TANDARRA cattle breeder Ben Govett has collected a swag of major prizes at the International Dairy Week show in Tatura last week.
But Ben’s team of 17 cattle, including his star brown Swiss animals, had a less-than-perfect preparation for the major national competition.
Days before being taken to the show, Ben’s Tandarra property was in flood.
“Normally that close to the event, I would be focusing on the cows and getting ready,” Ben said,
“This year water started going into the channel and there was a risk around the property by the Tuesday. 
“Luckily by the Wednesday morning everything had peaked and we headed to Tatura.”
Once at the show, Ben did an almost cleansweep in the national brown Swiss show - junior premier breeder, junior premier exhibitor, premier breeder and premier exhibitor.
He also picked up the intermediate champion banner for Tandara, claiming the championship with Tandara Dairystar Lola 99, reserve champion and was placed first in the junior three in milk born in 2020 and junior two in-milk born 2021, summer yearling dry born 2022, 
Among numerous placings in the competition with thirds for the pen of three, dam’s progeny or two daughters from same dam, five years in-milk. and in seven years and over in-milk, 
The spoils of success were also shared with Tandara Bender Sarajevo jointly owned with Alex Crawford second in the four years in-milk section and third in the six years in-milk owned by Ben’s Tandara stud with Angus Fraser and Daniel Atkins.
Ben said International Dairy Week was the strongest show he had seen since COVID that saw his Holsteins also capture the eye of judges.
The Loddon stud also achieved equal third best price in the International Dairy week auction with $18,000 paid for Tandara Dairystar Lola 99, a November 2023-drop heifer, by Loxby Brown Swiss, of Laceby near Wangaratta. The result bettered last year’s auction return for Tandara Brown Swiss Stud by $1000.
Ben said that after the show successes, he would be re-assessing the impact of summer floods.
“We’ve certainly lost some hay and lucerne,” he said.
“But we’ll move into autumn planting soon and with the water and moisture in the ground we should be okay.” Ben last year overcame similar challenges after the 2022 flood emergency.