Our Annual Stock-Judging Competition was held on April 26, 2008 at Lower Farm, Chettle, Dorset, by kind invitation of Ian Crouch and Digby Gribble. The weather was perfect, as around 30 people took part in the judging of three rings of six cattle.

Ian, Digby and David had spent the previous 48 hours halter training 11 cattle, so all of the animals were led. And what a magnificent sight they were.  (The cows, not the men!!)  Heifers in Milk, Cows in Milk and Cows in Calf provided the competition.  Competitors remarked how little there was to choose between the placings.

Our Master Judge for the day was Richard Emm, who when he gave his reasons, was not challenged by the watching crowd, so they must have agreed with his placings.

The winning team - left to right Brian Adams, Maurice Durbin, and Colin Parfitt

Maurice Durbin was top score of the day with 1418pts out of a possible 1478. Second for the Branch was Colin Parfitt with 1382pts and third was Brian Adams with 1372pts.

In the Open competition, Helen Jenkins came first with 1358pts, second was A. Bloomfield, 1332pts and third was Rosie Salt with 1328pts.

The Junior (under 18) competition saw Richard Jenkins emulating his sister by coming top with 1304pts, Jo Langley was second with 1242pts and Justina Langley in third with 1214pts.  All other junior competitors were rewarded with a bar of chocolate.

A new Competition introduced last year, was for the “Best Reasons”. This was hotly contested by Richard Norman and Adrian Salter. They had to take part in a “Reason Off” in which Adrian just had the edge.  Both of them are very proficient at this task and can certainly teach some of us a thing or two about reason giving.

After the Judging we went back to the Village Hall where the local ladies had cooked up a lovely barbeque of home produced sausages and burgers, which everyone thoroughly enjoyed. Apparently, Ian is now very proficient at sausage making!!!

A big Thank you to Ian, Digby and David for turning out the cows so well and providing the food, to the ladies for cooking the Barbie, to Richard Emm for acting as Master Judge and Tony and Pauline Mallet and Jodie Sales for working out the scores.

It must be frustrating for all at Chettle that they are unable to get out to the Spring Shows, due to the Blue Tongue regs, when they have such a nucleus of excellent cattle. They hope to get the Vaccine in time for the Royal Show in July.

Watch this space!!!!!