter Cuthill Towers Radar Ray and witness the impact that their home bred sire Cuthill Towers Romeo is having within their herd. Then it was time to enjoy yet another scrumptious lunch.
After the final clip to the top lines of the calves, it was time for a quick change so they could take part in the last competition, which was Showmanship. Five classes were put in front of the judge of the day, Brian Weatherup from near bye Crossgates, who did a fantastic job not only judging but helping and advising the less experienced youngsters. After the prize giving members made their way home and our overseas guests enjoyed a final night’s rest before departing for home or their onward journeys.
Results
International Competitors
Overall winner – Ben Hentschke (Australia)
Reserve – Terri Lynn Waterston (Canada)
Hon. Mention– Hayden Donald (New Zealand)
Judging
1st--Ben Hentschke (Australia). -2nd – Hayden Donald (New Zealand)
Bull Mating
1st – Ben Hentschke (Australia).- 2nd – JD Marais (South Africa)
Fitting
1st Ben Hentschke (Australia). -2nd Terri Lynn Waterston (Canada)
Showmanship
1st -Eveliina Kumpula (Finland).- 2nd Terri Lynn Waterston (Canada.)
UK Members
Judging
1st Aled Walters (South Wales)- 2nd Rebecca Reed(South Wales) -3rd Georgia Davies (West Midlands)
Teams 1st South Wales- 2nd South Wales -3rd West Midlands
Bull Mating
1st Robert McConnell (Northern Ireland)-2nd Stuart Williams (South Wales) -3rd James Mattinson (Cumbria)
Clipping
1st John Mclean (Northern Ireland)-2nd Stuart Williams (South Wales) -3rd Sam Wadsworth (Northern Ireland)
Showmanship
Mature
1st Stuart Williams (South Wales) -2nd Robert McConnell (Northern Ireland) -3rd James Mattinson (Cumbria)
Senior
1st Andrew Rimmer (Lancashire) -2nd Caroline McConnell (Northern Ireland) 3rd -Shaun Rennie (Scotland)
Intermediate
1st Matthew Mclean Northern Ireland 2nd John Mclean Northern Ireland 3rd Beth Mellish South East
Junior
1st Evie Tomlinson West Midlands 2nd Laura Partington Lancashire 3rd Meggan Stratton South West
I would like to say to each and every association around the world a big thank you for sending along a youth member from your country. Each and every one represented your country so well. All seven guests were an absolute pleasure for me to get to know and the comments that I have had from our breeders have been nothing but admiration for each and every one. The Ayrshire breed around the world is in safe hands for the future in having these seven young, enthusiastic and talented individuals.
Duncan Hunter, Assistant Breed Secretary
