On Thursday the 25th of September everyone was packing there cars/trucks with cattle supplies and of course the cattle. Russell and myself were pretty excited, that the whole day seemed to drag on but once it hit time to halter up all the cattle and pack the Ute we were getting pretty tired. We got to the Royal Show around 3:30 pm and Billabong and Wedge tail Ridge Dexter Stud were already set up in there bays, our cattle (Glenwarlock) came around 5 O'clock. We quickly got them sorted into there bays and gave them all buckets of feed to settle in with. By 6 pm we were all pretty tired and ready for a good nights sleep, we headed to our dorms and crashed for the night.
On Friday the 26th it was a 4:30 am start, cleaning out the cattle pens efficiently, giving all the bulls, cows, heifers and calves a big drink plus a bucket of feed to settle them down for the morning. After we finished the morning clean it was of to the kitchen to battle to make breakfast, a yummy bacon and egg sandwich was made and finally a sit down was deserved. The show wasn't open yet so the day was filled with washing cattle, starting with the two heifers ending with the calves, all the cattle were finished being washed,blown,combed and clipped by lunch time. We helped out some other studs and started decorating our lane, green fairy lights with orange and green streamers, pictures were stapled every where and Dexter information bags were hung up.
On Saturday the 27th it was SHOWDAY another 4:30 am start except this time our lane was a little more intense, the day started with mucking out and another huge drink and a big feed for every animal. Breakfast was made a little faster and then we all were about to get started when we found out that the horses have to move to our judging ring, so we were pushed back an hour and were behind two other breeds (Square meters and Miniature Herefords). At 9 O'clock we started spot cleaning the heifers giving them a good blow down to get the sawdust out of the coats and a good spray and comb, next was the cows and calves getting prepped, everyone was dressed in the showing clothes by 10 and then the judging began, first on was a young heifer class - Billabong Jewel won and Christine's heifer 2nd, Glenwarlock Jewel 3rd ; Older heifer class Billabong Josette, Albert & Libby's 1st and Billabong Jovotto 2nd, Billabong Jillaroo 3rd. The Champion heifer was Billabong Jewel and coming reserve champion was Billabong Josette shown by Chittering Downs.
The next class was First Calvers - Billabong Hayley 1st and Chittering Downs Honey Suckle 2nd, Billabong Hottie 3rd shown by Glenwarlock. Older cows were up next with - Billabong Faizah 1st, Billabong Dudette 2nd and Glenwarlock Felicity 3rd. The Champion Cow was Billabong Faizah and Billabong Dudette came Reserve Champion.
The next class was Junior bulls, there suppose to be three classes but there was only one entry in each so Glenwarlock Jimoin 1st, Billabong Jason 1st and Glenwarlock Jobba 1st. For champion class: Billabong Jason Champion Junior Bull and Glenwarlock Jimoin Reserve junior champion.
Senior bulls was up next but Glenwarlock Emile was the only entry so he pulled up 1st and Senior bull champion, then The Champion Dexter bull was won by Billabong Jason.
Billabong Jason also won Interbreed champion bull, also Billabong Faizah won interbreed champion cow and took out the Supreme Dexter Cow Award.
Congratulations to Billabong Dexter Stud for all there amazing efforts and awards and congratulations for all the other studs for putting in such a wonderful effort.
The next 7 Days of the show was simply talking to on goers and promoting the Dexter breed, sweeping out the lanes, doing poo duty and helping out other studs and cattle breeds. We went through over 50+ bags of our Dexter information packs and talked to a lot of interested future buyers. There was still 4:30 am starts every morning to muck out there pens and to water the cattle but sometimes there was a slight cheeky sleep in.
Thank you to the RAS for always giving such a wonderful show and congratulations to other breeds and studs for making this show such a wonderful year.
On Friday the 26th it was a 4:30 am start, cleaning out the cattle pens efficiently, giving all the bulls, cows, heifers and calves a big drink plus a bucket of feed to settle them down for the morning. After we finished the morning clean it was of to the kitchen to battle to make breakfast, a yummy bacon and egg sandwich was made and finally a sit down was deserved. The show wasn't open yet so the day was filled with washing cattle, starting with the two heifers ending with the calves, all the cattle were finished being washed,blown,combed and clipped by lunch time. We helped out some other studs and started decorating our lane, green fairy lights with orange and green streamers, pictures were stapled every where and Dexter information bags were hung up.
On Saturday the 27th it was SHOWDAY another 4:30 am start except this time our lane was a little more intense, the day started with mucking out and another huge drink and a big feed for every animal. Breakfast was made a little faster and then we all were about to get started when we found out that the horses have to move to our judging ring, so we were pushed back an hour and were behind two other breeds (Square meters and Miniature Herefords). At 9 O'clock we started spot cleaning the heifers giving them a good blow down to get the sawdust out of the coats and a good spray and comb, next was the cows and calves getting prepped, everyone was dressed in the showing clothes by 10 and then the judging began, first on was a young heifer class - Billabong Jewel won and Christine's heifer 2nd, Glenwarlock Jewel 3rd ; Older heifer class Billabong Josette, Albert & Libby's 1st and Billabong Jovotto 2nd, Billabong Jillaroo 3rd. The Champion heifer was Billabong Jewel and coming reserve champion was Billabong Josette shown by Chittering Downs.
The next class was First Calvers - Billabong Hayley 1st and Chittering Downs Honey Suckle 2nd, Billabong Hottie 3rd shown by Glenwarlock. Older cows were up next with - Billabong Faizah 1st, Billabong Dudette 2nd and Glenwarlock Felicity 3rd. The Champion Cow was Billabong Faizah and Billabong Dudette came Reserve Champion.
The next class was Junior bulls, there suppose to be three classes but there was only one entry in each so Glenwarlock Jimoin 1st, Billabong Jason 1st and Glenwarlock Jobba 1st. For champion class: Billabong Jason Champion Junior Bull and Glenwarlock Jimoin Reserve junior champion.
Senior bulls was up next but Glenwarlock Emile was the only entry so he pulled up 1st and Senior bull champion, then The Champion Dexter bull was won by Billabong Jason.
Billabong Jason also won Interbreed champion bull, also Billabong Faizah won interbreed champion cow and took out the Supreme Dexter Cow Award.
Congratulations to Billabong Dexter Stud for all there amazing efforts and awards and congratulations for all the other studs for putting in such a wonderful effort.
The next 7 Days of the show was simply talking to on goers and promoting the Dexter breed, sweeping out the lanes, doing poo duty and helping out other studs and cattle breeds. We went through over 50+ bags of our Dexter information packs and talked to a lot of interested future buyers. There was still 4:30 am starts every morning to muck out there pens and to water the cattle but sometimes there was a slight cheeky sleep in.
Thank you to the RAS for always giving such a wonderful show and congratulations to other breeds and studs for making this show such a wonderful year.