The Dairy Show at Shepton Mallet, Somerset, on 1st October 2008 was the first show of the season that was not effected by the Blue Tongue restrictions. 23 Guernseys from 10 exhibitors were competing in the breed classes. In addition 10 Guernsey calves competing in the calf show.
There were 2 new exhibitors. The Dean family from Kent who have a small holding on which they rear Guernsey, Jersey and Brown Swiss calves with which they compete at all of South Eastern shows. Their adult cattle are milked and housed in Margret Howie’s Ayrshire herd.
The other new exhibitor were Dow & Madgewick from Petersfield, Hampshire, who were showing a first calved heifer Froxfield Milly. This was a daughter of the house cow that they bought at the Hampton disperal. One of the partners is a Defra Vet and they provide the lairage for shipments to and from Guernsey Island.
The two calf classes were for calves under 1year old and under 18months and were for any other dairy breed apart from Holstien’s as they have their own section. In the first class for the younger calves there were 3 Guernseys competing with 4 Ayrshires. Bethan Senior showing the Warren’s Tredinney Prince Lilian 8, who is a double cross of Yogi Bear, was placed 3rd with Laura Sales showing Bourton Dairymaid 22 for Brian and Sheila Adams was in 4th place.
The Senior class had 13 forward with Ayrshires, Jerseys, a Shorthorn and 8 Guernseys which made a wonderful sight and gives real hope for the future. The Greenslade family took 1st and 2nd place with Greensfield Icey Phyliss in 1st place and Greensfield Icey Lady in 2nd. Martin Dean with a Jersey was 3rd and Jenny Paull was 5th.
The main classes started with the in calf cows and Laity Farm Primrose 97 from the Warren’s was 1st with Jon White’s Kingwell Magic Sedge in 2nd place and the Dean families Hampton Lily 509 coming 3rd.
This was followed by the pair class by the same Sire which had 5 pairs forward and the Yogi Bear’s from Tredinney were placed 1st in front of a Hawk pair from the Durbin’s. The Holiday’s from Colin Parfitt coming 3rd. All 3 sires have been part of the EGCS young bull scheme.
The best class of the day then filled the ring with 12 quality heifers for Andrew Hope to decide upon. There were heifers in the bottom half of the eventual line up that would have won else where. Kim Sales remarked that it was the best class heifers that she remembers. Andrew initially had White Ladies Ruby 93, who is H88 and sired by Trotacre J Mr Luck in 1st place with Tredinney Yogi’s Gabrielle 2, also H 88 in 2nd place but changed them round at the end of the class. Tredinney Yogi’s Primrose 16 was placed 3rd with another Yogi Bear Bickfield Golden Arza 6 in 4th place.
The Junior cows followed into the ring with 6 forward and the winner here was Richard Norman and Catherine Mills, Mayne Aaron Sylvia, whose Dam Luckley Sylvia 15 had been champion at the Bath and West in 2006 and 2007. In 2nd place was Bickfield Olivia 26, a Hawk daughter, with Bickfield Valerie 20, also by Hawk, in 3rd place. Sylvia had been shown at the Royal Cornwall in 2007 where she had placed 2nd but has improved tremendously as she has matured.
The intermediate class had just 3 forward and Greensfield Oaks Lady was the winner. She had been heifer champion at the 2006 Royal show, with Bickfield Jonquil 4 in 2nd place, sired by the home bred Stellas Ivan, and 3rd was White Ladies Gillian 71.
The final class was for cows having calved 4 or more times, again having 3 forward and this was won by Laity Farm Primrose 96 who had been Devon, Cornwall and Stithians champion in 2008. In 2nd place, again from the Warren’s, was Tredinney Yettis Anne 7 with Bickfield Elizabeth 10 was in 3rd.
The championship ring with the 1st and 2nd with each of the 5 classes was possibly the best in terms of quality that we have seen in recent years and Andrew Hope who had throughout the day explained his reasons very well commented on what a close decision this championship was. He awarded the championship to Mayne Aaron Sylvia a 1st time win for Richard Norman and Catherine Mills with LF Primrose 96 as reserve. But the exhibitor-bred championship was won by Greenfields Oaks Lady and I was surprised to hear from Caroline Greenslade that this was the first time they had won a class at the Dairy Show.
A quite uplifting day at what has become the “best” of the UK shows having tremendous quality in all breeds and an audience of farmers.
2009 is the 125th anniversary of EGCS and in 1984 a special “Champion of Champions” was staged at the Dairy Show and 36 Guernseys that had qualified in the previous season were in the ring a memorable event, it is not too late to repeat the exercise.