Suffolks claim Royal crown after sheep cause a sweat
Suffolks claim Royal crown after sheep cause a sweat
By Jonathan Long
DESPITE rumours that sheep would not be allowed access to the showground, they finally returned to the Royal Show late on Tuesday evening.
But not before vet controls undertaken at Henley-in-Arden, Warks, led to some entries being rejected on health grounds.
What followed was a mad rush to get breed classes completed before 1.30pm on Thursday, so that veteran showman Derek Ritchie could finally get his chance to place the interbreed line-up he was booked to judge last year.
Suffolk breeder Geoff Biddulph, from Macclesfield, Cheshire, sacrificed the chance to sell at the societys national sale on Tuesday to be at the Royal.
His decision was well rewarded. Having lifted first place tickets in all but three of the breeds classes, he took the breed championship with his pen of three ewe lambs, while his shearling ewe stood reserve.
To cap his week, the three ewe lambs went on to claim the interbreed sheep championship and one of the group teamed up with Mr Biddulphs ram lamb to take the sheep pairs title, ahead of the Charollais pair.
Standing reserve in the supreme championship was Henry Derrymans Hampshire Down ram lamb from his flock based at Yarcombe, Devon.
The lamb, sired by a homebred tup which was selected for the Hampshire Down sire reference scheme in 2000 and out of a homebred ewe, is genotyped ARR/ARR under the National Scrapie Plan and will probably be used across Mr Derrymans 80 ewe flock this season.
Elsewhere in the sheep lines, talk centred around the prospects for this years sale season, with breeders concerned that regulations will see trading patterns severely curtailed.
In the cattle rings, judging on Wednesday and Thursday took in three interbreed competitions, the Burke Trophy pairs, the interbreed championship and the team of five championship.
Dairy championships were dominated by the Holsteins, with black-and-whites lifting the top ticket in all three competitions, breed champion Morwick Sand Queen added to her Royal Highland success by taking the supreme championship and teaming up with Dalesend Storm Maude from A * Wilson to take the Burke Trophy, ahead of the Ayrshire pair.
In the beef interbreed competitions, the Hereford pair from Jack Henry and John Cameroon clinched the Burke Trophy from the Charolais team. But Continental breeds were to the fore on Thursday, with Charolais cow Balbithan Nadia, led out by Jane Hoare for the White family, taking the interbreed championship. The Charolais team of five also took top honours, standing reserve in both competitions were the Simmentals with Darshams Hadden from the Clements family taking the reserve interbreed ticket.
RESULTS
BEEF CATTLE
Burke Trophy J B Henrys Hereford bull Onondaga Pure Gold and J A Cameroon & Sons Hereford cow Baldinnie 1 Oakland 4; res, Nesbitt & Arnotts Charolais bull Maerdy Primeminister and A Whites Charolais cow Balbithan Nadia.
Interbreed A Whites Charolais cow Balbithan Nadia; res, A R Clements & Partners Simmental bull Darshams Hadden.
Team of five beef breeds championship Charolais; res, Simmental.
Beefbreeder championship M V & M E Atkinsons Charolais bull Mowbraypark Starlight; res, Smiths of Bloxhams Limousin bull Ironstone Spartacus.
DAIRY CATTLE
Burke Trophy Templeton & Howies Holstein cow Morwick Sand Queen and A * Wilsons Holstein cow Dalesend Storm Maude; res, C & L Windows Ayrshire cow Hunnington Fragrance and C & L Windows Ayrshire cow Hunnington Minnie.
Interbreed Templeton & Howies Holstein cow Morwick Sand Queen; res, John Haywards Dairy Shorthorn cow Hooton Fairy Duchess 25.
Team of Five Dairy Breeds Championship Holstein; res, Jersey.
Dairy interbreed production inspection championship J & K Rennies Ayrshire cow Brocklehill Fire Red Lucia; res, C W & G E Hallidays Jersey cow Whitton Brass Margot.
PIGS
BPA pig of the year A Gregory & Sons Large White sow Poplarburn Queen Mary 117; res, S L Barnfields Berkshire sow Kilcot Excelsa 13.
SHEEP
Interbreed G Biddulphs Suffolk pen of three ewe lambs; res, * C Derryman & Sons Hampshire Down ram lamb.
Sheep pairs G Biddulphs Suffolk ewe lamb and Suffolk ram lamb; res, P Taits Charollais ram and Charollais ewe.
Beltex D Bishops ewe; res, G & J Belcher & Sons shearling ewe.
Black Welsh Mountain E O Williams two shearling ewes; res, R Wises ram.
Bleu du Maine P Taits shearling ram; res, J McInnes Skinners ewe.
Bluefaced Leicester D Cruikshanks ram; res, G Shapiros ewe.
Charmoise N & C Evans ewe; res, D Eglins ewe.
Charollais P Taits ram; res, P Taits ewe.
Clun Forest R & M Eckleys ram; res, G L Smiths shearling ewe.
Derbyshire Gritstone J C Pickards ram; res, J C Pickards shearling ewe.
Devon & Cornwall Longwool J Snells shearling ewe; res, R E & D Snells ram.
Dorset Horn & Poll Dorset J B Dufosees ram; res, P Laws shearling ewe.
Hampshire Down * C Derryman & Sons ram lamb; res, J A Atkinsons shearling ewe.
Jacob J L Pembertons ewe; res, J & T Newths ram.
Kerry Hill R & R Powells ram; res, G Wards ram lamb.
Lincoln Longwool K & R P Hardings shearling ewe; res, R Watts ewe lamb.
Lleyn J A & R Geldards shearling ram; res, J B Dufosees shearling ram.
Lonk J C Pickards shearling ewe; res, J C Pickards ram.
Rouge de Louest S Wilkinsons ewe; res, D R Janes shearling ram.
Ryeland R Wears ram; res, R Wears shearling ewe.
Southdown J D & D Goodes shearling ewe; res, J Hayes ewe lamb.
Suffolk G Biddulphs pen of three ewe lambs; res, G Biddulphs ram lamb.
Texel W & G Helyers ram; res, R M Syms ewe.
Wensleydale J A & F Elliotts shearling ewe; res, J A & F Elliotts ram.
CORRECTION
Reserve champion Dexter was D Smiths cow Moomin Pollydoodie and not as stated last week *