Familiar faces dominate South of England

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.In the commercial classes it was a one-two for Mike and Jean Dickens with their bought-in Limousin cross heifer Just-in-Time taking the championship, while homebred Limousin cross Katy-May lifted the reserve award.

Among the dairy lines it was Ken Freeman who led the way with his Holstein cow Whippenscott Highlight Elsie. Fourth calver Elsie is by Highlight Mr Mark Cinder and gave more than 11,000 litres in her last lactation. She is one of 170 cows from the Mr Freeman’s herd which will be sold at their dispersal at Beeston in October.

Reserve spot here was taken by the Ayrshire leader from the Mellish family, Douglas’s Corasam. She is by Covey Farm Reno and out of Douglas’ Coralitz.

In the sheep rings it was a repeat of last year’s result with FW livestock editor Jonathan Long keeping hold of the silverware with a homebred Southdown shearling ram from his Chaileybrook flock. Described by interbreed judge John Campbell of the Thrunton flock’s of Suffolks and Texels as a well felshed sheep, the shearling is by an tup imported from French breeder Isobel Thomas’ flock and out of a homebred ewe.

Standing second to the Southdown was the Texel champion, a four year old ram from Shane Petcovic’s Poppinghole flock which Mr Campbell said was beaten on the day due to his age.

Few pig sections in the south of England are complete without Brian Upchurch and this year’s South of England was no exception as Mr Upchurch, on his first visit to Ardingly, scooped the interbreed title with homebred British Lop sow Greenway Harmony 51 who is due to farrow in August.

Reserve interbreed was the Modern breeds leader, the Large White boar Poplarburn Royal Turk from Oathall Community College.

RESULTS
BEEF CATTLE
Interbreed Mortimers Farm’s Charolais cow Mortimers Racey; res, A J Brown’s Aberdeen Angus heifer Hawstead Lodge Pamela.
Aberdeen Angus A J Brown’s heifer Hawstead Lodge Pamela; res, P C Stovold and Son’s heifer Rosemead Ekim.
Sussex C E and W S Millson’s heifer Trottenden Terpshichiore 85; res, Buchanan Family’s heifer Black Ven Koskimo.
Hereford Nesbitt Farms’ bull Dendor 1 Toff; res, R J Hutchings’ heifer Fisher 1 Cheerful.
British Charolais Mortimers Farm’s cow Mortimers Racey; res, Rupert Taylor’s bull Burnside Taz.
British Simmental P and L Gunther’s cow Walton Klypso; res, J R and M A Carter’s heifer Darsham Sparkle.
British Blonde P A de Giles’ bull Bislington Brilliant; res, Messrs Jones and Garratt’s cow Egerton Pandora.
British Limousin Thorndean Farms’ heifer Thorndean At Last; res, Buriton Estate’s heifer Miscombe Victoria.
British White New Biddenden Green Farm’s bull Smarden Isokrates; res, C L Barran’s cow Wispers Pristina.
Beef Shorthorn B F White’s heifer Althorne Yasmin Rose; res, J L Dunlop’s bull Tarrant Paladin.
Highland A C Harrison’s heifer Fleur 3 of Cim; res, K L Rice’s heifer Una Bhuiode 17.
AOB Beef J and S Wareham’s Belgian Blue Heifer Tamhorn Alice; res, A P Price’s Belgian Blue heifer Ridge Dean Auntie.
Commercial Beef M J Dickens’ Limousin cross heifer Just-in-Time; res, M J Dickens’ Limousin cross heifer Katy-May.

DAIRY CATTLE
Interbreed K G Freeman and Son’s Holstein cow Whippenscott Highlight Elsie; res, R Mellish’s Ayrshire cow Douglas’ Corasam.
Ayrshire R Mellish’s cow Douglas’ Corasam; res, D R Heasman’s heifer Pylon Moppit.
Holstein K G Freeman and Son’s cow Whippenscott Highlight Elsie; res, J R Warnock and Sons’ cow Yatehouse Empire Teresa.
Jersey S A Brockway’s cow Champagne Rosewood; res, Hickson Bros’ cow Winkland Madaline 27.
Dexter P W Hunt’s cow Saltaire Sharp; res, S S Tarrant’s cow Apply Chloe 4.
AOB Dairy Chichester College’s Dairy Shorthorn cow Ridgewardine Topsy; res, w and J Murphy’s Gloucester cow Castlemast Cherry Pie.

SHEEP
Interbreed J M A Long’s Southdown shearling ram; res, Poppinghole Farm’s Texel aged ram.
Southdown J M A Long’s shearling ram; res, Messrs Clark and Littmoden’s ram lamb.
Suffolk D M Lindon’s shearling ram; res, K and K Manning’s ram lamb.
Texel Poppinghole Farm’s aged ram; res, L E P Farms’ shearling ram.
Charollais/AOB Continental J and A Griffiths shearling ram; res, V Miles’ ewe lamb.
Dorset Horn and Poll Dorset H R and J A E Wyatt’s ewe lamb; res, H R and J A Wyatt’s ram.
Lleyn A T and C M West’s shearling ewe; res, L E P Farms’ shearling ewe.
AOB Longwool M Leech’s Wensleydale ram; res, M Leech’s Wensleydale shearling ewe.
AOB Hill and Heath G Shrubshall’s Torwen ram; res, D and J Masters’ North Country Cheviot shearling ewe.
AOB Shortwool D and J Masters’ Hampshire Down shearling ewe; res, V Miles’ Hampshire Down ram.
Butchers’ Lambs J Bull; res, S W Curran.

PIGS
Interbreed B Upchurch’s British Lop sow Greenway Harmony 51; res, Oathall Community College’s Large White boar Poplarburn Royal Turk.
Modern Breeds Oathall Community College’s Large White boar Poplarburn Royal Turk; res, Oathall Community College’s Large White sow Oathall Dainty Lady 10.
Traditional Breeds B Upchurch’s British Lop sow Greenway Harmony 51; res, C Bull’s Berkshire gilt Morebread Louise.
Commercial pigs Plumpton College’s pair of cutter pigs; res, Plumpton College’s single pork pig.