Royal Smithfield Christmas Fair judges revealed
For those of you who haven’t found time to peruse the schedule yet, myself included. The Royal Smithfield Club has today released the names of the judges for this year’s Royal Smithfield Christmas Fair.
The event will take place as last year at the Royal Bath and West’s Shepton Mallet showground on Friday 30 November and Saturday 1 December.
Heading the list in the cattle section will be championship judge James Quail, Banbridge, Co Down, while the native cattle classes will be adjudicated by Aberdeen Angus breeder Colin Davidson, Sandwick, Orkney.
Placing the Continental cattle classes will be Arfon Jones, Paradwys, Anglesey and Cumbria-based Michael Scott of Thirwall Castle, Carlisle will take charge of the suckled calf and young farmers cattle classes, together with the section championships.
The final cattle judge will be Somerset butcher and farmer Gerald David who will have the onerous task of picking the best presented stockman.
Among the sheep classes it will fall to renowned ram breeder Paul Slater to pick the overall champions, while former Smithfield championship winner Alex Brown will place the pairs classes, the young farmers classes and the section chmapionships.
Taking responsibility among the butchers live and dead classes will be David Albutt from lamb processors Dawn Carnaby, Bridlington, Yorkshire. Meanhile, John Heal of MLC will place the carcasses from the same section.
Looking after the young farmers cattle presentation awards will be Peter Dickens, Brant Broughton, Lincolnshire with Alex Long, Brook, Kent having the honour among the young farmer sheep entries.
The final judge on the list is Alan Davies, New Mills, Powys, who will award the places in the beef ribs competition.
Livestock schedules and entry forms are available from the Royal Smithfield Club, Brierley House, Summer Lane, Combe Down, Bath BA2 5LE. Tel: 01225 837904; Fax: 01225 834741; E-mail: sally@royalsmithfieldclub.co.uk. Livestock entries close on Monday 1st October 2007.