The ALL BREEDS-ALL BRITAIN Calf and Showmanship Show 2009
This event provides a fitting climax to the years endeavours by young people who are either just starting their careers in the Show ring or having reached the “grand old age” of 25 are ending their involvement with the various breed society “youth” organisations.
The Holsteins were celebrating 25 years since the first calf show, whilst the other “coloured” breeds were first involved in 2001, whilst the Guernseys were first involved in 2006, having only started our FGB (Future Golden Breeders) in 2005.
Since then I believe more than 50 different young people have taken part in FGB activities, there were 16 different showmen involved over the two days of the AB-AB with 10 taking part in the very competitive Showmanship classes on Saturday and a further six helping to show the Guernsey calves in the Calf classes on Sunday.
Seven handlers were competing for the first time at the AB-AB, and I was particularly impressed with how they coped and competed against much more experienced handlers from the other “coloured” breeds.
28 Under 12 year olds including 4 Guernsey handlers were the first group and in fact this Class was divided with 9 Under 10 year olds including Emily Salisbury competing for us. She did very well with her calf Sharnford Clover.
The second section of 16 handlers had 3 Guernsey girls competing for us and it was Bethan Senior ( at her third AB-AB) who was placed in 5th place, with Chloe Paull in 8th place, whilst Melissa Fallows at her first show, showed plenty of aptitude and proved a quick learner in 11th place. The winner of this Class Becky Vine from Cornwall was later named as Champion Handler for the Ayrshire Breed!
Three young ladies were competing in the 13-15 year old class and 24 entries were catalogued from the four “coloured” breeds and all three were competing for the first time at the AB-AB, two of them Amy Allwin and Jenny Paull have been competing at the South West shows this summer but for Jessica Fallows this was her first show and she again did extremely well in experienced company.
The Senior Class for 16-20 year olds had three Guernsey handlers, two young ladies and one young man. Emma Greenslade has since the formation of FGB been one of our foremost handlers and has also competed with and for the Devon branch of the Holstein Young Breeders, she was placed a very close second with a Cracker heifer that was at its first show and which “blew up” half way through the Class, Emma did very well to salvage the situation.
Martin Dean from Kent at his second AB-AB did very well to stand in eighth position, whilst Natalie Allen, the third of Elsie Fallows “volunteers” also did very well on her debut.
Elsie one half of our “President-Elect” office holders had entered the three girls in the show and then told them, she was present with either bucket or pitch fork in hand, George meanwhile stayed at home to look after the farm, but it was good to see Ian and Michelle Fallows on the ringside on both days despite having cows to milk at home.
The Guernsey Showmanship Championship was awarded to Emma Greenslade with Amy Allwin as Reserve Champion and Martin Dean as Hon Mention and he must take credit as he was one of only two boys to disrupt the “girl power” which saw girls winning every Championship and all 8 finalists in the Holstein Championship being girls with the Western Club filling all three places.
There were 200 competitors catalogued for the five Dairy breeds and each of the Holstein finalists have to win their local contest to qualify as do the calves as otherwise the numbers of calves forward would prove unmanageable, as it was 377 calves were catalogued.
All credit to Laura Sales in her first year as FGB Co-ordinator, she had received/cajoled 29 entries from 11 exhibitors but only 17 from 9 were forward, but quality and presentation was first class. With five exhibitors competing at the AB-AB for the first time then the seeds of success are available, but we should follow the example of the Shorthorn breed who with less milking cows than the Guernsey had 65 calves catalogued and real quality and depth down the line in all of their classes.
The first Class was for calves born on or after 1st March 09 and had three forward and Cadbury Royal Delta Victoria 2, shown by Justina Langley was placed first by Jeff Daw, who runs the famous Noremead Holstein herd and made a super job of his judging and reason giving. Victoria bred by Richard Norman at Marston Magna is owned in partnership with Cathryn Mills, and their calves have competed at and won at most of the South West shows this season. In second and third places were two Jens Gold Sentry Onward heifers Eavesford Onward Lady and Eavesford Onward Molly shown by Jessica and Melissa Fallowes.
The second Class for Calves born between Dec08 – Feb09 had two Febuary born calves forward with Cadbury Hawk Poppy 73 in first place with Sharnford Clover 73 in second place from Jason and Katherine Salisbury shown by eight year old Emily. Poppy had won her “coloured” breed class at the Dairy Show last week.
The third Class for calves born between Sept – Nov 08 had four forward and provided a popular win for the Fallowes family on their debut with Natalie Allen gaining a close decision with Eavesford Maximus Bardia 3 over Cadbury Hawk Onyx 2 with Robert Crank‘s Thornton Posie 11 in third place. The Crank‘s are leading Shorthorn exhibitors and in fact it was Cerys Crank who was placed first in the Senior Showmanship class in front of Emma G, but the Guernsey calf was bought for eight year old Robert. Martyn Dean was fourth with Clay Hill Dot 4.
The best class of the day was Class 4 for calves born between May-August 08 and all 10 entered were forward from 7 different exhibitors. Jeff Daw correctly took his time over this class and eventually placed Greensfield Mays Rosebank from the Greenslades in first place with Cadbury Hawk Pretty 86 in second place with Hurdlebrook A Zenelope 6 from the Paull‘s in third place with Chiddingstone Cassidy Margaret 2 in fourth place from Brian and Sheila Adams, this calf has been shown by Jenny Paull and proved a proper handful last week at the Dairy Show and was quite difficult in the showmanship classes on Saturday but Jenny stuck with it and credit to her for doing so.
The Dean family had two Coopers Court calves forward one shown by Beth Mellish, normally seen in the Ayrshire rings, whilst Jo-Anne Langley was showing Coopers Court Jess for Robert Page who has been buyiing a few Guernseys to support the South Eastern show circuit.
Brian and Sheila Adams had two more Chiddingstone calves forward and what a credit this couple are to our breed, making their calves freely available to other youngsters who otherwise would miss the chance to take part.
Only one senior heifer was present Crouch & Grouch’s Cracker Duchess 4 and this Glacier calf from the Bath & West Supreme Champion in 2008 was born with style and attitude, I enjoyed rearing her and breaking her in with the 2008 AB-AB in mind, my association with the herd ended in August 08 and I have been surprised that she had not been seen out previously, but on her debut she became a worthy Guernsey Champion prepared and shown by Emma Greenslade, with Cadbury Hawks Poppy 73 as Reserve Champion and Eavesford Maximus Bardia 3 as Hon Mention.
Jeff Daw commented on how impressed he was with his Championship line up
and how pleased he was to have been asked to judge at the AB-AB. We were the lucky ones to have his expertise.This show is perhaps the best kept secret of the UK Dairy industry, following as it does hard on the heels of the two Dairy Shows which are supported by the Agricultural Trade who set out their wares for appraisal by UK Dairy farmers, the AB-AB is supported by some very welcome Sponsors but all sponsorship money is used to defray the staging costs the bulk of which falls on HUK. The four Coloured breed Societies also contribute but all consider it an investment in their future.
Next years show is planned for 9th/10th October 2010 at Stoneleigh and will likely be the only “major” cattle event to be staged at the Natiional Agricultural Centre.