A MEMBER of South Wales Holstein Young Breeders (HYB) Club has taken the top spot in this year’s Open Junior Show in Cremona, Italy.
Four young breeders from clubs all over the UK made their way to the show to represent the Holstein society in clipping, showmanship and stock judging elements with Holstein calves which were randomly assigned to each competitor.
The senior team comprised Ben Coates, Yorkshire HYB, and Steven Harris, Cornwall HYB, and the junior team was Iwan Thomas, South Wales HYB, and Vikki Murch, Devon HYB.
All the team members were in the top ten for the overall results, but it was 16-year-old Iwan, Carmarthenshire, who stole the show.
On the first day of the competition Iwan took the lead in the clipping competition and the judge commented he presented a ‘beautiful and natural clip’.
Having taken the title of intermediate showman at this month’s All Breeds All Britain calf show, once again he headed the judge’s line-up in the showmanship element.
Iwan also took first place in the stock judging competition and this meant he claimed the overall honours again 34 other young breeders from across Europe.
Cerys Petrie, National HYB coordinator said: “We are extremely proud of Iwan and the other team members, for all they achieved during their time in Cremona. The results are a strong testament to the quality of our young breeders here in the UK.”
The show in Cremona was also the venue of the Italian national Holstein show which was won by Shropshire-bred Wyndford Atwood Grey 90 exhibited by Errera Holsteins & Agriber. The cow by Atwood calved in July with its third calf and was bought from breeder, Wilfred Maddocks, Newport, at the European Holstein show in Colmar in 2016 when it was second in its class.