Top class livestock went head-to-head for the supreme championship prizes at the Royal Bath & Show on 29-31 May, with a tremendous range of breeds in the ring.
Beef kicked off the interbreed championships on Thursday (29 May) with supreme champion awarded to William Glover’s two-year-old Charolais heifer, (b. March 2023) Cayler Umbrella – a beautiful demonstration of the British Charolais breed.
Judge, Steve Edwards said: “She’s a great mover, with muscle and power – who is safely in-calf and will surely come out even better with her calf at foot.”
Having won reserve breed champion at the Bath & West Show last year and being awarded best junior female at the Royal Welsh Show, this heifer is clearly one to keep an eye on as she heads to Three Counties later in the year.
Taking the reserve champion title was Bertie Facon’s Saler cow Cumbrian Jolie 916, led by stockman Ben Bellew. Making the trip from Lessor Farm near Banbury, Oxfordshire, where they farm pedigree Saler and pedigree Longhorns, they also actively participate in embryo transfer – namely, pedigree Longhorns for export.
Cumbrian Jolie 916, a 2017-born cow, bred by Farmstock Genetics – was sired by Ideal and out of Cumbrian Jolie 605. She’s a sixth calver, with a calf at foot. “She’s a real, great example of the breed,” said Mr Edwards. “She’s in wonderful condition for her age, shown really well – she’s a fitting runner up for the championship.”
So where is Cumbrian Jolie heading next? “We do seven or eight shows a year; this is the first one of the year – we’re heading to Three Counties next,” said Mr Bellew.
In the pig ring, it was Sam Samuels’ British Saddleback sow, Tudor Rose, who took the honours. Shown by Sam’s daughter Becky Samuels, she really caught judge Alan Rose’s eye. “She’s a magnificent pig,” he said. “She walks well and represents the cream of the breed standard.”
Born in March 2018, by Tudor Dominator and out of Tedford Rose, this was the sow’s first big win, despite being seven years old. “She’s just really come good this year,” said Mr Samuels, who keeps 12 or 13 Saddleback sows near Bicester, Oxon. She had her last litter on 29 December and is due to farrow again in mid-August. “She stands out due to her size; she walks well and has a good underline – she’s just well built all round.”
In reserve spot was Mac Brown’s Landrace sow Whitecross Cordelia 17. Born in June 2023, she’s by Prestcombe Rally 3 and out of Sunrise Cordelia. “All her life she’s won her classes, and has been reserve modern champion, but has never been interbreed,” said Mr Brown. Travelling up from Newquay, Cornwall, he keeps seven or eight Large White, Saddleback, Welsh and Landrace sows, and is heading to the Three Counties Show next.
“She’s a lovely placid type but a very good mother with a good underline,” he said. “She’s reared an average of 12-14 piglets to pork weight and last farrowed in January, with her next litter due in July, ready to rear for the next show.”
Picking up the dairy interbreed championship was the Holstein Eastnook Dalliance Gem, bred and exhibited by Eastnook Holsteins, having been haltered only 10 days prior to the show. “I’m the fourth generation to be showing at the Bath and West,” said Jamie Pottow. “We only live in Warminster, so it’s nice to come and support the local shows. She is a class cow; with this being her first ever show, we can’t be any more pleased with the results.”
Eastnook Dalliance Gem has produced 60 tons of milk in her lifetime and is currently in- calf. The family also went on to also take home the Holstein pairs and reserve interbreed pairs with Eastnook Dalliance Gem and Eastnook Hangtime Folkea.
Reserve champion was the Guernsey, Greenway Platinum Jubilee, bred by Les and Tracey Rockett and exhibited by their daughter Abi Marshall. “This is our last big show of the season, explained Mrs Rockett. “We will be focusing on the smaller shows around Okehampton from now.”
Over in the sheep lines, judge Alan Lyons tapped out Anthony Carter’s Texel yearling ewe as his supreme champion. Bought last year from the Clanfield flock, she joined Anthony’s Millcroft flock near Dawlish, Devon, where he keeps 15 pedigree Texel ewes alongside six other breeds. “From the moment she stepped into the ring you just kept getting drawn back to her,” said Mr Lyons. “And handling her, she just elevated herself – it put her into a different place altogether.”
In reserve spot was the Devon Show’s interbreed champion, Matt Darke’s Devon and Cornwall Longwool yearling ram. Unbeaten as a ram lamb, he was purchased from the Kithil flock and now joins Matt’s 80-ewe flock in Kingsbridge, Devon. “He’s a big, powerful ram who moves really well,” said Mr Lyons. “He’s got a good fleece on him and really is a ram with substance.”
For more information visit www.bathandwest.com.