increase font size
Zara Williams' personal and professional growth has seen her presented with the top award at the 2025 World Wide Sires national all dairy breeds youth camp.
The 17-year-old from Palmerston North was presented with the Paramount Cup - awarded to the top all-rounder - at the conclusion of the Youth Camp, held in Wyndham from January 4-7. She was also presented with the title of top senior handler.
Holstein Friesian NZ field officer and youth camp co-ordinator Amelia Griffin said she was impressed with the level of growth and development Zara had demonstrated over the past three years she had attended Youth Camp.
"Over the last few years Zara has shown growth - not only within herself, but in her ability to work with others, particularly younger kids," Griffin said. "She is such an incredible young woman."
Each year Holstein Friesian NZ hosts the youth camp, which is designed to upskill young people aged 10-21 interested in showing and handling dairy cattle.
Held over four days, the camp allows young people to make friends, learn about animal behaviour and care and take part in a mini show and team building activities. Educational modules at the 2025 youth camp included showmanship and clipping modules, a reproduction module with Vytelle and a technology module with SmaXtec.
Each year, six awards are presented at the conclusion of the youth camp: top junior handler, top senior handler, the McDonald Family Trophy for best presented heifer, the Dennis Terry Memorial Trophy for most improved clipper, the best team award, and the Paramount Cup for best all-rounder.
This year, judge Clint Cummings presented the top junior handler to Elyse Horgan (13) of Palmerston North; the McDonald Family Trophy for best presented heifer to Lucy O'Reilly (15) of Tirau, and the Dennis Terry Memorial Trophy for most improved clipper to Nishaan Bindra (13) of Morrinsville. The best team title wne to the SmaXtec team.
Griffin said Zara not only stood to those running the camp, but to the judge as well.
"She is always eager to help, jumping in whenever she is needed to assist in leading and clipping," she says. "Her skill level has also grown; she asks questions whenever she needs to and takes everything we tell her on board."
Griffin said the heifer that was assigned to Zara at the beginning of the youth camp wasn't easy, and she experienced some setbacks along the course of the camp.
"But she managed to turn it all around. She not only placed first in her team for the best presented heifer, and third overall, but was presented with the title of top senior handler and top all rounder."
Griffin said the 2025 camp was a fantastic event.
The 2026 Holstein Friesian NZ Black & White Youth Auction has once again proven the strength of support behind the breed’s young people, raising $20,130 for the HFNZ Black & White Youth 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.
The third edition of the NZ Dairy Expo, held in mid-February in Matamata, has shown that the KISS principle (keep it simple stupid) was getting a positive response from exhibitors and visitors alike.
The World Wide Sires National All Day Breeds Best Youth Camp Best All Rounder plaudit has become family affair, with 2026 Paramount Cup winner Holly Williams following in her sister Zara's footsteps.
It's not often that mother and daughter share the limelight, but for two of Tahuna's Charbelle Holsteins' show cows, that's exactly that happened at the Holstein Friesian North Island Champonships, held at the Waikato A&P Show.
Federated Farmers says it welcomes Labour's commitment to reviewing the Sharemilking Agreements Act, calling on other major parties to do the same.
For Canterbury dairy farmers Sian Meijer and Rick Wobben, wearable technology has become one of their most valuable on-farm tools - helping manage 1850 cows across an expansive, high-performing dairy operation while improving efficiency, mating outcomes and day-to-day decision making.
Fonterra has unveiled its annual results for the 2026 financial year, posting $27 billion in revenue and close to $20 billion returned to New Zealand farmer owners and unit holders.
The first major update to the Dairy Cattle Code of Welfare in more than a decade has been released, marking what DairyNZ describes as an important step in ensuring animal welfare standards continue to evolve alongside scientific evidence and on-farm realities.
Ravensdown shareholders have elected Jane Montgomery and Kate Acland to the Ravensdown Board for three-year terms, following a closely contested director election.
Federated Farmers says new legislation replacing the Resource Management Act will cut red tape, unlock investment and help grow New Zealand's export-led economy, after the Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill passed their third reading in Parliament yesterday.
