Central Club herd competition 2018

Here are the results of the recent club competition, which was judged by Mrs Alma James.

Individual Winners

Cow and bull calf
1st Podehole Hermione Exception - H Horrell
2nd Hannington Flora Broadhooks - C Horton
3rd Kislingbury Tulip Jazzy - R and T Elliott

Cow and heifer calf
1st Longlands Elsie - J Evans
2nd Llanarth Emlyns Hanna - G Towers
3rd Symphony Hollyhocks - J and R Pearce

Group of senior heifers
1st Mineshop - C Nye
2nd Lucombe - J Fanshawe
3rd Milburn - Hague/Ed Hunt

Group of junior heifers
1st Longlands - J Evans
2nd Podehole - H Horrell
3rd Turncroft - J and M Hill

Group of homebred steers
1st Kislingbury - R and T Elliott
2nd Turncroft - J and M Hill
3rd Lynthorpe - L Robson

Senior bull
1st Lowther Eclipse - Mr and Mrs Stoneham
2nd Kislingbury Hussar - R and T Elliott
3rd Glenisla Ghillie - N and A Barrett

Junior bull
1st Lachlan of Upsall - R and T Elliott
2nd Podehole Landmark - H Horrell
3rd Warmington Lust - R Leach

Bull calf
1st Stanfordpark Mayfair - Mr and Mrs Stoneham
2nd Lucombe Oak 1788 - J Fanshawe
3rd Breakheart Maestro - I Rickatson

Senior heifer
1st Silson Broadhooks Krystal - T Cockerill
2nd Redhill Explorer Crocus - G Towers
3rd Silson Dewdrop Rose Kiki - T and K Coles

Junior heifer
1st Warmington Molly 369 - R Leach
2nd Grafton Lilly - T Brown
3rd Podehole Tessa Lara - H Horrell

Heifer calf
1st Lynthorpe Tessa Moonbeam - L Robson
2nd Symphony Augusta Marigold - J and R Pearce
3rd Oakes Matigold Broadhooks - L and K Oakes

Overall Winners

Extra large herd
1st Hannington - C Horton
2nd Lucombe - J Fanshawe
3rd Stanfordpark - Mr and Mrs Stoneham

Large herd
1st Kislingbury - R and T Elliott
2nd Podehole - H Horrell
3rd Longlands - J Evans

Medium herd

1st Grafton - T Brown
2nd Breakheart - I Rickatson
3rd Greenley - G Towers

Small herd
1st Lynthorpe - L Robson
2nd Winwick - T Cockerill
3rd Winterbeck - A Wright

Overall Champion herd
Champion: Kislingbury - R and T Elliott
Reserve: Hannington - C Horton

Judge’s Report

A short report on a mammoth, but very enjoyable undertaking: a whole week on the road, some fifteen hundred miles covered, and twenty-six herds visited. Hectic, with pressure on, to adhere a strict timetable, which we managed (more or less) despite an argument with the sat-nav lady.

Everywhere we went, we were received with great enthusiasm, kindness, and overwhelming hospitality. Starting from the east coast in Essex, we headed back west, with a quick dart up into the Peak District, and then continuing our way west again.

The drought had caused quite a lot of problems with lack of grass, water shortages, and great cracks appearing in the soil. On the whole, the cattle were coping well. Nearly all adult stock was being supplemented with feeding straw, and almost all calves were on creep feeders. The hard, dry weather had caused quite a lot of lameness, with sand cracks and general tenderness being more in evidence than usual. The overall quality of the stock was exceptionally high, with some outstanding animals on show. I have done my best to place them as I saw them during that week, taking into consideration the variety of systems and conditions they were run on. It is always interesting to see different methods of husbandry in different parts of the country.

My thanks go to all competitors for inviting me to view your stock and for taking the time to show us round your farms. Huge thanks to Katy Coles for organising the paperwork involved – and special thanks to Martin Reynolds for being such a wonderful chauffeur, photographer and clerk, and for organising the strict timetable. Not an easy task.

I wish you all the very best of luck for the future with our lovely breed, the Beef Shorthorn – so adaptable, so resilient and, above all, so tolerant. I shall treasure memories of a wonderful week, some outstanding cattle, and passionate owners and breeders.

Many, many thanks.
Alma James