Calf Club NZ Points Scoring
During your Calf Club NZ judging day, you will be assessed on three key areas.
+ Leading
+ Rearing
+ Conformation
The judge will assign points to each of these three areas. Prizes and Ribbons are available for each category.
Your overall performance for each category is added together and submitted into that nationwide event where it is all about performing in all three categories.
Dairy calves are of a dairy breed and must be heifers. Beef calves are of either a beef breed or a bull calf from a dairy breed.
There are seperate prizes and ribbons for the Beef & Dairy competition and contestants may enter one Beef Calf and one Dairy Calf should they wish to compete in both categories.
Leading Your Calf
Yes, there is a specific route you are going to have to showcase to your Calf Club NZ judge and it is a great idea to practice before your judging day.
The contestant will need to stand on the left-hand side of the calf and lead their calf through the the ring. (See Diagram)
The child will walk the calf around the first peg, turn left to walk to the stop peg and stop for a count of three. The calf and the child will then walk towards the pigtail moving around it in a clockwise direction and then to the finish.
This allows our judges to see where the contestant’s hands are and how the calf responds to the contestant’s instructions.
Roughly 18m x 18m in dimensions. (Our judge will arrive with 7 standards to set up the 3 pegs and start and finish gates). If you already have a ring set up our judge will let you use that as long as it meets these requirements.
Rearing Your Calf
Rearing your calf well is an important part of calf club. Ensuring the calf is cared for. This section is time for our contestants to show off;
+ Feed knowledge
+ Animal cleanliness
+ Great rapport/relationship
+ Animal knowledge
+ Care & attention knowledge
In some instances when a calf has become unwell and been treated, the contestants knowledge around the sickness and treatment required can gain valuable knowledge points.
Beef Conformation & Dairy Conformation
Following leading and rearing the judge will then inspect the calf and judge them on either Beef of Dairy conformation.
Remember dairy calves are of a dairy breed and must be heifers. Beef calves are of either a beef breed or a bull calf from any breed.
Rulings
+ Judges decisions are final. No correspondence will be entered into.
+ We expect good sportsmanship in these competitions from both the children and the parents/caregivers/supporters.
+ No interference from parents during the judging process unless the judge requests help.
+ We are relying on everyone’s honesty that the child has done the work on the calf themselves and the correct info is submitted in the registration form.
+ The child may or may not be pictured with the calf in the photo, we leave that up to each child/parent.
+ We encourage calf handlers to wear tidy clothes and shoes when exhibiting their calf at the on farm judging level. There is no strict criteria but it is good showing etiquette to be presentable and proud of yourself and your calf, and it shows respect to the judge too.
+ Clipping, oiling the coat or nuggeting the hooves is not permitted at any level of Calf Club NZ.
+ There are many resources online for tips for rearing a calf for traditional calf clubs and most of this advice will be applicable for Calf Club NZ too.
Entries
+ When submissions open you will receive an email, this email will be sent to the email address registered for the event. You will be able to use the link to register multiple kids
+ Farms with a NOD, restricted, or infected status for M.Bovis will only be able to participate in the online social competition
+ By entering this Calf Club NZ competition I give permission for my name and picture to be publicised online and in other media by Calf Club NZ, its sponsors etc
+ Judging will take place in October and each region will be confirmed depending on calving dates and the judge’s preference. NOTE: Kids may need to take a day out from school to participate in the formal judging process & a parent will need to be present for the on-farm judging process.
+ Prior to submission we will release more information and specifications about photo and story submissions
+ Judging will take place usually takes place in October, different regions may be judged at different times due to calving times
+ Entries will include one clear photo of the Calf with or without the contestant
+ Entries will also come with a short write-up about their experience with the calf no more than 100 words