IDW Youth Challenge Event
International Dairy Week is held in Tatura, near Shepparton in Victoria, Australia.
It is considered Australia’s premier dairy show – with a large number of entries from around Australia, international judges and fantastic facilities. Breeds exhibited are Jersey, Holstein (Black & White and Red), Ayrshire, Illawarra, Guernsey and Brown Swiss.
The Youth Challenge is always hotly contested amongst breed and state teams. There are usually 12-14 other teams in the competition.
Youth Challenge Criteria
Each team consists of a total of 10 members – with no more than three members over the age of 18 and under 22 as of January 15, 2025; three members under the age of 15 as of January 15, 2025; and four other members under 18.
• Four team members will clip a yearling – Holstein (competition sponsors) – time limit 30 minutes.
• Three team members will parade an animal (three animals will be borrowed from exhibitors)
• Three team members will participate in judging (one to speak, the others help judge)
Practices will be held for all three teams – this will be arranged once the team is finalised.
Please contact the JerseyNZ office to enquire about how to join the JerseyNZ team – info@jersey.org.nz
Check out the IDW website here: https://www.idwaus.com/
And follow them on their FB page: https://www.facebook.com/internationaldairyweek
JerseyNZ Youth Represent New Zealand at 2026 International Dairy Week
A group of ten young dairy cattle enthusiasts from across New Zealand are set to represent their country at the Youth Challenge, a major event of International Dairy Week in Australia.
The JerseyNZ team will compete against 12 Australian teams in a test of their livestock care skills on Sunday, January 18. Each team is tasked with looking after a heifer for a full 24 hours, which includes bedding, feeding, and washing the animal. The competition opens with a 30-minute window to prepare the heifer for showing, demanding quick thinking and teamwork.
The event also features a parading contest, where three team members will borrow animals from Australian breeders and be judged on their ability to present them. Another three team members will judge cattle, with one presenting their reasons and placings to the audience.
In the lead-up to the event, team members have been actively preparing. Three Northland-based members travelled to Waipapa to practice animal clipping, while a fourth attended the NZ Holstein youth camp. The Southland-based judging team held a dedicated day to sharpen their evaluation skills, and the parading team has been working with their own animals back home. However, since transporting livestock from New Zealand is impractical, the parading team must rely on the generosity of Australian breeders and adapt quickly to unfamiliar animals with limited practice time.
Half of the team have competed in previous Youth Challenges, providing valuable experience, while five newcomers are set to enjoy their first taste not only of the competition but also of International Dairy Week—a prestigious showcase of elite dairy cattle.
The team is accompanied by five adults. Members are: Carl Lynch, Bella Booth, and Alyssa Bishop (Northland); Sienna Bourke (Taranaki); Maggie and Olive McIntosh (Canterbury); and Hannah Pow, Annika Buhre, Sierra Bennett, and Rosemary Green (Southland).
JerseyNZ, which is sponsoring the team, has extended its best wishes as these young ambassadors prepare to showcase their skills on the international stage.
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