There was a better turnout than expected as one of the main supporters the Bickfield herd is under TB restriction, but one of their cows was awarded the Championship in new ownership.
30 cows and heifers from 10 exhibitors were forward with 7 calves forward for the handling classes (53 exhibitors were showing beef and dairy calves, a welcome development if cattle are to remain part of the summer show season)
The 2010 Devon Show saw 16 Guernseys forward from 5 Exhibitors with Rosemary Charman as Judge.
Class 1 Maiden Heifer born after 1st April 2009
Four entries were headed by Aber Showtime Dancer 5 making her showring debut for the ARC-Addington Trust and it was good to see Ian Bell and Laura Dickinson from ARC on the ringside, in second place was Jon White’s Kingwell Atlantic Portago and Jon also had the third place heifer Kingwell May’s Perpetua.
John Berry has genourously purchased a yearling heifer which he has donated to the ARC-Addington Trust who will show her at the forthcoming shows in their name to raise awareness of the vital work done by ARC-Addington to help farmers and their families who may have fallen on hard times. Dancer will be auctioned at some time inm the future and the proceeds will go to ARC-Addington.
The 2010 show season started on Monday 3rd May 2010 with the North Somerset Show at Wraxall near Bristol, with Elizabeth Grose as Judge.
Unfortunately the Bickfield team were forced absentees as a result of TB problems and the Hurdlebrook and Wiltown teams were late withdrawals as a result of Sally Adam’s hospitalisation.
Fortunately Caroline Greenslade and Jon White did travel up from Devon and the Parfitt family were there in force and they were joined by one cow from Dorset who was flying the flag for Bickfield.
David Christophers has had his prize winning Tredinney Buzzards Bracken 4 professioinally photographed by Lucinda Morgan. Bracken calved in February and has peaked at 32 kilos with over 5% fat. David selected her as a calf at Tredinney and she was Junior Champion at Stithians in 2008 and Guernsey Champion at …
The previous article dealt with the herd competitions for production and Inspection, but in addition there are classes for youngstock, bull progeny, the best cow on inspection, the best cow on production, the best cow family and the most improved herd year on year.
The SWGCBA Challenge Cup for Youngstock (23 entries)
This was won for the first time by Olive Farm (Babcary) and there were over 70 heifers in the group, sired mainly by EGCS young bulls, with in-calf heifers of Chiller, Shaka, Landon Premium and Rob Roy catching the eye, whilst the calves are by Eros, Posh Paddy, Workman and Ellys Epic. The heifers are reared at grass from the first week of life and the yearlings are outwintered.
The calves recieve whole milk twice a day for 8-10 weeks depending on the time of the year with calvingsd mainly between February and August.
| Place | Owner | Herd | Score |
| 1st | D&R Paull | Hurdlebrook | 98 |
| 2nd | J Warren | Tredinney | 97 |
| 3rd | M & R Dunn | Rosewood | 96 |
| 4th | N Gosling | Artis | 94 |
| 5th | J Yewdall | Webbery | 93 |
“Rob of cause you are right, but not everyone agrees that GMI is the major cause AND sights individual bulls that have let us down. They forget all the ones that they are thriving on.
The 2009 Herd Competition results were announced on Weds.24th March and Colin Gleed was pleased to announce his winners with 26 herds involverd he inspected more than 4000 Guernsey cows ,heifers and calves,with herds from Cornwall,Devon,Dorset,Gloucester,Isle Of Wight and Wiltshire.
The long established National Holstein show at Stoneleigh, for the first time included the other UK dairy breeds and was in my view a success as the other Coloured breeds embraced the opportunity and produced some very attractive competitive classes with cattle from all regions including Cornwall, Kent, Pembrokeshire and Fife with several herds in particular from Wales making a welcome reappearance after TB restrictions.
There were 7 Guernseys forward from 4 exhibitors with President-Elect Elsie Fallows and her family producing the Junior Champion with Eavesford Onwards Molly, what a pleasure it is to have the enthusiasm of Elsie within our ranks and it is to hoped that 2011 will mark a turnaround in Guernsey fortunes.