Claiming the supreme beef championship was The Mistress, a May 2023-born Limousin cross heifer from Mike and Melanie Alford, Cullompton. Weighing in at 634kg, the heifer was bought at Carlisle in the spring and had been second at AgriExpo earlier in the month.
Judge, Jonathan Lyon, Bourne, said his champion was an outstanding heifer which was full of meat, straight through its top with tremendous width over its plates.
In reserve was the home-bred and fed champion, Check Me Out, a 678kg April 2023-born heifer by the British Blue sire, Black N'Blue Playboy from James May, Bromsgrove.
Baby Beef
The baby beef title went to Lin and Paul Calcraft, Honiton, with Toffee, a 290kg home-bred heifer by their own Limousin bull, Uptonley Living the Dream out of the former British Blue cross show cow, Top Toffee.
The reserve title went to Hayden Lloyd, Hereford, with his March 2024-born 352kg Limousin sired heifer, My Girl.
Sheep
For the fifth time the supreme sheep title went to Robert Garth and Sarah Priestley, Bentham, this time with their pure-bred section champions, home- bred Texel gimmer lambs by Ayrtons Gypsy King.
They also had the native champions, Suffolk gimmer lambs by a Claycrop ram and the reserve commercial lambs, 45kg Beltex.
The reserve supreme and reserve pure-bred titles went to Jack and Sam Bodily, Abergavenny, with a pair Blue Texels. They also claimed the commercial championship with a pair of Beltex cross Rouge lambs which will next head to the Welsh Winter Fair.
Pedigree calves
The pedigree calf championship went to the Alfords with Foxhillfarm Victorious, an April 2024-born Charolais heifer by Lochend Nighhawk whose dam, Gretnahouse Masweety, was bought at the Gretnahouse dispersal as a foundation female for a new herd.
The Alfords also took the reserve championship with Foxhill Princess Caroline A265, a January 2024-born Aberdeen-Angus heifer by Kilmaluag Eriskay.
South Devons
The event also hosted the South Devon performance championships with the overall supreme going to the female champion, Grove Princess 88, a 2022-born daughter of Trewint Maverick, in-calf to Lumbylaw Quintus from Grove Farms, Moreton in Marsh.
They also had the male and reserve champion, the February 2023-born bull, Grove Pompey 99.
Results
Sheep (Judge, C. Davies, Brecon)
Supreme and sup. pure-bred continental – R. Garth and S. Priestley (Texel); res. and sup. commercial, J. and S. Bodily (Beltex/Rouge); reserve pure-bred continental and res. pure-bred, J. and S. Bodily (Blue Texel); res., res. native, R. Garth and S. Priestley (Suffolk); res. commercial, R. Garth and S. Priestley (Beltex).
Beef
Pedigree calves (Judge, G. Ellis, St Ives and R. Ford, Market Harborough) Sup. and continental, M. and M. Alford, Foxhillfarm Victorious (Charolais); res., and native, M. and M. Alford, Foxhill Princess Caroline A265 (Aberdeen-Angus); res. continental, Arradfoot and Newland Pedigree Livestock, Arradfoot Vera (Limousin); res. native, N. and E. Bunkum, Tregarrick Olympia (South Devon); sup. young bull, Arradfoot and Newland Pedigree Livestock, Arradfoot Ultimate (Limousin); res., F. Power, Lewemcor Tango Bell (British Blue).
Baby beef (Judge, J. Lyon, Bourne)
Sup. and fem., P. and L. Calcraft, Toffee (Limousin cross); res. and res. fem., H. Lloyd, My Girl (Limousin cross); male, D.E. and S.J. Cheaker, Maverick (Limousin); res. male, A. Edmunds, Bruiser (Limousin cross).
Primestock - Sup., M. and M. Alford, The Mistress (Limousin cross); res. and sup. home-bred , J. May, Check Me Out (British Blue cross); res. home-bred, P. and L. Calcraft, Uptonley Uphoria; best opposive sex to champion, R.J. Wrigth, Archie (Limousin); sup. native, Columpark and Sapphire Livestock, Spotify (Speckle Park cross)
South Devon performance championships (G. Tully, Brixham) Sup. and fem., Grove Farms, Grove Princess 88; res. and male, Grove Farms, Grove Pompey 99; res. fem., Grove Farms, Grove Sorrel 129; res. male, P.S. and A.P. Rowe, Trewint Capri.
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