Agriculture
10 February, 2026
Ben’s grand Tandarra time at Dairy Week
TANDARRA dairy cattle breeder Ben Govett has been the star of the brown Swiss show ring at International Dairy Week.
Ben has continued a run of success at the nation’s top industry event by claiming a swag of prizes and bringing home the Baramoth trophy for grand champion with Tandara Dairystar Lola 99, (Dairystar)
His stud was also awarded the premier breeder award and premier exhibit prize.
Ben went one-two in the intermediate champion section, awarded first place with Tandara Aldo Heidi 320 (Aldo) and reserve champion with Chapple Valley Janik Meryl (Janik), which he exhibited with Jonathon Jennings.
In the senior champion section, there was a top four finish for Tandara Daredevil Sarajevo 155, (Daredevil) exhibited by Ben and Daniel Bacon.
Ben’s Tandarra stud also collected multiple individual section prizes.
The brown Swiss section this year were judged by Jordan Siemers who grew up on his family’s renowned operation, Siemers Holsteins, in Newton, Wisconsin.
The Siemers prefix is synonymous with elite, homebred Holstein genetics, and Jordan has played a pivotal role in that legacy.
Over the past decade, he has served as the genomic and genetic manager for the herd, earning multiple Junior All-American and All-American honours.
Siemers Holsteins was named the 2025 National Dairy Shrine Distinguished Cattle Breeder and the 2024 Holstein Association USA Elite Breeder.
The herd currently boasts a rolling herd average of nearly 15,400 litres, with 4.39 per cent butterfat and 3.13 per cent protein.