Future Dairy Leaders Join 2026 Holstein Friesian NZ Development Programme
The 2026 Holstein Friesian NZ Young Breeders Development Programme is off to a strong start, with this year's intake coming together for their first event on March 18 and 19.
Charbelle Tatoo Pix was named North Island Supreme Champion, as well as North Island Senior Champion, best udder, and placed first in the 5-and-6-year-old cow in milk category.
It is the third time that the highly decorated cow has won the title of North Island Supreme Champion.
Her daughter, Charbelle Hero PeeJay - 'Pix Junior' - was named North Island Junior Champion and placed first in the Junior Yearling Heifer category.
Significantly, PeeJay's full sister, Charbelle Hero Popcorn, was named North Island Junior Champion at the 2024 North Island Championships, held at NZ Dairy Event in January 2025.
Charbelle Holsteins' Annabelle Scherer says they were "super chuffed" with the win.
"The 'P' family just keeps on giving," she says. "You just can't beat that feeling; even though we've won before, it still feels great, like 'we've done it again'. We are just so proud of them."
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Annabelle, who is the vice president of Holstein Friesian NZ, says the wins were particularly sweet because the Holstein Friesian classes were so strong right throughout the competition at the Waikato A&P Show this year.
"I was so happy to see all the Holstein Friesian classes were well-represented," she says. "The numbers were great; there were even new exhibitors there. The North Island Champs are often well attended; people consider it an important event."
Earlier this month, Charbelle Tattoo Pix was pointed EX95 under the new Pointing Excellent Cows guidelines, which aims to identify cows that are the absolute elite in their breed for type.
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Charbelle Hero Peejay at the Waikato A&P Show. |
Deemed by her classifier as likely to score higher than 92 points, Pix was re-inspected and scored 95 out of a possible 97.
The pointing of excellent cows will bring New Zealand into line with the rest of the world and aims to enhance consistency and recognition within the classification system, supporting breeders in identifying and celebrating top-conformation cows.
