TORONTO — When farmers get a cow ready for the show they’re preparing for a beauty pageant. There will be hundreds of hopeful farmers at this year’s Royal Agricultural Winter Fair from Nov. 6-15 in Toronto.
Here’s what the judges are looking for.
Holstein judge: Michael Heath
Home: Westminster, Maryland
Years judging: 25
Years judging the Royal: 2
What do you look for in a winning cow? “I look for eye appeal, style, one that catches your eye. Then correctness and balance. If they’re not good in these areas, then they probably don’t need to be there. You go with the one that strikes you the most, and I call that style. They have to be prepared, washed, and clipped, and fed properly. They’ve got to be ready.”
If two cows are evenly matched, what’s the deciding factor? “If they’re close, then you just analyze the correctness of them, which one has the least amount of faults. You look to the udder first and to the legs second in a close placing. Udder, legs, balance, style, correctness. They need to combine those things together to make a top animal.”
Red and white Holstein and 4-H showmanship judge: Thierry Jaton
Home: Compton, Que.
Years judging: 24
Years judging the Royal: 3
What do you look for in a winning cow? “The balance of the cow. I don’t need the tallest cow or the longest cow, I need the more balanced cow. The most important part is the udder. A cow needs to have a good mammary system to be on top.”
What’s one thing that can lose the competition for a cow? “When we are at the Royal, all of these cows are great cows. You need to find a reason because when you look at each cow at this competition, they are all great cows. A small fault can make a big difference.”
Hereford judge: Jason Hoffman
Home: Thedford, Nebraska
Years judging: 15
Years judging the Royal: 0 What do you look for in a winning cow? “Just as complete as you can make one. Fault-free. Structurally sound with some added volume and looks. Structural soundness is probably the most important thing.”
Angus judge: Chan Phillips
Home: Maysville, Kentucky
Years judging: 27
Years judging the Royal: 3
What do you look for in a winning cow? “I’m looking at structure and ribcage and volume. At the end of the day, a really nice profile.”
If two cows are evenly matched, what’s the deciding factor? “Basically, they can be really close, but at the end of the day, there’s always something that separates them. For me, my priority is structural soundness.”
