Royal Adelaide Show 2017: Action stations as Jaffa takes back-to-back victory

The five-year-old cow from the Ashtaney stud of Andrew and Angela Koch, Moculta, also won intermediate champion in 2015.

The Ashtaney stud also picked up reserve senior champion, intermediate and reserve champion and reserve juvenile champion in the Jersey ring, in an echo of their success from last year.

Mr Koch had hoped Action Jaffa would perform well after she calved one month ago, instead of being four days fresh, as was the case last year.

“We felt she was in much better form than last year,” he said.

Judge Les Bennett, Macorna, Vic, said he found it very difficult to fault the champion cow.

"Whatever angle you looked at, she was excellent,” he said.

“There was strength and depth, while the mammary system was correct with the fore udder blended beautifully and the rear udder as high as you’d like to see.

“This cow would compete well at International Dairy Week.”

Mr Macorna said the reserve, four-year-old Nyowee Galaxies Opal, also from the Koch, was “not far behind”.

“It was probably only the maturity that got the (older) cow on top,” he said.

Mr Koch said Opal was bought from the Nyowee stud of Peter and Wendy Ness, Mount Compass.

Opal had previously won the intermediate champion at the Mount Pleasant Autumn Show.

“We’re really pleased to work with a young cow like that,” he said.

“She’s continued her winning ways.”

The intermediate champion, Ashtaney Premier Blackrose, and reserve champion, Ashtaney Premier Abigail, are half sisters, sharing the same sire, Hawarden Impuls Premiere.

Mr Bennett said the three-year-old intermediate champion was a “well-balanced young cow”.

“It wasn’t the biggest by any means but it had the overall balance,” he said.

“It’s udder was as high and wide as any other in that class.

“It was a clear intermediate champion.”

Breaking the Ashtaney dominance of the broadribbons was stand out 11-month-old Cherrylock Victoria’s Secret, B&J Gavenlock, Tallygaroopna, Vic.

“It had extreme dairyness for a heifer of that age,” Mr Macorner said.

“There was an openness and a sweep to its rib.”

On it’s debut show, the reserve juvenile was 13-month-old Ashtaney Verbatim Silvermist. 

“We think she’s pretty good and we’re pretty excited about her coming through,” Mr Koch said.

Mr Koch said he was very happy with the success of the show, including gaining production ribbons for milk in all the classes they were eligible.

“It let’s us know that they not only look good but they’re putting the milk in the vat as well,” he said.