Holstein gamble pays off

Pioneering Woodville farmers Fred and Marilyn Blatchford have been rewarded for their brilliance after taking a golden genetic gamble in dairy breeding.
Mr and Mrs Blatchford, who were part of the first wave of breeders in New Zealand to use American Holstein genetics in 1989, have been honoured with a Distinguished Service Award for their work with the Holstein Friesian dairy breed, NZ Holstein Friesian Association spokesman Keryn Phillips said yesterday.
Fellow Holstein Friesian breeder Robin Faulkner, of Ohau, presented the award to the couple at the association's annual conference in June, Mr Phillips said.
The couple have bred Holstein Friesian cattle under the Mokoia stud name for more than three decades and have enjoyed a long and successful history of showing cattle and taking the lead in many association activities, Mr Phillips said.
"Ironically, both Fred and Marilyn came from sheep-farming backgrounds but Fred's love of showing started very early helping his father at A&P; shows with Romney and Southdown sheep. He also successfully showed ducks and hens," he said.
Their focus changed suddenly, he said, after the couple watched Lawrence Satherley, of Joyclass Holsteins in Palmerston North, judging their children at boys and girls championship day at Woodville School.
"They talked to Lawrence and were hooked," Mr Phillips said.
The Mokoia Holstein Friesian Stud started in 1977 when the couple bought some cows from the Southern Star Abby Joyclass Charnwood annual sales in the May school holidays of that year, and established a generation of foundation cows.
"They took a gamble that changed the dynamics of New Zealand Holstein Friesian breeding and would lead to showing success and bought in semen from well-known American bull Walkway Chief Mark and got future Dairy Expo and Royal Show champions."
In the show-ring, he said, the couple won successes at Palmerston North, Levin, Feilding, Pahiatua, Dannevirke, Carterton and Masterton shows, with the many championships they won at the Dairy Expo at Hamilton particular highlights.
"Mokoia Holsteins had a proven bull at LIC, Mokoia Astro Tiger and sires Mokoia Mascot Reubin and Mokoia Mark Ripple-ET were proven at AmBreed," he said.
The Blatchfords have held various positions at both the Manawatu and Hawke's Bay branches of NZHFA with Mr Blatchford serving as a senior association judge and as an association councillor for 14 years.