can't escape what you love

It's funny how the things that you love always find their way back into your life... its like when really great friends show up time and time again in your life. I only spent 2 months in Australia, I still can't escape what I love... fitting and showing dairy cattle!

Last week, I was just outside of Cairns getting cattle ready for the Malanda Show! It was just like county fair back in the states complete with rides, camping, dairy and beef cattle, horses, chooks, and late nights with friends!

Before the fair, I mean show, began Jess, Roxann, and I clipped a total of 44 cattle in 5 days on 2 farms! It was just like old times of the Stearns County Fair!

First stop: Eachemvale Illawarras. We stayed with the English Family, owners and operators of the 120 cow dairy. I felt right at home with them... I pretty much was! With 7 kids all within 7 years of each other and plenty of shenanigans, we fit right in!

Right when we walked in, mum was rescuing the fish from the soapy depths of their contaminated tank because the youngest, Frances, thought they needed a bubble bath! Aside from all the funny pranks by the rugrats, the English Family was so good to us during our stay with warm, homemade supper every night and coffee and biscuits all hours of the day. By the time we said good bye, I had an array of nicknames: Porky, Brownie, Sister Bella, Miley Cyrus (apparently I look like her??) I loved staying with the English's.

Next stop: Barron Bella Holsteins.

We clipped 7 cows and 2 heifers for the Cuda Family and worked with them through the show. Its so much fun to work with great cattle! They took home heaps of hardware including Intermediate Champion, Best Udder of the Show (Same 2 year old by Bolton), Senior Champion and 1st and 2nd place in every class!

To the right are Morgan and Murphy, grandsons and nephews of the owners of Cuda Dairy. First class of the day was paraders, like showmanship. They set the pace for a great day!

Showing cattle in Australia is incredibly similar to the way we do it in the states all the way from prep to finish. The best similarity was how its an event where family gathers. The people in the dairy industry here are a lot like they are at home: friendly, hardworking, always up for a good time or helping out a mate, never let you live it down when you do something stupid, but they only give you a hard time because they like you.

This experience really solidified for me how much I want to be apart and make a difference in the dairy industry when I grow up. Shouldn't be too tough, you can't escape what you love, right?