Black and whites impress
Entries drop off but competition remains strong
By Emma Penny
GOOD weather meant gate numbers at last weeks Royal Highland show were 2000 up on last year for the first three days, but a showery start on Sunday saw attendance fall 8000 on 1998.
As always, competition was strong, but farmings poor profitability was reflected across all livestock sections, with entries down on last year. Casualties included Bleu Du Maine and Vendeen classes, with both sections being cancelled.
In the cattle lines, beef interbreed title was taken by Aberdeen Angus heifer Carlhurlie Queto, bred and shown by Rae Grieve, Leven, Fife. Inseminated to Nightingale Regent the week before the show, she bows out at the top and is unlikely to be shown again.
Sandy Inness Nairn-based Moyness herd took the reserve interbreed beef with his Charolais stock bull Maerdy Impeccable. The six-year-old bull is proving his worth, with progeny winning at both Highland and Royal shows.
He was also part of the interbreed group of four, the Charolais taking the title, with Simmentals as reserve.
The dairy interbreed title went, for the third year running, to Alister Lairds fifth lactation cow Altona Lea Broker Emma. Classified as Excellent 96, she gave 16,788kg in her fourth lactation and has won at DairyScot and the National Holstein show.
Reserve dairy interbreed went to R Dunlops Ayrshire cow Dunlops Melanie. Currently in her second lactation, she gave 6608kg in her last lactation.
In the sheep lines, Suffolks took the individual and pairs championship. A gimmer ewe from the Mair familys Muiresk flock by Muiresk Merci Marvellous won the interbreed title. Last year, she won as a lamb.
The gimmer was joined by Harry Emslies ram from the same sire to take the pairs championship, with a Texel pair as runner up. Reserve sheep interbreed title went to W and J Thomsons North Country Cheviot ewe.
RESULTS
BEEF
Interbreed AR Grieves Aberdeen Angus heifer Carlhurlie Queto; res AT Inness Charolais bull Maerdy Impeccable.
Junior interbreed P and A Langs Limousin bull Ryedale Orion; res, J Wyllies Belgian Blue heifer Tamhorn Oriana.
Marks and Spencer Elite Beefbreeder P and A Langs Limousin bull Rachels Nimrod; res, P and A Langs Limousin bull Ryedale Orion.
Interbreed team Charolais; res, Simmental.
Beef Shorthorn GM Russells bull Uppermill Lochaish; res, W McGowans bull Fingask Jupiter.
Aberdeen Angus AR Grieves heifer Carlhurlie Queto; res, JR Galloways bull Cardona Esteem.
Galloway Major Sir ARJ Buchanan-Jardines heifer Eva of Castlemilk; res, JJ Pattersons cow Sensation C1 of Glengelt.
Belted Galloway JG and R Bleazards cow Park Willow; res, HB Hamiltons heifer Lullenden Abbie.
Highland AJ Smiths cow Robina 1st of Glengarry; res, T McLatchies heifer Una 18th of Millerston.
Hereford JA Camerons cow Baldinnie 1 Kay 3rd; res, J and JS Douglass bull Ervie Classic R19.
Lincoln Red FE Reads heifer Hemingby Treasure Z14; res, A Myliuss bull St Fort Zebedee.
Charolais AT Inness bull Maerdy Impeccable; res, PM and SM Dongers bull Foxacre Maximus.
Simmental Boddington Estatess cow Sterling Elegance; res, Strathisla Farmss bull Strathisla Julius.
Limousin R Dicks cow Ronick Janita; res, P and A Langs bull Ryedale Orion.
Blonde DAquitaine Hillhead Blondess cow Gregors Janet; res, J Smiths bull Hackleton Mellors.
Belgian Blue J Barber and G Brindleys bull Alambic; res, J Wyllies heifer Tamhorn Oriana.
Salers DJ Steens bull Lombard; res, Fishlock and Gilders heifer Woodvine Americas Nimble.
Commercial RH Wilsons Charolais x Limousin heifer Suzy Babe; res, D MacGregors Limousin heifer Monica.
DAIRY
Interbreed A Lairds Holstein cow Altona Lea Broker Emma; res, R Dunlops Ayrshire cow Dunlops Melanie.
Junior dairy interbreed MW and A Stevensons Ayrshire cow Stevensons Ailsa; res, Firm of WW Neilsons Holstein cow Overside Jed Amanda.
Interbreed team Holstein; res, Ayrshire.
Ayrshire R Dunlops cow Dunlops Melanie; res, JM Stevensons cow Bankend Mavis.
Holstein A Lairds cow Altona Lea Broker Emma; res, B and J Kennedys cow Stairend Kroontje.
Jersey RF and JF Heaths cow Ravenfield Rosetta; res, RF and JF Heaths cow Ravenfield Ray.
Dairy Shorthorn GG Bayness cow Marleycote Fleur; res, GG Bayness cow Marleycote Tiny 4.
SHEEP
Interbreed SG Mairs Suffolk gimmer; res, W and J Thomsons North Country Cheviot ewe.
Interbreed pairs Suffolk; res, Texel.
Blackface A Macgregors shearling tup; res, WJ Douglass tup.
North Country Cheviot W and J Thomsons ewe; res, The Queen Elizabeth Castle of Mey Trusts tup.
Border Leicester Stewart of Kininmonths ewe; res, W Youngs shearling ewe.
Suffolk SG Mairs gimmer; res T Baileys ewe lamb.
Cheviot JF Irvings shearling tup; res, AT Elliots shearling ewe.
Halfbred JF Lochs ewe; res, J Runci-mans ewe lamb.
Bluefaced Leicester MC Robinsons ewe; res, G Shapiro and TG Jarmans shearling tup.
Jacob * Ballies ewe lamb; res, M Leitheads shearling tup.
Texel Douganhill Farmss ewe; res, J and M Tough and J Curries shearling tup.
Ryeland SJ Brydens ram; res, AM Humphriess ewe.
Charollais W and C Ingrams ram lamb; res, GM McIlwraiths ewe.
Shetland R Douglass ram; res, M McEwen-Kings shearling ewe.
Oxford Down L Allans ram; res L Allans ewe lamb.
Rouge de LOuest DCS Alexanders ram; res, DCS Alexanders ram.
Berrichon Du Cher D Griffthss ram lamb; res, Messers Cockbains shearling ewe.
Scotch Mule W Sandersons gimmer; res, R Bells ewe.
Wensleydale JN and SM Prescotts ewe; res, JN and SM Prescotts ewe.
Beltex Biggar Beltexs ram; res, McIlwraith and Barclays shearling ram.
Commercial AE and C Stewarts ewe; res, W and J Thomsons North Country Cheviot ewe.
Prime lambs live JL Young; res, A Mylius.
GOATS
Dairy goats P Copelands British Saanen female; res, Webster and Smiths British Toggenburg female.
Angora M Bells pure-bred buck; res, SB Cunninghams pure-bred buck. *
Black and whites impress
By Jeremy Hunt
TOWERING above the rest of the dairy parade was the massive Holstein cow Smiddiehill Jed Erle, a convincing winner of the interbreed title at the Cheshire County Show, showing scale and body capacity.
Six weeks calved with her third following a second lactation of 11,000kg, Jed Erle has her sights set on the Royal after taking the title at the Shropshire and West Midlands and reserve ticket at last years National Holstein fixture. She was yielding 55kg a day at the show.
Erle is owned by the Shropshire-based Field of Dreams Syndicate comprising her breeder Ian Montgomery and Mike Halliwell and John Gough. The Goughs kept a grip on the shows silverware. Brother Andrew, who keeps Ayrshires as WH Slater Farms, Shifnal, Shropshire, stood reserve interbreed with Canadian-bred calved heifer Attwell Spottie 4th.
A black and white Belgian Blue heifer from Fylde won the supreme beef championship for Lancs farmer and butcher Allan Wilkinson and his wife Deidre. Ovatie Van de Wolvendreef was selected in Belgium and already has six ET-bred calves on the ground. The Wilkinsons also won the reserve breed title.
Stoke-on-Trent businessman Malcolm Smith, who keeps a hobby herd of Limousins, stood reserve with heifer Jencralodge Nadia on a day when Limousins won the best exhibitor-bred, progeny pairs and team awards.
The shows junior beef title went to Lancs breeder Michael Barlow and his Simmental bull Denizes Joseph. Cheshires Richard Ratcliffe, whose Airway prefix is from once farming the land that is now Manchester Airports runway, topped the dairy junior line-up with Airway Kayjay Jodie.
Cheshire Suffolk breeder Geoff Biddulph, a regular interbreed sheep title winner, was pipped into reserve place by Charollais shearling ewe from Madders and Johnson, Tixall, Stafford.
RESULTS
BEEF
Interbreed A and D Wilkinsons Belgian Blue heifer Ovatie Van de Wolvendreef; res, M Smiths Limousin heifer Jencralodge Nadia.
Hereford Spooner and Davies bull Westwood Notable; res, Nicholas and Heaths bull Bowa 1 Punch.
Limousin M Smiths heifer Jencralodge Nadia; res, JE Hallams bull Mereside Merlin.
Simmental R Birchs heifer Pasturefields Harmony; res, M Barlows bull Denizes Joseph.
Charolais BJ and PA Baggotts heifer and calf Cravaggio La-Lique; res, SN Baileys heifer Maerdy Nel.
Belgian Blue A and D Wilkinsons heifer Ovatie Van de Wolvendreef; res, A and D Wilkinsons heifer Springfield Orchldea.
Highland Mrs M Woods bull Curadan of the Coombesrock; res, Mrs M Woods heifer Morag Ruadh of the Coombesrock.
Aberdeen Angus J Sutcliffes heifer Yearsley Prudence; res, N Hammills cow Kath of the Moss.
Blonde dAquitaine JM Richardsons cow Warmingham Jill; res, C Hopleys heifer Mosscroft Mandy.
DAIRY
Interbreed The Field of Dreams Syndicates Holstein cow Smiddiehill Jed Erle; res, WH Slater Farms Ayrshire heifer in-milk Attwell Spottie 4.
Dairy Shorthorn N and R Bootes heifer in-milk Valentine Sheen Lavender; res, GA Madeleys cow in-milk Rodway Lady Barrington 6.
Ayrshire WH Slater Farms Attwell Spottie 4; res, HW Oultrams cow in-milk Stamford Roselinda 32.
Holstein The Field of Dreams Syndicates cow in-milk Smiddiehill Jed Erle; res, DJ Hughess cow in-milk Grantchester Starbuck Farrah.
Jersey RW and CM Baileys heifer in-milk Abbotsley Designers Beryl; res, GF and ML Wallaces cow in-milk Grahmar CDJ Cuddle.
Guernsey Lt Col and Mrs SC Watsons cow in-milk Slindon Posie 134; res, Leverhulme Farmss cow in-milk Thornton Beauty.
Dexter Mr and Mrs RU Walkers dry cow Glenthorne Primrose; res, Mrs J Duncalfs cow in-milk Ryton Folly.
Brown Swiss RME Carters cow in-milk Bobetty Conductor Doll; res, J Balls cow in-milk Sujenca Distinct Eclair.
SHEEP
Interbreed Madders and Johnsons Charollais shearling ewe; res, G Biddulphs Suffolk ram lamb.
Charollais Madders and Johnsons shearling ewe; res, C and E Browns shearling ram.
Jacob Mrs RE Blacknells shearling ewe; res, R Kings ewe lamb.
Suffolk G Biddulphs ram lamb; res, Mr and Mrs T Vinces ewe lamb.
Texel Marquess of Northamptons aged ram; res, SJ Smiths group of three. *