Imogen Kath, from Rochester, preparing her heifer in the youth challenge at dairy week on Sunday.
Young people dominated the opening arena events at International Dairy Week, with a record number of entries in the youth challenge.
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Youth teams from all over Victoria competed in the youth challenge and the junior parading and judging competition at Tatura on Sunday, followed by the all breeds youth show on Monday.
Dairy week director Declan Patten said it was gratifying that there was strong support for the show, with 150 young people competing in 14 teams in the youth challenge.
The show is celebrating 35 years since the humble beginnings under a gum tree at Tatura Park, and the consistently strong support in recent years had demonstrated how important the show was to the dairy community.
As usual the region has delivered a warm welcome to visitors, with temperatures in the mid-30s on Sunday and Monday, and expected to hit 40°C on Tuesday, but milder on Wednesday and Thursday.
Mr Patten said cow comfort was at the top of the priorities with a number of measures in place to ensure both cows and their handlers were taken care of.
Dakota Robertson from the Northern Victorian Holstein sub-branch works on preparing a heifer for the youth challenge competition on Sunday.
Rylan Macadam, 13, was comfortable in the stalls with the two-year-old Ayrshire heifer, Sammac Bman Iris. Rylan, from Merrigum, was with his family who have been showing at dairy week on and off for about 15 years.
(From left) Jessie Ash, Isla Robertson and Kaitlyn Joyce, all from northern Victoria, competing in the showmanship category in the youth challenge at dairy week on Sunday.
Scarlett Bawden from Willow Grove, and Harry Dodd, from Jindivik, clipping their heifer at the Holsein Australia youth challenge at dairy week on Sunday.
Tools of the trade, laid out like a cosmetic tray, for preparing the heifers for showing.
The Gippsland team competing in the youth challenge on Sunday at dairy week.
36°C