Charollais and Charolais dominate Suffolk championships

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.

RESULTS
BEEF CATTLE
Interbreed J A Wicks’ Charolais cow Moathall Roney; res, W J and M Mash’s Limousin cow Segala.
Red Poll Heath Farm’s bull Andrew Frederick Warren; res, N P Foster and Partners’ cow Leaventhorpe Hilary.
Aberdeen Angus A J Brown’s heifer Hawstead Lodge Pamela; res, D K Jeary’s cow Briston Echo.
Hereford A B and C C Gough’s bull Rabley 1 Trevelyan; res, Newtoncroft Farms’ bull Newtoncroft 1 Michagan.
Charolais J A Wicks cow Moathall Roney; res, J A Wicks’ bull Moathall Band.
Simmental D A and L A Sapsed’s cow Darsham’s Real Treasure; res, J R and M A Carter’s heifer Darsham’s Sparkle.
Limousin W J and M Mash’s cow Segala; res, J F Allison’s heifer Thornage Vicky.
South Devon M E and T E Broome’s bull Welland Valley Hanbury; res, M E and T E Broome’s heifer Welland Valley Dora.
Highland J Ayres’ heifer Flora 9 of Reeches; res, G J H Rainey’s heifer Catriona 5 of April.
Longhorn S E Coleman’s bull Blackbrook Newt; res, G H Wild’s heifer Riffhams Apple.
AOB Beef Barwood and Padfield’s Belgian Blue cow Ridge Dean Sherry 2; res, Barwood and Padfield’s Belgian Blue bull Piggots Artful Dodger.
Commercial Beef M and J Dickens’ Limousin cross steer Teesdale; res, K W Ludgate’s Belgian Blue cross heifer Diana.

DAIRY CATTLE
Interbreed Bolderston and Partners’ Jersey cow Tetfor Hall Danni; res, E S Burroughs and Son’s British Friesian cow Oakalby Breadwinner Ruth 34.
Holstein R Paterson’s cow Airfield Rox Ring; res, E S Burroughs and Son’s cow Oakalby Dante N Bella 24.
Guernsey N R Kennard’s cow Instead Beauty 25; res, N R Kennard’s cow Instead Beauty 28.
Dexter
AOB Dairy Bolderston and Partners’ Jersy cow Tetfor Hall Dannie; res, E S Burroughs and Son’s British Friesian cow Oakalby Breadwinner Ruth 34.

SHEEP
Interbreed J and C Barber’s Charollais ram; res, G and E Beddie’s Suffolk ram lamb.
Suffolk G and E Beddie’s ram lamb; res, S Cobbald’s aged ewe.
Jacob R Beecher’s ram; res, C A Coe and Son’s ewe lamb.
Charollais J and C Barber’s ram; res, D C and J Green’s ram.
Hampshire Down Banks and Green’s shearling ewe; res, Banks and Green’s shearling ram.
Texel J and S Williams’ shearling ram; res, S H C Rawlings’ ram lamb.
Bleu Du Maine J S McInnes Skinner’s ewe; res, J S McInnes Skinner’s ewe.
Longwool S Holditch’s Wensleydale shearling ewe; res, S Holditch’s Wensleydale shearling ewe.
Norfolk Horn K E Long and S E O Coke’s shearling ewe; res, M A Percival’s ram.
Whitefaced Woodland R and P Baker’s shearling ewe; res, C Steel’s ewe.
Southdown E J Cresswell’s shearling ram; res, B N Cooper’s ram lamb.
AOB Native B Lugsden’s Dorset Down ewe lamb; res, H Middleditch’s Oxford Down shearling ewe.
Commercial ewes S Amoss’ Texel cross shearling ewes; res, S Amoss’ ewe and lambs.
Prime lambs B E D Skinner and E Cameron’s Suffolks; res, R Partridge and Son’s Suffolk x Texels.

PIGS
Interbreed M J Kiddy and Son’s Large White gilt Withersfield Blackberry 151; res, C Knights’ Gloucester Old Spots boar Alsa Sambo.
White Breeds M J Kiddy and Son’s Large White gilt Withersfield Blackberry 151; res, M and E Edgar’s British Lop sow Greenway Harmony 76.
Coloured Breeds C Knights Gloucester Old Spots boar Alsa Sambo; res, M J Kiddy and Son’s Hampshire Burma Anna 17.