2010 saw the 30th Dairy Show at Shepton Mallett have an International flavour as the Show Society had asked judges from Overseas to judge all six Dairy breeds and it was interesting to watch the Danish Jersey judge place his classes in reverse order, with the contenders for the top of the line having room and time to properly present their animals.
10 Guernsey exhibitors had 31 cows and heifers forward and 8 Calves had competed in the calf classes the night before and White Ladies Marius Graceful 8 made a particular impression standing a close second behind the Jersey calf that was made the Coloured Breed Champion.
Bethan Senior was placed second in her section of the Showmanship classes and once again all of our handlers acquitted themselves well in what is very stiff competition.
The In Calf cow class had five forward and included both the Devon and Cornwall Champions from earlier in the year and our Judge Ray Fieberger from South Australia made a welcome return to the Showground having made such a good job of the Conference Show in 2004.
Tredinney Pedros Flo 4, the Cornwall Champion was placed first, with Ermie & Gertie’s Winnie bred by Ian Sinclair but now owned by the Bartlett family from Hinton Farm Ltd in second place, Graylands Hugette 21 from the Parfitt family was third with the Greenslade’s Greensfield Icy Phyllis, the Devon Champion fourth.
The Heifer in milk with 9 forward was the best class of the day and arguably any of the top four could have won and gave the unbeaten Blacknor Tania her first real test, she given the number of outings she has had is seemingly more difficult to show than ever. In second place was Norman and Mills Cadbury Hawks Pretty 86, shown for the first time in milk and despite being 12 months younger than the winner, gave away nothing in size and scale. The third placed heifer Greensfields Junes Star, from the Greenslades also impressed, as did the fourth placed heifer Tredinney Garretts Snowdrop 17, with the remaining heifers all showing correct udders and with 7 different sires represented demonstrates the improvement that is happening across the breed.
Although 5 were entered for the Junior Cow classes, only two were forward but the winner Tredinney Yogis Gabrielle 2 is what you might term” a game changer” and it is some time since a Guernsey has caused so much interest amongst other breeds, and she overpowered Hinton Farms Ermie & Gerties Coco who on her first outing hadn’t settled or made enough milk.
The Intermediate Cow class again only had two forward and Bickfield Posie 11, bred by the Durbin family who sadly missed the show for the first time in 29 years because of TB movement restrictions, but now owned by Olive Farm Babcary, and who I have the pleasure to milk at weekends proved a worthy winner and earned particular praise for her dairiness and obvious milkability from Ray Fiebiger with Graylands Meadowsweet 60 in second place.
The senior cows had six forward and was the biggest class across all of the breeds, which should be of interest to those who keep on about loss of “fertility” in the Guernsey breed. The winner from the Warren family was the 2009 Stithians Champion, Clay Hill Glenda 4 bred by Phil and Poppett Foord in Sussex and chozen by James in May 2009 when the herd was dispersed. Standing second milking in her 7th lactation was Hurdlebrook Andrea 2 from Olive Farm, and these two had two 94 point cows standing below them with Laity Farms Primrose 97 in third place and Luckley Sylvia 15 fourth, both these cows have been Champions in earlier years but are now showing their age.
The Pairs were won by Norman & Mills with their heifers in front of the Parfitts cows.
The Championship ring was full of quality and Ray was pleased to find his Champion in Tredinney Yogibears Gabrielle 2 with Blacknor Tania in Reserve.
The Interbreed Championship caused a great deal of interest with three of the Judges having no Guernseys in their own countries (yet) and it was the Danish Jersey Judge who in both the Heifer and Cow Championship who gave his maximum to the Guernseys, whilst the other judges went elsewhere and Gabrielle finished in third place and a lot of the ringside felt she was hard done by and that demonstrates the improvement that is happening within our breed.
I was approached by an Auctioneer at the show who has two customers in Somerset both wanting 20 Guernseys and on getting home received an e-mail from a Frenchman who wants to visit the UK later this month with a view to importing in calf heifers.
There are opportunities out there, are those of you with the cattle interested in them ?