Budding vets show their skills

Lina (16), with Milka, and Annika Buhre (7), with Astra, of Scotts Gap, are passionate about theircattle. Both want a career as vets. Photo: Yvonne O'Hara
Lina (16), with Milka, and Annika Buhre (7), with Astra, of Scotts Gap, are passionate about their cattle. Both want a career as vets. Photo: Yvonne O'Hara
At the age of 7, Annika Buhre, has a stethoscope and plans to become a vet and a farmer.

She also has several calves, including Astra and Sparkle, and a sheep called Beast.

Her sister Lina (16), also wants to be a large animal vet and is passionate about her cows.

They both want their own studs and both regularly compete in many of the region’s A&P shows and stock competitions, winning ribbons and trophies.

Their parents, Sven and Katharina Buhre, moved from Germany in 2007 and have been 50/50 sharemilkers on 220ha with 660 cows at Scotts Gap for three seasons.

A Central Southland College pupil, Lina was one of five Southland teenagers who attended the National All Dairy Breeds Youth Camp in Stratford, Taranaki, recently.

The camp was hosted by Holstein Friesian New Zealand and those attending learned about clipping, handling and grooming.

‘‘I have always been interesting in big animals and have always been around them,’’ Lina said.

‘‘We always had pet calves and my parents’ boss first encouraged me to enter the Wyndham A&P Show.’’

The sisters also attended the Otago-Southland Jersey Breeders stock handling and judging camp on the Skedgwell family property near Tuatapere in January.

During the camp, Lina won the senior handler section for 13 to 21 years old, as well as the Craig Morton Memorial Shield.

Annika won the Junior Handler 7 years and under section and the Junior Judging section at the same camp.

Lina enjoyed meeting other people with the same interests, as well as spending time with the animals, both at shows and at the camps.

‘‘If I am able to be around the calves doing stuff with them, that is always really nice.’’

Annika attends Takitimu Primary School and is also an enthusiastic calf and lamb handler.

She wanted to keep entering competitions and to attend a youth camp when she was older.

She also wanted to be a vet, and was already on the way, having a stethoscope given to her by a colleague of her mother’s.

Mrs Buhre said when they first started taking calves to shows they did not know how to do it.

‘‘The people accepted us into their midst and told us what we needed to do.

‘‘It is a lot of work, a lot of stress, but fun,’’ Mrs Buhre said.

She said the people in the associations put a lot of effort into running the shows.

‘‘They do a wonderful job.’’

When they attended the Winton show recently, they took four calves, a heifer plus sheep.

‘‘I had to drive there and back twice,’’ she said.

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