International Dairy Week 2022 at Tatura: Your guide to the results
Interbreed Intermediate champion
CHAMPION: Jersey cow, Kings Vale Joel Made, Roger Perrett
National Holstein Show Intermediate champion
CHAMPION: Eclipse Altitude J Princess, Red, Robsvue & Busybrook
RESERVE: Byrne Lea Octane Buttersnap, Rowlands Park
HONOURABLE MENTION: Avonlea Tatoo Dixie, J & C Gardiner
Red & White Intermediate champion
CHAMPION: Eclipse Altitude J Princess, Red, Robsvue & Busybrook
RESERVE: Gorbro Unstopabull Admire, Gorbro Holsteins
HONOURABLE MENTION: Lightning Ridge Cmd Dback Barbara, J Jennings & B, E & R Thomas
Declan Patten and Bradley Cullen were not even primary school age when International Dairy Week began three decades ago.
Now the dairy duo are running the nation’s most prestigious cattle show, which kicked off this week in Tatura.
Mr Cullen, 27, and Mr Patten, 33, were set to take over the reins last year from IDW founder Brian Leslie before the pandemic put a logistical spanner in the works.
However, the event kicked off on Sunday and the new team, which includes co-ordinator Stacey Leppert, have ushered hundreds of farmers and exhibitors to the Tatura Park.
Mr Cullen, who grew up on a dairy farm along NSW’s south coast, has previously attended IDW as a photographer as well as an exhibitor.
“Brian (Leslie) has established an event which is so highly regarded throughout the dairy world,” he said.
“When the opportunity came up to take over the management of Dairy Week, we were really keen to get started. We want Dairy Week to be a celebration of our industry. It’s so well regarded within our sector but we hope in the coming years to get more people outside of dairy involved and understanding how the sector operates.”
Mr Patten, originally from Gippsland, has spent the past decade working in the dairy sector both in Australia and on an American farm outside Chicago.
“Pre-pandemic, I was heading over to the US pretty frequently,” he said.
“There’s a real pride in agriculture in America and an understanding of the importance of dairy that we want to bring here to Australia.”
Source: Alex Sinnott, The Weekly Times, 20 January 2022