Cheshire Show report
Mike Cox has supplied a report of his day at Cheshire Show and Jessica Hassal has supplied a picture of the Champion.
I had the greatest of honours on Tuesday 21st June to be invited to judge the Guernsey classes at the Cheshire show. After a number of years of no Guernsey presence at the show in a Holstein dominated county the word from them that know was Andrew Hope had really done the second mile to gather interested parties and get some sexy ladies for me to look at.
Trying to get off the island the day before typically proved to be harder than hoped for but if you live on a rock in the channel you get used to fog rolling in and out at any time.
On the Tuesday I arrived in plenty of time and met up with the officials for a cup of tea and briefing on the days plans. Standing in the North Western Holstein club tent at the ring sides was great and there was a steady stream of familiar faces (all a little more wrinkled and greyer) and it made me feel like the prodigal son returning to the mother land after repeating myself several times of what we were doing and how it was going i was glad to get to the ring at around 10.30.
I think there was about 15 ladies entered in all with 10 or 11 actually making it to the show from 4 exhibitors, the amount didn’t matter it was just brilliant to have them back at the show.
The 1st class was maiden heifers with 2 of them being peas in a pod and the third a little lacking in maturity and strength on the day to the others either one of the two could have one with correct rump set and good spring of rib. Eventually the winning heifer just showing through in leg set from behind with 2nd place just turning her hocks in and 3rd place going to the smaller more frail heifer.
1st Thornton Heather 13 from the Hall’s
2nd Thornton Dewdrop from the Hall’s
3rd Easby Periwinkle 9 from the Hassall’s
2nd class of the day was in calf heifers and 3 very different animals and 1st place went to a big deep ribbed heifer good legs and feet a little too slopped on the pins but overall a good well balanced heifer she just won over a much smaller but beautifully correct heifer not really showing any udder but teats were correct and she tracked perfectly and maybe one for the show ring again as she goes through her pregnancy 3rd place went to a bigger heifer than my 2nd place but wasn’t quite as balanced plenty of angularity but not strength nice spring of rib and showing a decent ligament but teats just pointing out.
1st Thornton Imogen 2 from George Wainwright
2nd Elanbee Pacific Frosty from the Hassal’s
3rd Tiresford King Carmen from the Hope’s
3rd class of day was cow in calf and probably most controversial only 2 entered but both from different eras. My 1st place went to a medium sized cow with fantastic stretch good spring of rib walked correctly good rump and tail set and udder had strong ligament with correct teat placement. 2nd place went to a cow with all the same but just more modern a little bigger fantastic rib and udder a tremendous cow, well why 2nd ??
because” I’m a prat “ the second placed cow was not quite as correct in the front leg and I pondered too hard and got it badly wrong when challenged by the handler,I made an unwarranted unnecessary comment,which proved to be insulting to the handler and the breeder.
I should have asked was the fault a birth problem or accident as a youngster then like the classifier I could have used my discretion . I FOOLISHLY DID NOT AND APOLOGISE TO ALL CONCERNED AGAIN, it takes time, money and commitment to get cattle ready to show and all concerned deserved somebody a little more professional.
1ST Thornton Peggy HOPE
2ND Thornton Golden Lily 8 HASSAL
4th class heifer in milk 2 forward both nice heifers but the heifer placed first had the better udder and better teat placement than 2nd place although the 2nd hfr was less mature looked like milk and should grow into a cracking 2nd calver.
1st Thornton Lady from the Hassall’s
2nd Thornton Posy 11 from the Crank’s
Final class of the day was cow in milk and only one forwarded a good cow with lots of stretch good spring of rib and strong central ligament showing a little age but she was full of milk and a full bulk tank is what matters, a great cow.
1st Tiresford Bangor Gooseberry
The exhibitor bred championship was taken out of my hands a little with only 2 qualifying and both out of the same class and the 2 maiden hfrs being worthy winners and show great promise for the future.
The final class of the day again had to go to the fresh calved heifers all that improvement on the older animals shone through and hopefully if we can keep the guernseys going in these ruthless commercial times will be able to compete well against their black and white cousins.
ONCE MY DUTIES WERE OVER I WAS ABLE TO GET BACK TO CATCHING UP ON THE LOCAL GOSSIP and with out fail my former dairy peers were pleased to see the Guernseys back and the overall improvement in rump set and udders, it was a pity they didn’t have an animal for the interbreed class as most coloured breed judges are getting fed up with the Holstiens winning.
In the interbreed hfr class though a really smart holstien still came out on top even though a fantastic show hfr she was of the type any commercial breeder would want fantastic udder and spring of rib and perfect rump set she was from Joseph Helier in Audlem with Mark Thornton a good friend as farm manager doing a great job. THE interbreed cow class did go to the Ayrshires though beating a massive holstien although i was informed the ayrshire had a high proportion of red and white holstien in it!!!
Overall i had a great day with plenty of great cows to see and like minded folks to talk to it was noticeable though it is only the Jerseys, Guernsey’s and Dexters of course that are keeping their breed characteristics and the interbreed classes are starting to look like the same breed just different colours.
Thank you again to the show organisers for entertaining me so well and those concerned for asking me to come and judge it is important to keep a presence at these events and all the competitors are to be commended for making the effort in difficult commercial times.
Thanks
Mike Cox