To see photos of the 2009 show, please click here.

It was an honour to have been asked to judge at Stithians Show where the standard of the animals forward was very high and representative of the modern Guernsey at her best.

Class 16, heifer born after August 2008, there was a large variation in age and size in this class, from yearlings down to calves a few weeks of age, all were excellently handled, some competitors were not much older than their calves. My winner was Tredinney Endeavours Daisy, who was a very dairy like and clean-boned animal with the promise of an excellent udder. In second place was Tredinney Princes Milkmaid 10 who slightly lacked the overall presence of my first animal followed closely by Trewarnevas Hercules Laurinda in 3^rd place.

The next class was for Maiden Heifer which was won by David Christopher with his Tredinney Buzzards Bracken 4, an already experienced show performer who slightly outshone the Grose’s Trewarnevas Precious Hawthorne 4. In third place was Matthew and Coral Senior’s Tredinney Andante’s Lily 5 who lacked the stature of my previous calves.

Class 18 – In Calf Heifer – the Hichen’s Carne Slide, a striking Chiller heifer, beating Ian Rowe’s Tredinney Oak’s Snowdrop 15 to first place.

The Dry Cow Class had only one cow forward, James Warren’s newly acquired Clay Hill Peach 4, although quite traditional, had worn well with good depth of body and tidy in the udder for a seven year old cow.

In the Heifer in Milk Class we saw the two outstanding heifers we had seen at The Royal Cornwall Show a month before. On this occasion I felt that Tredinney Chillers Primrose 18 had matured, in particular her extra strength in the loin and better locomotion and that is why I put her above Clay Hill Chrissie 4.

The premier class of the Show was Class 21, Cow in Milk. Four outstanding cows forward, but I had no hesitation in choosing Clay Hill Glenda, a show ring novice with just 5 days halter training, looking like she had been parading all her life. Although not the biggest cow forward she was the most correct with an excellent top line, width carried through the rear udder to excellent legs and locomotion. She beat Laity Farm Primrose 97 into second place who on the day was lacking Glenda’s presence.

My Group of Three, James Warren’s Tredinney Chillers Primrose and Clay Hill Chrissie 4 from the Heifer in Milk Class were joined by Clay Hill Glenda to produce one of the best groups I have seen in recent years – showing the true promise of modern Guernsey genetics.

As the storm clouds gathered I prepared to choose my Champion and had no hesitation in placing “new kid on the block”, Clay Hill Glenda, by Easby Alacrity from Andrew Waters respected herd in Sussex, as my Champion closely followed by Heifer in Milk Class winner, Tredinney Chiller Primrose 18 in Reserve.

Congratulations to all the competitors for their well turned out cattle, it was a pleasure to judge them all.