Looking towards 2021

Central club secretary, Katy Coles

Flashback: 2019 autumn tour visit to the Westmoor herd

Like all other social plans this year, the Central Club has not been able to get together at any of the planned functions. However, I think that we’re all hoping that 2021 will see the return to a bit of ‘normality’ but if not, having made it through the 2020 changes, I think it is safe to say that we will be a little more prepared for socialising at a distance!

As a Club, we usually have a packed scheduled of activities starting the year with a much anticipated spring visit to one of our member herds which provides us with our first opportunity to catch up after the winter and compare calving notes, as well as taking in stock from around our region.

The hotly contested herd competition has seen up to 25 herds from the Welsh borders across to Norfolk, Essex to Nottingham being visited by judges from across the UK. Herds compete regardless of their size for the champion herd status. We are always hugely appreciative of the judges who take a week out of the normal schedule to cast their expert eye over the herds entered.

An autumn tour rounds off our visits for the year, where members get the opportunity to visit numbers of herds over several days from outside of the Central Club area. A real chance to view large numbers of animals over a range of farming styles and herd sizes. Often joined by members of neighbouring Clubs; it has to be said that the social is quite a crack too! Our year is usually rounded off with a pre-Christmas get together for a meal and the presentation of the herd competition results.

As a Club, we welcome new members to join us in as many of our gatherings as they wish. We are a friendly bunch and are lucky to have members with a great deal of knowledge about the Beef Shorthorn breed. I can still remember our first Central Club trip to see the herd of the late Christopher Maler - what a great day that was. 

I am holding on to hope that our 2020 events have merely been postponed until 2021 – I’m certainly keeping my fingers crossed. In addition to our usual gatherings, if anyone within the region, new to the club or old, has any suggestions or ideas, please do contact me - details on the Clubs page, and volunteers are always welcome!

If you live in the Central region and would like to know more about the Club and our events, please drop me an email or find us on Facebook.