Clean sweep for Sandyford Ayrshires

Two animals tied on 45 points and it was down to the heifer inter-breed judge, Graham Bell, Crewe to make the final decision. In the end it was the Jersey champion Riverside Tequila Hazelnut which took the reserve honours. The show was also the venue for this year’s national Jersey championship which was keenly fought out in-front of international judge, Jeff Sayles, Ontario. The EX95 classified cow was shown on her sixth birthday having calved in May with her fifth calf.

Hailing from Ben, Nia and George Llewellin’s 250-strong herd of Holsteins and Jerseys in Haverfordwest, she was giving 35kg a day at 6.32 per cent fat and 3.95 per cent protein. The cow by Tower Vue Prime Tequila had previously won the national Jersey show in 2017 and the same year took the breed championship and reserve Super Cow titles at Agriscot. Confirmed back in-calf to Colton, she is due to calve again in May.

The reserve Jersey champion was Trengothal Tequila Bandanna from Sarah Howie’s DreamMaker herd, Swindon. The second calved cow, again by Tower Vue Prime Tequila calved in January and was show yielding 25kg a day. She was also inter-breed champion at this year’s Newbury Show.

The other champion which tied on 45 points was the Holstein, this was Penrikka Dempsey Inka 2, from first time Dairy Show competitors, Jeff, Sian, Carys and Dan Jones, Monmouthshire. Their Larchwood Herd of 120 pedigree Holsteins was reformed in 2012, and the fifth-calved cow was bought from the Sahara dispersal sale in April. By Lirr Drew Dempsey she calved in March and is currently giving 52kg a day and is back in calf to sexed Brenland Denver.

The reserve Holstein champion was Nextgen Gold Chip Vanessa from Chedhunt and Nextgen Holsteins, Chedzoy. The third calved cow is six weeks fresh and was show giving 54kg a day. The cow by Mr Chassity Gold Chip was also reserve breed champion at Devon County Show in May and was placed fifth in her class at UK Dairy Day as a heifer.

Chedhunt Holsteins also took the reserve inter-breed heifer title with Chedhunt Cinderdoor Rach. Having calved three months ago at just one year, 10-months-old, the heifer by KH Cinderdoor is giving 35kg a day and is part of the 200-strong Chedhunt herd.

This year the Dairy Show played host to the Guernsey Cattle Society’s national show where the very best Guernseys from all over the country came to compete. Taking the crown was Tredinney Rider Bunty 13 from James, Rosemary and Shelley Warren, Land’s End. The homebred heifer by Tredinney Ivans Flo Rider calved in July at exactly two-years-old and is giving 28kg a day. This was her first show season and she won her class at the Royal Cornwall Show as an in-calf heifer. The family had previously won the national show in 2016 and 2018.

Michael Dawes, Oxfordshire, took the reserve title with Glanmor Legend Okapi which was bought from the Glanmor dispersal sale just two weeks ago for a record price of 4,000gns. The cow by Coulee Crest Grumpy Legend calved in April with her second calf and is yielding 32kg a day. She is back in calf to Lang Haven Prada Nico and is due to calve again in April.