With nearly 60 calves entered and quality throughout it’s safe to say the Southern England Calf Show for 2013 was another success. Not everything went quite to plan in the run up but we managed to get another judge at 7am on the morning of the show after the original judge was taken ill.
Stepping up to the mark was Colin Hutchings from Dulverton in Somerset and there isn’t many major shows that he hasn’t judged so he was well up to the challenge of the Calf Show.
It was certainly a day for the South West Club with Overall Champion, Male, Reserve Male and Female Champions staying in the area. Taking the top spot was Rull Eon N150 from Ed & Claire Jones of Cullompton. Described by the judge as a well balanced, stylish animal which attracts attention when he enters the ring, Eon is February born and has already made headlines this month with his mother winning the Female Champion title at the Aberdeen Angus Society’s Winter National Show at Carlisle, after taking the futurity title (heifer shown as a calf, yearling and as a 2 year old with calf at foot) Brought out by YDP 2013 winner Ian Dowlman, the bull is sired by Blelack Blacksmith and his dam, Rull Evita L127 boasts a pedigree full of famous sires and going back to Netherton Evita on the female side.
Reserve Champion honours went to the Female Champion Temple Neonia N555 from Andrew & Judith Denning from Bridgwater. Winning the red ticket in the extremely strong January/February heifer class Mr Hutchings said of his winner that she was longer and stronger than the other heifers and fuller in the hind quarter. Neonia is sired by Lockerley Legolas, stock bull at Idvies and Rawburn and out of Muirhall Top Deal daughter and a favourite of the Denning’s youngest daughter Grace.
Reserve Male Champion went to a young sweet bull calf from Jessica Denning from Bridgwater. Jess’ herd may only number 3 cows but managed to secure a first in the baby bull class and second in the Jan/Feb heifer class so Park Wall is a name to look out for in the future! Park Wall Jethro Eric N564 was born in April and sired the Rawburn Transformer sired bull Temple Full Loaded L506 and out of Kingsbrompton Jacata Erica G558
Reserve in the Female lines went to Inkpen Pretty Pansy N158 from Jessica Kary from Hungerford. Brought out by freelance stockman Keith Jempson, this March born heifer was sired by the home bred bull Inkpen Elroy K099 and out of a Nightingale bred dam.
The long journey was made worthwhile for South East Club Secretary Mike Spooner and his wife Jennie when they won two of the five bull classes. Both March born and both sired by Nightingale Ploughman, Kingwood Editor N097 is out of a Bramley Grange Black Brindley sired dam and Kingwood William N098 is out of a Netherton Figo sired dam.
The first red ticket of the day was won by PP & JE Symonds from Hereford in the Sept-Dec 2012 born bull class. Newgrove Enoch M560 was born in October and is sired by Aynho Rossiter Eric B125 and out of a Wedderlie bred dam.
The Sept-Dec 2012 heifer class was won by another stylish heifer Eckington Jessica Erica M182 from Judy Gardner from Worscestershire. Born in September she was sired by Rawburn Edge J893 and out of a home bred cow by Warrenho Rob.
Winning the red ticket in the baby heifer class was South West Club Secretary Gayle Bersey with an April born Idvies Euris B112 daughter - Lynher Valley Encore Aurora N068. Gayle also had the best steer with an end of April born Gerester of Haymount calf.
The Junior Handler classes were as always a great watch and the under 14’s did so well that the judge couldn’t split them giving joint first to Grace Denning and Jo Harding. In the 15-21’s class Abbey Batch from Lockerley fought off stiff competition to win first prize.
The Southern England Calf Show is very grateful to the following sponsors:-
The West Mercia Club,
Ed & Claire Jones,
The South East Club,
HiHealth Herd Care,
Simon Dunk of Osmonds,
Apple View B&B (the Denning Family)
Maplejacks Angus,
Davey's Livestock Haulage,
Ives Livestock Haulage,
Mary Smallwood,
Shendar Contracting
A Nichols (Cow Mills) Ltd
