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This years Dairy Show at Shepton Mallet maintained its reputation for quality but quantity across all breeds, but the Jersey, was much reduced, this undoubtedly reflects the problems caused by TB and the economic pressures that beset the industry. It dissapoints me that exhibitors attend shows with just a single animal when I know that they have left quality animals at home.

Our Judge David Mann made as always a first class job of placing his classes and also impressed during the Interbreed classes.

The 2011 show at the NEC at Birmingham saw the National All Breeds Show that was last staged at Stoneleigh in Feb 2010 merged with the Dairy Event and Livestock Show. Whilst the DELS is well established as the premier trade show, with most of those who deliver goods and services to the UK Dairy Industry represented and launching their new products at the show, the new format with the judging spread over two days and with small numbers forward in most of the breeds did not match up to the expectation or the opportunity.

This years show saw 14 Guernseys forward from 7 exhibitors and also 4 new competitors in the FGB classes. The 14 animals were however to be found in only two classes with a strong class of 8 Maiden heifers giving David Mann his first challenge.

Cara’s Conqueror of Les Jaonnets has risen to first place in the International Bull rankings published by Dairy Co yesterday, his £PLI has climbed to +£143 and he has a remarkable Mammary Score of +3.5 based on 13 milking daughters on Guernsey Island.  James Warren was prepared to take the risk of …

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The ARC-Addington Fund has received £3800 as a result of the recent fund raising efforts which gave the chance of £1000 or the top class heifer Aber Showtime Dancer 5 . The winners of the draw are the Greenslade family from Blackborough, Devon who are amongst the most active supporters …

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Just three exhibitors represented the Guernsey breed at Honiton on a miserable wet day and Caroline Greenslade swept the board winning every class and Champion and Reserve and Honorable Mention.

The only competitive class was the Maiden heifer class with 5 forward and Greensfield Iceberg Junes Star continued her winning ways, with Brian and Sheila Adams Wiltown Mayflower in second place and Kingwell Lucky Trout from Jon White in third place.

The Manford family from Hinxden, Cranbrook Kent produced the Champion in the Channel Island section at the Kent County show with Hinxden Glitter 7 a daughter of Jens Gold G Hawk and recently classified as H88. The judge was UK Jersey Chairman Charles Reader, but I noticed that Margaret Howie …

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EGCS Joint Presidents George and Elsie Fallows travelled to Guernsey last week to attend the Island Show, but were able to visit 4 herds that do not compete at the Island Show and were pleased to spend time with Guernsey farmers and their families and saw some outstanding cows that would have been very competitive had they been at the show on Thursday. With Guernsey Island hosting the 2013 Guernsey World Conference there does need to be a concerted effort to get some of these cows to the Conference Show. The Australians managed to put on a superb display in 2007 in the midst of a serious drought and given the vast distances that separate the breeders overthere so lets hope that Guernsey can put on an inclusive display.

The Adamsons herd of Frank and Caroline Le Cheminant contained some outstanding cows and I wasn’t able to identify every cow that I photo’d but a good cow is a good cow whether you know who she is or not!

Adamsons second calver

Bon & Margaret Martel produced another strong team from the Les Jaonnets herd to set the standard at the 98th RGHA Show, there were 5 exhibitors in the cow classes and the winner of Class One for cows six years and over was Les Jaonnets Sunny Maid who is milking with her 4th Calf and had given over 10,000 kgs with her third lactation. She is the dam of Les Jaonetts Conquerors Merlin who has semen available from EGCS at present. Sunny Maid was later awarded the Championship and the Queens Cup.