Taking Stock

Having taken the Simmental breed section under judge Paul Clements of Darshams Charolais and Simmental fame, it was no suprise that the Gunther family then went on to take the overall beef title with Thursford Georgina 4 at Hadleigh Show.

Results

Beef
Interbreed P and L Gunther's Thursford Georgina; res, S Coleman's Longhorn Chalkney Luna.

Hereford D C Smith and Sons' Laxfield Rugby; res, F W Cook and Son's Albany Graceful 20.

Simmental P and L Gunther's Thursford Georgina 4; res, P and L Gunther's Fircovert Honeysuckle.

Commercial G and H Blythe's Kyles Double; res, G and M Blythe's Molly.

Rare and Native Breed S E Coleman's Longhorn Chalkney Luna; res, A V and A K M St Joseph's British White Smarden Trinity.

Any other breed J A Wicks' Charolais Moathall Roney; res, J Rix's Charolais Rumsden Aussie.

Sheep
Interbreed S Banks' Hampshire Down; res, I M Appleyard's Suffolk.

Suffolk I M Appleyard; res, R Partridge and Son.

Commercial R Partridge and Son; res, S Manning.

Rare Breed E J Cresswell; res, B Lugsden.

Any other breed S Banks' Hampshire Down; res, N and E Pamplin's Texel.

As always a blustery day was had by all at Fife Show, but through the wind and rain came a Limouisn bull from David Orr, Crossgates to take most of the silverware home.

The five-year-old stock bull Dyfri Target, bred by Aled Edwards, is by the French-bred bull Jockey and out of Dyfri Nadia and is no stranger to the Fife showground having picked up an interbreed title in 2005 and the champion of champions at Central and West Fife last year.

Standing reserve in the beef section was Jim Muirhead with a Charolais cow. The three-year-old, with calf at foot, was breed champion at Fife last year and also at Kirriemuir and Perth. she is by Moyness Statesman and out of a Firhills dam.

Mosston Muir's Tom Rennie headed a strong Aberdeen Angus team to take the beef groups title, consisting of stock bull Emperor, reserve breed champion Mosston Muir Jennifer and a heifer, Mosston Muir Etta.

In the sheep lines brothers Keith, Allan and Roy Campbell, Drimsynie, Argyll, took their first ever overall championship at Fife with a Texel gimmer from their Cowal flock.

The reserve champion sheep came from Ainslie Smith, Ladybank, who won with a Half Bred ewe shown with a tup lamb at foot.

Suffolk show as always proved its worth as a true farming show this week, with strong livestock entries in all sections and large farming crowds thronging the judging rings.

Continentals ruled the championship rings as a Charollais ram took top honours in the sheep rings and a Charolais cow rearing twins scooped the beef interbreed silverware.

The sheep leader cam from Jonathan and Carol Barber's Crogham flock of 120 ewes and was bought two years ago for 600gns in conjuction with Stuart Dudley of the Hyde flock.

Bred in Northern Ireland, the tup is by noted sire Southam Bob the Builder and out of a Mawhinney ewe, he previously stood interbreed at last year's Royal Norfolk Show and has been used extensively in both the Crogham and Hyde flocks.

Reserve spot in the sheep lines was taken by the Suffolk champion, a ram lamb from Gordon and Elizabeth Beddie's flock from Swaffham, Norfolk. This January-born lamb had stood first in a strong class under breed judge Helen Goldie before beating off stiff competition to clinch male and breed championship.

In the beef rings the leader was seven year old Charolais cow Moathall Roney from the Wicks family's 80-cow Moathall herd from Mellis, Eye, Suffolk. Roney who was shown with her twin calves at foot was described by judge John White, of Midlock, Biggar, as having an exceptional head and superb topline.

Standing second to Roney was the Limousin leader, Segala from Doug Mash's Brockhurst herd. Five year old Segala was imported from France last year and now heads on to Rutland, East of England, the Royal and the Royal Welsh.

And the Charolais also triumphed in the interbreed pairs competition, beating off stiff opposition from the Belgian Blue pairing to lift the title.


But the Blues did one better taking the group of three title - from the Barwood and Padfield team came Ridge Dean Sherry, Ridge Dean Wren (both with their two heifer calves) and the homebred bull Piggots Artful Dodger.

In the Native championship it was a win for the Aberdeen Angus heifer of Andrew Brown, Hawstead Lodge Pamela.

Meanwhile, the dairy championship was dominated by traditional breeds, with the Jersey leader standing champion ahead of the top British Friesian.

Bolderston and Partners' 2002-born cow Tetfor Hall Danni lead the way having calved in April and given 40kgs a day at the peak of her last lactation. Danni runs as part of the partnership's 80 cow mixed herd alongside Ayrshires and Holsteins.

Following closely behind was 2000-born British Friesian cow Oakalby Breadwinner S Ruth 34 from the Burroughs family's Beccles-based herd.

Taking the Dexter title for the fourth year running was Roseamry and Stuart Creasey with their February 2005 born heifer Langley End Alison, a heifer that had taken the title the year before.

Among the pigs it was another interbreed success for Guy Kiddy's Withersfield herd of Large Whites. Taking the honours for Mr Kiddy this time was his July 2006 born gilt Withersfield Blackberry 151, shown by Shuttleworth college student Stuart Warby.

Reserve pig champion was Carol Knights' Gloucester Old Sow boar Also Sambo from Mrs Knights 12 sow herd.

Among the commercial pigs it was another win for Peter Reeder with a homebred gilt. His winner was a Maximus x Large White x Landrace.

Last week's South of England show was a particularly good one for Taking Stock with both regular contributors invoved in bringing forward champions.

For my part I managed to clinch the interbreed sheep title for the second year in a row with a Southdown shearling ram, while Chrissie helped Thorndean Farms to the Limousin breed title with a two year old heifer, Thorndean At Last, sired by Sheelin Nato.

Elsewhere in the beef lines it was the turn of Mortimers Farms' stockman Charlie Maclean to lead out the winner, Charolais cow Mortimers Racey. By Gretnahouse Napoleon and out of homebred cow Mortimers Madonna, Racey was shown with a Mortimers Upstart sired calf at foot and just the week before had stood interbreed champion at the Royal Bath and West.

Unshown since 2002 when she lifted the breed championship at the Highland as a heifer, Racey beat the Angus champion, Andrew Brown's heifer Hawstead Lodge Pamela into reserve.

Pamela, who stood native champion at last week's Suffolk Show, is by Blelack Black Beret and was led out by Kevin Byford.

Brilliant sunshine amidst threatening black clouds formed the backdrop for the 123rd Lincolnshire show and another interbreed win for Mortimers Farms' cow Mortimers Racey.

After convincing breed and overall wins at both the South of England and the Royal Bath and West, she will now go on to compete at the Royal Show, next week.

Taking the reserve title was James Cooper's Limousin bull Tomschoice Brigadier Bob, a home-bred bull out of Tomschoice Unison to Sarkley Topknot.

Shining at the Northern Limousin Extravaganza earlier in the year and taking reserve male champion, Brigadier Bob will also go on to compete at the Royal, in total notching up 16 show appearances this year, before being offered at the Carlisle bull sales in October.

In the dairy lines, it was Philip Rhodes' third time breed winner and second-time interbreed champion, Holstein cow Bilsthorpe Sue 23 who caught the judges eye for the overall dairy champion.

Shown by herdsman Clive Shepherd and giving 54 litres/day at 4.21 BF and 3.21 Protein, Sue is in her fifth lactation and in calf to New World Empire.

MORETON Show will go on this year as planned - but without cattle, sheep and other livestock, it was announced today.

A brief statement which was issued following a meeting last night said: " Moreton Show Society Council has decided that given that the earliest possible start date for movements to shows is after the date of Moreton Show (1st September), it is not possible to proceed with cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, llamas or alpacas.

"The Show will proceed with horses, poultry, home and garden, full entertainment programme and hundreds of trade stands including food marquee. Further release of open trade space is now available."

For further information, visit the show website on www.moretonshow.co.uk.