Kelso cows the cream of the crop

Ken Eade, of Kelso, leads Fairleigh Bur Peach, who was named South Island Ayrshire champion and supreme animal at the South Otago A&P Show at Balclutha on Saturday. Photo / Nicole Sharp

It was a clean sweep for Kelso farmers Ken and Bruce Eade, winning champion and reserve champion in the South Island Ayrshire Championships on Saturday.

Four-year-old Fairleigh Bur Peach took out the top spot, while 5-year-old Fairleigh W Amelia was awarded reserve champion at the 150th South Otago A&P Show.

To top it off, the cows also took out champion and reserve champion in the all breeds before Fairleigh Bur Peach went on to win the Ravensdown Supreme Animal of the Show award.

Ken Eade said the family always went into shows with the aim of winning, but if the Fairleigh cows were beaten on the day by a better animal, that was the way it would be.

Ayrshires had always been a part of the Eades' dairy herd, since their early days of farming at Tisbury. The Eades farmed 130 Ayrshires in Tisbury before moving to West Otago 21 years ago.

Ken and wife Nancy, along with Bruce and wife Tanya, now farm 530 cows, comprising a 50/50 mix of Ayrshires and Holstein Friesian and a few Jersey cows as well.

Ayrshires were easy-care cows that were hearty and had good temperament, Ken said.

"You couldn't get better."

Ken said the family tried to compete in the championships every year, but it always depended on where they were being held.

The Eades said they were thrilled to win this year's South Island title.

"It's always good to win. You're putting yourself against the other breeders; if you win, you are doing something right," Ken said.

Judge Donald Green said the Eades' Ayrshires were as good as you would find any where in the country. It was back to the herd for the Fairleigh cows, but they would be on the road again attending the Gore show early next year.