Special Awards
Distinguished Member Award
Bruce Cameron of Ardachie stud is awarded a Distinguished Members Award for a lifetime commitment to polled Jerseys in New Zealand and Worldwide. Bruce has persevered against all odds to have his herd recognised as Pedigree Jerseys even though in the First Herd Book , Volume 1, 1903 there was a bull , Polled Prince recorded.
At Ardachie the first polled animal was a heifer calf bought by Bruce’s grandfather with her bull being used over the herd leading to whole herd being polled by 1950. It took until 1991 for the herd to be registered as SJ and graded up for a further four generations to be recognised as pedigree. Jersey NZ only allowed this as in 1988 the USJCC wanted a bull Opportunity imported by Ambreed to be recognised as a full pedigree.
It is now recognised that polled genetics are the way of the future, even supported by Fonterra in their Handbook.
Mr & Mrs J W Singers Efficiency Scroll Award
This award is made to the person who, in the opinion of the Jersey NZ Board, has done the most or been the most active in promoting and publicising the Jersey breed and the Association. The award covers all phases of a breeder’s activities including testing, showing, breed promotion and administration.
In 2022 the Jersey NZ Board has much pleasure in presenting the J W Singers Efficiency Scroll Award to Shaun & Michelle Good who are the proud Jersey breeders behind the Thornwood stud. The couple has been farming together for the past 10 years, firstly 50/50 sharemilking in 2012, then progressing to the purchase of their first farm in an equity partnership in 2017 and moving their 400 cow Jersey herd from Te Awamutu to Otorohanga where they are now based. Next season the couple will expand their herd again, taking on the lease of an adjoining farm, and will milk 800 cows across the two properties.
Shaun and Michelle have worked on developing strong cow families within their herd and made breeding decisions focussed on efficient, profitable genetics backed by excellent conformation, health, and fertility. While predominantly using New Zealand genetics the couple has also included the best overseas bulls to bring diversity to their herd. Throughout their time as herd owners the couple has sold over 22 bulls to AB centres from six cow families, most notable Premier Sires Thornwood Degrees Trigger and Thornwood Banff Titus.
Michelle’s participation in Te Awamutu Jersey Club activities began as a child. Also as a child, Michelle took over the Thornwood prefix when her grandfather Richard Adam Snr retired. Both Shaun and Michelle are active members of the Te Awamutu Jersey Club and enjoy participating in club events such as the on-farm show, production awards and Jersey Classic. Shaun has held the role of President for two years. Shaun and Michelle say that the Club has been a great way for them to meet like-minded people, who share the same passion of farming and the Jersey breed.
Their two children Amaya (4) and Arlo (2) are both Junior members of Jersey NZ. Michelle is on the Jersey NZ Youth Council and was also the first General Manager of Jersey Advantage, bringing her professionalism to the role. She continues now in a volunteer role on its Working Groups. Her background in Marketing and Communications is of great value. On their first try in the Waikato Dairy Industry Awards in 2016 they placed third.
The commitment of our young members, like Shaun and Michelle, to the Jersey breed is a positive for the future of Jersey NZ. It is a great pleasure to acknowledge the contribution made by Shaun and Michelle Good in presenting them with he JW Singers Trophy for 2022.
Cyril Dermer Cup
“Outstanding Services To The Jersey Breed and Jersey New Zealand”
Northern Wairoa Jersey Club President Graeme Collins, is a Jersey NZ Ambassador , TOP Inspector/Classifier and a member of the Judging/Classification Committee. Although he dispersed his Waiteitei Stud herd in 2018 he has remained as involved with Jersey NZ activities as he ever was. He takes every opportunity to fulfill his roles, creating profile for our organisation at all relevant events. Apart from his official Jersey NZ commitments he is sought after by many Jersey Clubs to officiate at on-farm shows and he never turns them down.
In the course of the past years SPS and main TOP/Classification window, Graeme had more “sticks up his nose” than most would deem acceptable. With Graeme being an “unwilling Jaffa” (Just Another Fabulous Friendly Aucklander) farming on the extreme northern boundary of the Greater Auckland Region at Tomarata, East of Wellsford he had border controls in every direction. To move in and out he had to undergo a Covid test each way. This did not deter him from contributing to more than his share of SPS and classification work, often picking up the extra jobs that came along. He was the only TOP Inspector/Classifier compromised to this extent by the Covid rules. The extra personnel time committed to gain Covid clearances was considerable.
It was this sort of willingness and co-operation that allowed JNZ to complete it’s SPS/Classification commitments in a very difficult year.
It is thus with a great deal of thanks and appreciation that the Board of Jersey New Zealand, presents the Cyril Dermer Cup ” for Outstanding Services to the Jersey Breed and Jersey New Zealand” in the past year to Mr Graeme Collins.
Special Member Recognition for Services to TOP & Classification
It can be a difficult task, to thank and recognize someone who has contributed so much and has already received the highest recognition that our organization can bestow.
In March of this year, Don Shaw decided not to re-certify for the role of TOP Inspector/Classifier. He thus chose, at the age of eighty-one to draw the curtain down on thirty-five years of contributing in this role.
Don’s contribution to Jersey New Zealand and the wider dairy industry is well known and has been profiled in national publications. His custodianship, with his family, of the Kiwi and Anchor Jersey studs at Ohaupo, achieved them national prominence and as a CRV Ambreed consultant he has had a positive influence on the genetic gain and balance of many breeders’ herds. His record for service and longevity as a A.I. Technician is legendary.
In 1996 Don and his wife Lynne were awarded an Honorary Life Membership of Jersey New Zealand for their work in the field of Youth Training, Youth Exchange and Youth Development Seminars.
Through tragedy and heartbreak, Don has remained steadfastly loyal to Jersey NZ, always presenting thoughtful and challenging ideas and comment and is a current Jersey NZ Ambassador.
With this citation, the board of Jersey NZ are specifically recognizing Don’s contribution in the role of TOP Inspector and Classifier. Through the years of his involvement as a classifier, Don has seen and adjusted to all of the changes that have taken place in this field. From being one of the original “paper boys,” to using the first hand-held units to collect linear information and ultimately the new handhelds and new awards system, Don has taken it all in his stride. He has travelled the length and breadth of New Zealand classifying dairy cows, with his contribution, in the last few years, being classification work closer to home.
As he parks his classifiers boots in the garage, Don can reflect on a job well done.
With this “Special Member Recognition”, the Board of Jersey NZ and Classification Convenors past and present, would all like to thank Don sincerely for his time and expertise in his work as a TOP Inspector and Classifier.
George Henry Dawick Memorial Cup
– The George Henry Dawick Memorial Cup is presented to a member who has attained significant achievement at either a national or international level that reflects progressive Jersey excellence in any field relating to the Jersey breed.
This year’s recipient has demonstrated a real passion and enthusiasm for his particular type of Jersey cow. He has established two Facebook groups, one targeting NZ farmers which has over 1000 members which he started in 2014, He began the Polled NZ Dairy Cows Facebook page to help encourage other kiwi farmers to use Polled bulls. At the start, the majority of interest in the page was from overseas, but this is slowly changing.
The second facebook group has over 13500 members internationally which was started in 2020. He has been a regular advertiser in #PolledPlace since the beginning in 2014. This has really helped their profile outside of New Zealand.
He has also exported semen from his own bulls around the world, particularly Europe, America and Australia. These bulls Zigzag, Dimple, Overlord and Octane are all Homozygous PPolled, A2A2 and BB kappa casein. The continuing development of Polled, A2A2 and grazing markets worldwide has meant steady interest in what he is doing.
He continues to focus on breeding sound Polled grazing cattle with the genetic qualities he thinks are going to be important in the future. He is in the process of further DNA testing to find his next PP/A2A2/BB kappa casein bulls!
The 2022 recipient is Bruce Cameron
Nominations for the next George Henry Darwick Memorial Cup winner can be be submitted below:
George Henry Dawick Memorial Cup Nomination