Stall bookings for cattle reached record levels at the Livestock Event, at The NEC, Birmingham on Wednesday 2 and 3 Thursday July. Over 200 stalls were allocated for the National Dairy Show, together with over 145 pedigree beef cattle.
“Last year visitors requested more livestock, consequently the event featured more space for dairy cows, more beef with three national shows for performance recorded cattle and for the first time, sheep,” comments RABDF chief executive, Nick Everington
“The National Dairy Show featuring six different breeds went from strength to strength. Over 200 stalls were booked, both last year and 2012 when the National All Breeds Show was held,”
“The new Aberdeen Angus National Junior Championship and National British Blue Shows had a line-up of 43 entries and 29 respectively, while the National Charolais Show attracted 73 entries. In addition the event featured sheep for the first time with the inaugural National Lleyn Competition.
“Exhibitors discovered that The NEC is one of the best equipped venues in the UK with its temperature controlled environment and first rate handling facilities, stall booking fees were refunded for all cows exhibited, and they were paraded to a well-established visitor audience of over 17,000. Furthermore this year, the main ring took centre stage in the Genetics Zone.
“We also saw growing interest from overseas breeders taking advantage of The NEC’s location next to Birmingham International Airport. For example, we welcomed the Ayrshire Cattle Society’s World Executive Meeting with delegates travelling from as far afield as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Kenya, Scandinavia, Canada and the USA.”
Sandyford Clover 10, a 12 year old Ayrshire in her eighth lactation reigned supreme at the Livestock Event, held at The NEC, Birmingham last week. After collecting supreme breed honours at the National Dairy Show, she went on to lead the field in the interbreed line up, however the victory came after stiff competition from the Holstein champion, Neatishall Decker Rosina.
Supreme interbreed champion, Sandyford Clover 10 with Blaise Tomlinson, his family and show team
Supreme interbreed champion, Sandyford Clover 10 with Blaise Tomlinson, his family and show team
Both Clover and Rosina were awarded an identical number of points from the panel of six breed judges, after which it took several minutes of adjudication from the respective breed judges, Selwyn Donald, New Zealand and Hugh Neilson, Strathaven before the Ayrshire was declared the winner. “It was a very very close decision,” said Mr Donald. “The Ayrshire has power and capacity and the Holstein a fantastic udder as well as overall quality. The colour of the cows doesn’t matter, it’s the quality that counts. Unanimously, we’ve decided to go for this tremendous cow – the Ayrshire.”
Clover added to yet another success in her illustrious showring career which has included interbreed champion at The Royal, Royal Welsh and Great Yorkshire, as well as five times breed champion at the Livestock Show. “We’re thrilled to bits,” said her breeder and exhibitor, Blaise Tomlinson. “We brought her out of retirement four years ago and she collected this same interbreed award two years ago, so entering her for this show at this stage of her career was a big, big gamble. As to her future, well, never say never; you never know, you may see her again.”
A KC Roses Chatter Red daughter and out of a homebred dam from the Tomlinson’s 160 cow Ayrshire herd which runs alongside 160 Holsteins based at Charley Crossroads, Leicester, Clover 10 is classified a maximum Ex 97. A September calver, so far she has completed 12,000kgs in 305 days, and 105,000kgs in her lifetime.
Standing below her was Neatishall Decker Rosina from fellow Leicestershire breeders, Nick and Louise Sercombe, Knaptoft. A third calver by Far O La Debbi-Jo Decker, she is currently yielding 50kg daily. Rosina who was secured as an in milk heifer, was fresh from her success at the Lincolnshire where she took the reserve breed title.
INTERBREED MILK HEIFER CHAMPION: AYRSHIRE - 16 – Hunnington Fragy 16 – C & L Window
INTERBREED RESERVE MILK HEIFER CHAMPION: HOLSTEIN - 169 – Peachy Ava Tyrol – Peachy Holsteins
EXHIBITOR BRED CHAMPION MILK HEIFER: AYRSHIRE 16 – Hunnington Fragy 16 – C & L Window
EXHIBITOR BRED RESERVE CHAMPION MILK HEIFER: HOLSTEIN - 169 – Peachy Ava Tyrol – Peachy Holsteins
EXHIBITOR BRED CHAMPION: AYRSHIRE – 59 - Sandyford Clover 10 – E T Tomlinson
EXHIBITOR BRED RESERVE CHAMPION: JERSEY 144 – Bluegrass Excitations Cyclamen – Mr and Mrs B A Daw
SUPREME INTERBREED CHAMPION: - AYRSHIRE - 59 – Sandyford Clover 10 – E T Tomlinson
RESERVE INTERBREED CHAMPION: - HOLSTEIN - Neatishall Decker Rosina – NJ and LC Sercombe
INTERBREED GROUP OF FOUR CHAMPION: AYRSHIRE
INTERBREED GROUP OF FOUR RESERVE CHAMPION: HOLSTEIN