Fonzy the giant priesian who will be on show this weekend for the Canberra Show. Lucas Kallady, 12, of Bayles in Victoria gets a closer look. Photo: Melissa Adams
They breed 'em big out at Singleton.
Weighing in at 1355 kilogram, the 1.8 metre tall Holstein Friesian bullock affectionately known as Fonzie towered over his slighter cattle companions on arrival in the capital yesterday.
The eight-year-old giant is one of the thousands of animals being transported to EPIC in preparation for the Royal Canberra Show, which opens tomorrow.
Click for more photos
Preparations for the Royal Canberra Show
Lewis setting up the fruit sculpture featured at The Canberra Show. Photo: Katherine Griffiths
Handler and former owner Bruce Moxey is expecting a reaction to Fonzie as big as the bullock.
''The phenomenon of Fonzie is unreal and the attention he gets,'' he said.
It was Mr Moxey's mate who first dobbed him in to the Sydney Royal Easter Show last year, boasting to organisers that the Singleton farmer could offer something ''a bit unusual''.
A few months later, the same friend asked him to come to Canberra.
But there's bad news for breeders with their sights on an oversized bovine.
There's no special diet or secret exercises, according to Mr Moxey, it's pure genetics.''Fonzie was born and reared in the drought when cattle were at their worst. He's grown to be as big as he is without being sold because he never got fat.''
As with all larger than life characters, Fonzie comes with an appearance fee but Mr Moxey said the $500 from the Royal National Capital Agricultural Society would be donated to charity.
The bullock's benevolent appearances began soon after he was purchased from Mr Moxey by neighbour Marcus Kirkwood.
Mr Kirkwood had previously lost his wife to breast cancer, leaving his two daughters without a mother. After another Singleton family lost their son to leukemia, Mr Kirkwood started raising funds with whatever he had at hand, including Fonzie.
''All the work we do, all the funds we generate all goes to the Children's Cancer Institute,'' Mr Moxey said.
Fonzie will be on show at the ActewAGL Farmyard Nursery this weekend.
The show runs from 8.30am to 10pm tomorrow and Saturday and from 8.30am to 6pm on Sunday. All day entry cost: adults $22, children $10, with concessions and family passes available.
.gif)
