By Tom Collins
MADISON — An Eastern Ontario dairy farmer’s last-minute decision to show heifers in the group of three junior females at the World Dairy Expo last month paid off as the farm took home first place.
Matt Enright — who runs Winright Holsteins at Winchester with his parents, Brian and Audrey, and his wife, Erica — said while the farm had registered to show in the group of three, he wanted to first wait to see how the heifers did in their respective classes. If only one showed well, he wouldn’t have shown in the group of three.
“All three heifers did well, so we knew we could have a nice uniform group,” said Enright, adding that it was his first time taking their own group of heifers. “We’ve only taken a couple to Madison before, and usually with a partner. We’ve had the best year we’ve ever had this year, so we wanted to participate (at Madison) with our own heifers.”
Two of the three heifers have had excellent years. Winright Beemer Baby Enthem was junior champion at the Supreme Holstein Show at Saint-Hyacinthe, Que. in August, was top junior yearling heifer at the Eastern Ontario Western Quebec Holstein Show at Metcalfe on Oct. 11 and was third spring yearling heifer at the World Dairy Expo.
Meanwhile, Winright Gold Chip Explosion won intermediate yearling at the supreme show, was junior honourable mention at the East-West show and was sixth in the winter yearling heifer class at the World Dairy Expo. She was also honourable mention junior champion at the Maxville Show on June 23.
