Two delighted Essex farmers scooped top honours in the dairy interbreed championships as day 2 of the Suffolk Show brought together the cream of the cattle competitions.
Peter Prior, of Radley Green, near Chelmsford, said he was “pleased” and “relieved” as Easthaugh Audrey 70 from Designer Holsteins was crowned the clear winner in the dairy section by judge Rob Proctor.
“I was hopeful - I actually think she looks better today then she did yesterday. The cow is more comfortable today.”
Dairy farmer John Smith was delighted as his other dairy breed champion, Wigboro Wick Evolution Peggy, an Ayrshire, scooped the reserve supreme slot.
“It’s my first home-bred Ayrshire. I’m really pleased with that. That’s second best in the show, so I can’t grumble at that.”
Meanwhile, over in the beef interbreed ring, Norfolk farmers Anita Padfield and Paul Barwood, of Fleggburgh, celebrated an impressive third-year-in-a-row interbreed win for Burnbank Jenny, with calf at foot.
“It’s the third year in succession the same animal has won interbreed champion so I’m absolutely delighted,” said Anita, who was also celebrating other successes in the interbreeds with wins in the pairs and threes.
The reserve beef interbreed supreme crown went to Wissington Nelson of Wissington Charolais, owned by John and Jenny Wix, who are based in the Stour Valley.
Stockman Darren Knox said he was “delighted” and the owners were happy with the award for the young 16-month-old bull.
“It’s a good result for a young bull. We bred him at home. He won the South East calf show as a baby bull. We’ll probably end up taking him to Stirling Bull Sales in October.”
And Suffolk livestock farmers Richard and Natasha Mann also enjoyed success as home-bred Yarn Hill Vulcan, of Iken Hall Farms, near Woodbridge took the native interbreed supreme title. Natasha said they were “thrilled to bits” at the accolade, and “over the moon to win any interbreed native, especially with the competition here”.
Dairy judge Rob Proctor, from Norfolk, praised the attributes of the winning animal.
“It was a clear winner for me. The cow was a fifth calved cow and still looking very youthful and that’s the sort of thing we want in our dairy cows.”
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