SOUTH DEVONS HEADLINE AT GREAT YORKSHIRE!
The fifth National Show of South Devons was hosted by the Great Yorkshire, and saw an excellent turnout of top quality South Devon cattle with over 80 animals forward. The Show has taken the place of the Royal Show as the main focus of competition for the breed after its demise in 2009 and has previously visited the Royal Cornwall, Royal Norfolk, Royal Three Counties, and Devon County Shows.
For the first time a unique show of this one breed was paraded in front of a strong crowd of spectators on the final morning of the Show, and it was a most impressive display of the breed’s strengths with 40 animals from senior bulls down to yearling heifers in the ring. “It was a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate to the Yorkshire crowd the reasons why this native beef breed is expanding so strongly across the country”, said breed secretary Caroline Poultney. “The Great Yorkshire has been most welcoming, and the exhibitors have brought together a tremendous show of cattle.”
The National’s programme began before the Great Yorkshire opened its gates, with a farm walk very kindly hosted by Mr Mike Powley’s family at Green Hammerton near York. This beef enterprise is the country’s Education Farm for ASDA, and is often used as a base for visits to look at progressive ideas for beef production on a grass-fed system. Some 70 visitors enjoyed the evening visit, looking at the South Devon foundation cows, crossed with Limousin to make the next generation suckler cow, then put to a terminal sire to produce bull beef at 1.5 kg live weight gain throughout their lives, finishing on a mixed forage-based ration. Sophisticated electronic equipment installed in a field trailer allows early heat detection through a change in a cow’s behaviour which is one of the many ways this enterprise is maximising its returns through attention to detail.
The Show was judged by Mr Richard Harvey from Sexton Farm, Ermington, Devon. His male champion was AI Mells Park Bertie, a four-year old bull by AI Grove Charlemagne 5 and shown by Mr Johnny Ward and Miss Lucy Gould from Mells Park Trust. Female and breed champion was Trevassack Mayflower 259, a five-year old cow by Trevassack Trusty 14 shown by A & C Farms from Rutland. This pair then went on the following day to take the highly prestigious native interbreed award for the Blythewood Competition to great applause, and follows the same pair’s success at the Royal Three Counties where they took reserve in the Burke Trophy.
Awards were presented by Society President Mr Robert Shinner from Stretchford, Buckfastleigh, Devon at the Herd Book Society’s Dinner. Reserve male champion was Mr Ollie Brewin’s North View Dominator from Leicestershire; and reserve female champion was Mr Roger Rundle’s Kestle Tulip 85 from Cornwall (National Show breed champion in 2012). Junior champion was A & C Farms’ Langham’s Mimosa 2. Best Young Bull on Performance and Inspection was won by Mr Douglas Scott’s Grove Charlemagne 71 from Gloucestershire. Best Cow & Calf on Performance and Inspection was awarded to Mr Ollie Brewin’s North View Clover. Best Polled Animal was Mr T H E Laity’s Z Polkinghorne Indiana from Hayle, Cornwall. Best Group of Three was from A & C Farms. Best Animal Forward from the host region was from Mr Paul Harrison’s Brafferton herd, Tollerton, York. Best Homebred Pair was from Mr Roger Rundle. The Track Marshall Trophy for most points in all classes was awarded to A & C Farms.
Another significant interbreed win was the reserve place in the Beef Group of one bull, one cow and two heifers, comprising the male and female champions, and two year old heifers from the Grove and Tregondale herds.
One of the highlights of the Show was the Young Handler Competition sponsored by Towergate Farm Insurance. This year it was divided into two age-groups, judged by breed judge Mr Richard Harvey, and was watched by exhibitors and the public around the ring. “The standard of professionalism demonstrated by the youngsters was very high, and bodes well for the future of the breed”, said Caroline Poultney. The winner of the 11-15 age group was Christopher Irving from Thornhill, Dumfriesshire; and the winner of the 16-25 age group was Ollie Brewin from Thorpe Langton, Leicestershire. The awards were presented by Mr Duncan Short from Towergate Farm Insurance.
Exhibitors were proud to welcome Her Royal Highness the Countess of Wessex into the show ring during the judging of the young bull class, and the media were very pleased to have the opportunity to photograph her holding Kestle Leo 19, a two year old bull!
The National Show will move to the Royal Bath & West Show in 2015.
