Young twins already veterans in showing stock

Jake Eden with his calf Fermoy Seaver Ve S3F. Photo supplied.
Jake Eden with his calf Fermoy Seaver Ve S3F. Photo supplied.

Like all parents, Julia Eden just wanted her children to learn how to read.

Now, she jokes, it is one of her biggest regrets as her pint-sized, twin 7-year-old, cattle-showing enthusiasts from Balfour can read when shows are on.

Last season, Mrs Eden planned to do four or five shows, but the family ended up doing nine or 10, urged on by the twins, Jake and Ebony.

Holstein Friesian New Zealand recently held its annual conference and awards evening.

The Black and White Youth Awards celebrated the success of young, up-and-coming breeders.

Jake was the youngest awardee, receiving the Arapeta Trophy for the junior member earning the most points in the All New Zealand Calf Class competition.

As well as the trophy, Jake won a calf called Cresslands Corvetta Dalia, donated by Graham and Nicky Stewart of Rangiora, which was for the overall youth calf class competition.

Mrs Eden works for genetics company Semex and Jake has already talked to her boss about what sire he should get his new acquisition in calf to.

Mrs Eden said she and her husband Stewart had both pedigree beef and pedigree Holstein cattle and the twins were "unbelievably'' keen when it came to showing their stock.

When she was about 3, Ebony announced that "girls showed beef and boys showed dairy''.

Jake usually showed dairy cattle with his father, and Ebony showed beef with her mother.

Mrs Eden did the background work, breaking in the cattle before the shows, but the children had to do the hard work, she said.

However, they were not pushed into it, it was what they enjoyed.

"It's basically their summer sport. It's what they do,'' she said.

While Mr and Mrs Eden did the "difficult stuff'' at shows, it was over to the children to do the rest of the work, including washing their charges.

Jake had been determined to win the calf in the awards, despite being up against youth aged as old as 21.

Mrs Eden said Holstein Friesian New Zealand did a very good job in catering for young people, with the likes of youth camps, competitions, scholarships and awards.

Lorna Button, of South Otago, won the Kingsland trophy, awarded to the senior black and white youth member who competed in the All New Zealand Calf Class competition, earning the most points.

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