Results for the 2026 NZ Dairy Event
Attention on winners…
One team – with 43-head – including a contingent from Mid Canterbury are reflecting on a stellar NZ DairyEvent.
In the middle of December, the Gilbert family probably wondered what they had signed up for in terms of workload. The family’s show campaign was shared between Luke Gilbert (Showcase Boarding, based out of Hamilton) and his brothers, Mike and Nick (Gilbert family) , who milk 650 and 630 cows respectively at Ashburton (Mid Canterbury). They prepared some of their team in the South Island while the balance was with Luke.
When they brought the team together, it involved transporting 18-head across the Cook Strait from the South to the North Island. It was the biggest collective team they had put together to date (21 in-milk and 22 heifers).
However, with the value of hindsight they delivered in spades for their clients, friends, and family when the results were washed out. Because within those numbers was the Supreme All Breeds Exhibit of this year’s show, the Supreme All Breeds Intermediate Champion, the Grand Champion Holstein, Reserve Champion Holstein, Intermediate Champion Holstein, and the Junior Champion in the Combined Breeds.
The Supreme All Breeds Exhibit of the show (and Senior, Grand Champion of the Ayrshire Show), Kiteroa Cream Bubbette (owned by Zane and Marie Kite who milk 180 Ayrshires at Ōhaupō) had been boarding with Luke for six weeks before the show on behalf of her owners.
The Supreme All Breeds Intermediate was also an Ayrshire – Glenalla Reynolds Dawn – giving the Ayrshires a majority presence in the heavy-hitter awards. Dawn is owned and bred by the Gilbert family. The Gilberts also exhibited (and bred and owned) the Grand Champion Holstein [Glenalla Unix Maple-ET], they owned the Intermediate Champion Holstein [Joyclas Bullseye Moo-ET], and they prepared the Reserve Champion Holstein [Charbelle Tatoo Pix] with her owners, Charbelle Holsteins (Morrinsville).
Zane Kite said without staff on their farm, getting Luke to prepare Bubbette professionally made sense. He has also been grateful to the Fullerton family for their help in earlier campaigns. This win follows Kiteroa’s successful annual sale of 42-head (mostly calves) which grossed $120,000 in November.
Bubbette was the 2021 NZ Dairy Event’s Intermediate Champion Ayrshire and while the eight-year-old was pushed hard by Glenalla’s Intermediate for Supreme All Breeds this year, the judges from Canada, Australia, the UK, and New Zealand came together to give her the ultimate award.
Zane described it as a “wicked Ayrshire” show, and while he was thrilled on the day it’s now business as usual for their Champion.
“Well, I was blown away at the time and of course it’s a massive buzz, but now it's back to reality I guess,” Zane said.
“I will say though that the achievement will live on for a fair while, and we'll acknowledge it, accept it, and be really proud of it.”
Courting offers
For Michael Gilbert – speaking on behalf of the Gilbert family – the campaign was a success on more than one level.
“The thing we were the most happy with is that of the 43 animals we prepared, we bought everything out as good as we possibly could,” Michael said. “Particularly the milkers. To get 21 milkers out in one day was something we'd never done before, and it’s pretty hard to get that right. Not to mention, that we were obviously looking after other people's animals, so there's always that added pressure too. We tied in with Charbelle Holsteins for the week, and we couldn’t have done it without their help.”
They are now courting buying offers on both their Supreme All Breeds Intermediate Ayrshire and Grand Champion Holstein. They only milk 30 Ayrshires themselves (within their combined herd numbers of 1280 cows). It’s worth noting they have now owned two Ayrshires that have achieved Supreme Champion titles at the NZ DairyEvent [including Pukekaraka Elle Delilah, who was Supreme in 2021 and Grand Champion Ayrshire in 2025]. Both of those cows go back to modest-priced buys Michael made from the Pukekaraka stud. He shared that he bought the dam of this year’s Supreme All Breeds Intermediate for $2400.
“Dawn’s dam [Pukekaraka Burdete Rose] was an older cow when we bought her, but she had been a successful show cow herself,” Michael said. “We’ve got a couple of daughters out of her now, and Dawn happened to be one of them. So, buying those Ayrshire cows at that particular sale is getting better and better for us results wise.”
In the last decade Holsteins have found their way into their mostly Jersey herds and now number around 400 split between the two herds.
To breed and exhibit Grand Champion Holstein is another milestone they will savour for some time to come.
“Like” this Champion
Pat and Shelley Schnuriger had never won a broad ribbon at the NZ DairyEvent…until this year.
Their senior heifer calf – from one of their deepest maternal families – changed that when she first topped the senior heifer calf class of 30-head, and then went all the way under Canadian judge Brian Carscadden. Shelley said that a couple pointers from the judge was appreciated during her class win and she put them straight into her game for the final race.
The “Like” cow family has been infused with sire Mr Ernestanthony Havenofear and the win was exciting for the tight family team.
Like’s dam, Raetea Byway Like, won her class in the youth show at the NZ DairyEvent five years ago and her granddam has finished second in her class, but this generation has set the bar high. The emotion got the better of Shelley for a second, and she was tearful.
“It's pretty exciting and it was emotional because the “Like” family is one of our strongest cow families in our herd and for me to have animals that are coming through into our show team every year is brilliant. Even our show sign in our string is of “Like” family members.
She said having international judges at the event is critical.
“All of our judges in New Zealand are awesome and it's lovely to see all our junior judges coming through. For a show like this it’s great to have the outside perspective of international judges who are also sharing their experience with the associate judges.”
In all, they showed three breeds, Milking Shorthorn, Holstein, and Ayrshire.
Jersey historic moment
For Ferdon Genetics’ Warren and Michelle Ferguson and family, they couldn’t have got a better lead-in to their upcoming “Chase Your Dreams” Jersey sale on April 22 on farm at Otorohanga. Ferdon was the prefix on all three of the Senior Jersey Champions (with the Reserve Champion now belonging to Tony and Lois McAllister, of Ohaupo).
The McAllisters bought Ferdon Victorious Flower at Lot 1 at Ferdon’s sale in 2024 for $17,000. She won the four-year-old class, and was shown within Ferdon’s string. However, the Ferguson family’s five-year-old class winner, Ferdon Tbone Veneer, was on the money for Senior Champion. Veneer has now won Grand Champion Jersey for three successive years. She is also one of their top producing cows at 815kg Milk Solids in 280 days last season.
“It's kind of been Tony's [McAllister] dream to get down there and beat us,” Michelle said. “He’s rapt with the results and that’s part of the reason we’ve called our next sale ‘Chase your Dreams’, because that’s what we’re all doing, isn’t it?”
Warren said this year proved to be historic for them, and incredibly satisfying.
“I don't think we have ever had our prefix on all three Senior Champions, before,” Warren said. “We’ve had Junior, Intermediate and Senior, but to get the three lined up in the senior show is pretty special. We couldn’t do much better than that.”
He says they will sell a full sister to the Reserve Champion in their sale. They had also considered offering their Honorable Mention Champion, but their loyal team of helpers had vetoed the decision.
Warren was also awarded the 2026 recipient of the NZ Dairy Event Outstanding Achievement and Service Award, which he said had to also include Michelle and his family.
“There’s no ‘I’ in Warren,” he smiled.
Shake it up…
First-time Jersey competitor at the NZ DairyEvent - who won Junior Champion Jersey - was shaking so much he couldn’t type in his phone’s password in so he could video the champion lineup.
Peter and Claire Hansen had made the decision to drive up from the South Island this year for the first time. Peter said he wasn’t sure right up until he pulled out of their gate, but Claire encouraged him.
“We've been through a really tough year financially at our other business [Peter Hansen Drainage], and I think it knocks your confidence and gets you tired and you're like, ‘Shall I do it?’
“But Claire was really encouraging. I think also having the calibre of animal too made us give it serious consideration. Good animals don't come round every day, and I thought to honour her that it was worth coming up here to give her a chance.”
The trip from Rangiora in the South Island involves a ferry trip. Peter said they had a camera in their gooseneck, so he could watch his heifers, and he did take a cabin for himself. But the sustained adrenalin didn’t afford him much rest.
Their family’s decision to go allowed them the chance for Lilac Grove Video Chip, sired by St-Lo Video, to go all the way in a strong Jersey show under Australian judge Wayne Kuhne, of Bushlea fame. Peter and Claire milk 30 registered cows and supply raw milk under their business Fernside Fresh, in addition to their drainage business.
Peter sourced the embryos for Video Chip from Avonlea Genetics in Canada. He said he was grateful to be able to choose the cow they flushed and the sire they used.
“The genetics are my passion, and we have wanted to bring in cow families that we admired. Andrew and Jennifer [Vander Meulen] from Avonlea Genetics were so kind to let us, one, flush the cow, and two, nominate the sire.
“We couldn't get the St-Lo Video semen here. So, when Andrew gave us the opportunity, I asked if he would mind using that bull and he very kindly let us. We just think she's awesome. And the cool thing too is she's got such a great nature and a presence in the ring. She's just a natural.”
They have a full sister at home, and they believe they are the only two St-Lo Video daughters in New Zealand.
“Which is kind of cool too.”
Peter said his nerves in the championship were big.
“Even when she won her class, the hairs on my arms were up. I went to take a video of her on the move in the ring, and I couldn't do my passcode because my hands were shaking that much.
“But it's so cool. I don’t think it has sunk in fully. It’s also just lovely to have my daughter, Brooke, here helping. We've had a great time together coming up.
"We're just super proud to be able to win this today, very humbled, very thankful for the team helping out in the shed, and very grateful to Avonlea Genetics.”
Ferdon Genetics came in for Reserve Champion and Tom Gilbert won the crowd over on Honorable Mention with his pocket-rocket presence.
Combined breeds strong at the top end
The Combined Breeds was judged by expatriate New Zealander, Brent Crothers, who now lives in the United Kingdom.
Brent was quick to say that the breeding and showing in New Zealand had progressed significantly since he left. He now represents MilktechNZ Ltd in Shropshire.
The Brown Swiss had a strong show with the Junior Champion coming out of Mid-Canterbury.
The Grand Champion was also a Brown Swiss owned by Brookview Genetics (Te Awamutu)
Brookview Carter IC S2B (sired by Voelkers TD Carter) is currently the highest classified Brown Swiss cow in New Zealand at EX92. Brookview’s Vince Steiner and family have had a brutal year with their son, Quinn, being involved in a serious car accident in Canada. This show was about celebrating his ongoing recovery, the family’s resilience, and their passion for the cows that they love. Vince said they have 10 Brown Swiss in their Ayrshire and Holstein herd that numbers 600. He also confirmed that the Brown Swiss have been a popular inclusion.
“I admire and love them because they are lead cows anywhere and everywhere they go,” Vince said. “It is not very often that many Brown Swiss are left in the yard after the first three rows of the herd go through.
“If there is a Brown Swiss at the end of milking, you start looking at her to find out what’s wrong.”
Entries exhibitor numbers were up by close to 10% overall. That included 10 more exhibitors and a total of 403 animals that were entered.
One of NZ DairyEvent’s official, Isaac Kelsen, said it’s pleasing to see the continued passion for the industry within New Zealand.
Girl-power was strong in the youth
Four young women – one a rookie – tapped into consistency and teamwork to win the Open Country-sponsored Youth Challenge.
Zara Williams, 18, Bella Booth, 17, Violet Simons, 10, Lucy O’Reilly, 16, admitted to some pre-game nerves. They didn’t win any of the disciplines it was decided by (judging, parading or judging), but they were competitive with them all, and that consistency was the difference that gave them a valuable seven-point margin in the final analysis.
Captain Zara Williams and the youngest member, Violet Simons, returned to the team this year. They said they wanted redemption for last year, and they were pumped to achieve it. Violet said they felt more confident coming into the clipping and she was pleased that their heifer was settled when they were clipping her head.
The Shorthorn team was also an all-girl team with Haylee Baker, Mikayla Marshall, Tamara Treymane, and Ruby Trubshaw. The youth show involved a lot of young people and the sheer volume of numbers and passion on display impressed the international judges.
Individual Youth
In the individual youth show, the Supreme Champion was Bullseye Leigh (sire: MB-Lucky Lady Bullseye-ET), who was exhibited by Lucy O’Reilly (Tirau). The pair came with a great backstory that started on Snapchat. Lucy borrowed a calf that hadn’t been taught to lead who belonged to Campbell Young, at Te Awamutu.
“All my years of breeding, I've always wanted to have my very own prefix by my prefix dam to stand at the front of the class,” Campbell said. “I did the day trip carting Lucy's calves down in trailer for them and spent few hours at shed before racing home. Unfortunately I missed the whole youth show but I was kept updated by Snapchat that we won her class then my phone fell down the far side of the seat and it wasn't until I walked into the shed and I was told she’d won. At first I thought they meant she’d won her class, but it was the whole youth show. That's when the emotions got real.”
Bullseye Leigh dam is Finally Bridge Leeza ( x Bridgestone) from Rau Roa Windbrook Leeza (the granddaughter of Waipiri Oman Liza). Campbell is a contract milker with 20 of his own cows. He says he’s continually been impressed by Lucy and when Leigh caught his eye, he was happy to put the two together.
“Lucy will always stop and chat and she also listens and takes on advice and guidance, and her care of animals is second to none,” Campbell said. “The O’Reilly’s are a great bunch who just want to enjoy their children's passion. I get more enjoyment of seeing a youngster on the halter than being in the ring myself.”
Lucy said it was a thrill to spend the five weeks working with Leigh. She also entered three of her own calves. They included Speddyd Hanske Macca, who won her youth show senior calf class and Honorable Mention in the senior section of the youth show.
