Three Counties show results
Charollais and interbreed sheep honours went to this shearling ewe from Mary Tulloch‘s Rutland flock. |
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BEEF | Interbreed Boddington Estates’ British Simmental heifer Sterling Adel’s Naomi; res, C J Hutchings’ British Limousin bull Goldies Trophy. |
DAIRY | Holstein M and G Potter’s cow Liberty View Integrity Saffron; res, M and G Potter’s cow Liberty View Stoneham Desire. |
DUAL | Interbreed T R Mancey’s Red Poll heifer Moreton Lady Selina; res, K W Burgess’ Gloucester heifer Fenton Kirsten 3. Gloucester K Burgess’ heifer Fenton Kirsten 3; res, R A Day’s cow Bentfield Clover. Dexter J A Knight’s cow Beechwood Daisy; res, J A Knight’s bull Kingsway Paddy. Red Poll T R Mancey’s heifer Moreton Lady Selina; res, C Moody’s cow Warren Polka. |
SHEEP | Interbreed M Tulloch’s British Charollais shearling ewe; res, R and R Powell’s Kerry Hill ram. |
PIGS | Interbreed modern P M Fowlie’s Large White sow Braemor Maple 21; res, D G Davies and Daughter’s Landrace boar Ceirios Elias. |
A LAST-MINUTE substitution paid off for Holstein breeders Mike and Gwenda Potter at the Three Counties Show, Malvern.
One of their eight catalogued entries was out of sorts, so Liberty View Integrity Saffron, a homebred three-year-old second calver that produced 10,000 litres in her heifer lactation, replaced her.
Her breed championship win was a tremendous fillip for the former professional show cattle preparer and his wife, who spent most of 2003 struggling to cope with TB. They run a 65-cow herd on a county council smallholding at Stonehouse, Glos.
“It is very sad that Holsteins are the only breed at this show, and that TB has kept away so many black-and-white breeders who wanted to compete,” said Mr Potter.
In September, the couple take on the lease of a 66ha (164-acre) holding and plan to more than double their herd size.
Though they were not able to exhibit their exclusively-owned cattle at the 2003 event, the partners owned a share of the champion Holstein, which died suddenly a few months later.
A dozen beef breeds were forward at Malvern, setting a big first day challenge for interbreed judge John Astley from Anglesey.
In front of a large main ring crowd he pulled out Boddington Estates’ superb British Simmental heifer Stirling Adel’s Naomi as champion, with Goldies Trophy, Colin Hutchings’ well grown 2002 born British Limousin bull, in reserve.
A day later, the two competed again in the interbreed pairs, but John Hughes, Boddington’s stockman, decided to withdraw the heifer when the bull making up the pairing became fractious.
Judge Cliff Hopwood, who had not had time to look at the Simmentals, gave the championship to the sire Mr Hutchings bought for 6000gns and Crowhill Orranoe, Smiths of Bloxham’s cow with calf at foot.
Classes for dual purpose cattle brought the total number of championships won by Dexter breeder Judy Knight to 72, including her fourth breed championship in a row.
Her cow, Beechwood Daisy, took top spot and the icing on the cake came when her bull, Kingsway Paddy took reserve.
As usual there was keen interest when auctioneer Richard Gwilliam judged the three interbreed sheep competitions.
Mary Tulloch was delighted when a homebred shearling ewe from her Rutland flock of British Charollais sheep stood terminal breed champion.
But she admitted being worried about the head to head with veteran Kerry Hill breeder Richard Powell’s multi championship winning ram, which led the interbreed championship for other breeds.
In the end, it was Mrs Tulloch and husband Richard who were able to celebrate their first interbreed award at a major show.