Stalwart of the Illawarra breed, Jock Johnston of Jondene Stud, Imbil, has surprised everyone but only himself a little, by his marvelous improvement while a patient at Noosa Private Hospital.

Blood tests indicate that infection has been reduced to almost miracle levels and Jock has been scheduled to receive a new artificial knee on Thursday, June 3.

He fully expects to return home a week from the date of his surgery and is already planning his Brisbane team.  His only problem is that he may have to go on a diet due to the wonderful hospital food .

Judge, Liz Hurford, Kutunga, Victoria, brought the drizzly rain with her to the 2010 Maleny Show which marred this wonderful country show and its beautiful setting.  While breed judging on Friday morning (May 28) started in the outside ring, rain caused a move indoors but Saturday was a little better and although the shed was prepared, the rain held off to allow the inter-breed judging to be completed outdoors.

In the absence of the Jondene Stud, the Ledger Family dominated Friday’s judging with their 17 animals but the Den Dia and Nambour High studs kept them on their toes.

The 3 yrs & under 4 yrs in milk class was hotly contested with six classy animals on display.  Eventual Champion Cow, Riverwood Lucy 2 (Ledger Family), was named the winner and she also overcame the ten other contenders in the Best Udder class.

Winner of the Cow 4 yrs and under 5 yrs in milk class, Riverwood Doris 3 (Ledger Family) was named Reserve Champion Cow.

Champion Heifer and the Michael Ledger Memorial Trophy went to the Ledger Family’s 2yrs and under 3yrs dry animal, Riverwood Model 3 with their in-milk heifer and winner of the Heifer Under 3 yrs in milk class, Riverwood Betsy 23 named Reserve Champion. Betsy was also second in the Best Udder.  Michael would have been very happy to see the championship contested by all Riverwood stud animals.

The Illawarra breed performed very well in the inter-breed competition taking out all but Supreme Champion Cow and Supreme Udder.

Riverwood Model 3 was named Supreme Champion Heifer and Riverwood Lucy 2 was named Reserve Supreme Champion Cow and Supreme Champion Udder.  The Illawarra Pen of Three Heifers, Pen of Three Cows and Group of Five Animals were all successful.  Congratulations to the Holsteins who won Supreme Champion Cow and Udder.

Congratulations to Aleicia Dorries who will represent the Darling Downs area at the 2010 Brisbane Royal Show after taking out the title of Show Princess for the region.

 Aleicia started her campaign at Oakey Show and from there moved on to the regional finals.

 Proud parents, Keith and Annette Dorries, Panorama, Oakey, say that one of Aleicia’s ambitions is to encourage dairy cattle back to Oakey Show and her proposal is to combine the Illawarra showing with a youth camp and judging school.

 All the best to Aleicia in her endeavours.

For the first time in many, many years, the Jondene Stud from Imbil did not exhibit at Gympie Show.

Unfortunately, Jondene’s main man, Jock Johnston, is laid up in Noosa Private Hospital following an operation to overcome infection in one knee.  Jock has battled for over two years to overcome the infection but his specialist recently decided that the artificial knee had to be removed to allow the space to be packed with antibiotics until the infection is overcome.

A new artificial knee will then be inserted.

While his specialist is confident that the process will be successful, the infection has created more damage to the bone than originally thought and Jock is facing a month “flat on his back” in hospital.

Biggenden’s Radel Family scooped the pool in the major championship at the 2010 Gympie Show taking out both Champion Cow with Happy Valley Dora 65 and Reserve Champion with Happy Valley April 14.

Both Dora and April competed in the 5 yrs and under 7 yrs in milk class, coming first and second.  Dora also won the Over 3 Best Udder & Attachment despite having been in milk since last September.

Most successful exhibitor, Michael and Glenda Henry, took out Honourable Mention with Tara Tracey.

The Henry’s also had a double in the Junior Heifer championship, winning Champion Junior Heifer with Tara Bounce and Honourable Mention with White Park Melba 395.  Splitting these two was the Ledger Family’s Riverwood Linnette although Mike Henry claimed a connection through Linnette’s dam, White Park Linnette 199.  Tara Bounce was also named Best Udder & Attachment under 3 yrs.

In the Juvenile classes, the Ledger Family took out Champion Juvenile with Riverwood Waffle 3 and Honourable Mention with Riverwood Doris 7.  The Henry’s Rosedale Talent Melody was named Reserve Champion Juvenile having come second to Riverwood Waffle in the first class of the day.

However, Rosedale Talent Melody turned the tables in the Supremes being named Reserve Supreme Champion Juvenile Heifer.

Full results available through News/Show Results