All Breed all Britain Calf Show 2014. Judge, Dawn Coryns Comments now available.

A magnificent turnout of Guernsey calves graced the ring at this years ABAB. Twenty seven calves were forward from 15 exhibitors. The change of date, plus several new exhibitors, made this one of the best ABAB Shows since all breeds were included.

Judging the Guernsey classes was Dawn Coryn from Cornwall. She found her Champion in Bickfield Linda 68th owned by Richard Norman and the Sales family. This February 2013 born heifer by Tredinney Yogi’s Andante, continued her winning run in calf classes having been Reserve Coloured Breed Champion at last years S. W. Dairy Show. After the show she was purchased by The Sales’ and Richard Norman from the Bickfield show team and joined Richard’s Herd at Marston Magna. This year she has won Reserve Coloured Breed Champion at Melplash, 1st maiden heifer at Frome and was Champion Guernsey Calf at the S.W. Calf Show.

Reserve Champion calf went to Mike Moody’s Latifa Princess Leia also by Andante. This well grown May 2013 calf was Hon Mention at last years ABAB and will no doubt be one to watch for the future.

Hon Mention was Michael Dawes’ Kelsmor Meadowsweet 570 a sweet calf born in March this year.

Winning Line up of Calves.

Here are the full results:

Calf born after 1st March 2014.

1. M Dawes. Kelsmor Meadowsweet 570 by Kelsmor Elizabeth Roses Laredo.

2. A Thomas. Kimcote Double L Fresco 2.

3. A Marshall. Bourton Clover 49 by Bourton Erics Harry.

4. C & L Carpenter. Fairfield Ivor Gyp.

5. M Dawes. Edgehill Garrett Holly.

Dawn Coryn reports:

The first class of the day gave me a taste of some of the quality of calves to come through the day!

I found a handy winner with a super stylish, medium sized, silky heifer. It was her outstanding spring of rib that appealed, coupled with her superb locomotion. Her advantage over the second calf was the width through the floor of the fore rib, plus more desirable squareness of rump with greater pin width.

Second over third, was a closer placing but it was the angularity through the front end, with greater skin texture that provided the advantage over the Third; she was a very well grown calf that had tremendous strength & basically very sound, an easy placing on the day over two more junior exhibits. Finally the narrowest of margins split the the real baby of the class over my final calf primarily because it was blemish free but did also possess a stronger loin.

Calf born between 1st December 2013 and 28th Feb 2014.

1. A Thomas. Kimcote Royal Oak June 2.

2. C Greenslade. Greensfield Amir Sudley.

3. R. Norman. Je Taime Dynamic Portia 3.

Robert Thomas with Kimcote Royal Oak June.

It was oddly this second class of the day that proved the thoughtful, even though it was the smallest of only three!

They were very different heifers but staying true to my roots of feeling dairy strength & rump width are key to any breed making my selection with the calf that showed a lot more “heifer” whilst still retaining great bone quality. It was the size that overpowered the other two, but the development of rear rib in particular, along with barrel & rump length promoting her over my second choice. Second was a compact dairy machine, simply full of efficiency, yes a very tight margin split these animals, I preferred the superior way she handled her legs being up on her toes, with the more desirable pastern set.

Calf born between 1st September and 30th November 2013.

1. R Page. Bourton Damson 27 by Balmoral Skipper Skyfame

2. C. Greenslade. Greensfield Grumpy Delight.

3. C Gribble. Cariad Annies Girl by Abiqua acres Alstar VIP

4. Hinton Farm. Hinton Gay Lass 12 by Amir.

Martyn Dean with Robert Page’s Bourton Damson 27 bred by P & C Cox.

Class three provided me with an easy winner in my opinion, she commanded my attention with length, balance & style in spades, nicely grown, seeming a rib longer than some of the others. Her scale was simply too much for the second heifer to overcome. This second little lady was very wedged through the body, a very proportionate frame with every angle apparent, certainly the most moderately sized heifer but the flatness of bone plus tracking well on great legs eventually made the difference. Third over fourth was the “no holes” robustness appeal, plus thurl setting & strength of loin.

Calf born between 1st May and 31st august 2013.

1. M Moody. Latifa Princess Leia by Andante.

2. A Thomas. Kimcote Crisp 2 by L J Cara’s Conqueror.

3. A Thomas. Kimcote Astronomer Jessica.

4. M Dawes. Aber Wesley Violet 17.

5. R Page. Bourton Shalford Fancy 8 by Harebell Blue.

6. Evans & Sales. Merlin’s Hill Grumpy Rainbow.

7. G & E Fallows. Eavesford Blue Annabelle.

8. C Greenslade. Greensfield SS May Francine by G. Stinky Simon.

9. A Tilley Tregallant Prada Jiff.

10. C & L Carpenter. Fairfield Conqueror Grace.

Mike Moody with his calf. Princess Leia.

The days ring filler, a wonderful entrant of ten heifers! My premier animal dictated the line up as she glided around the ring, filling one’s eye with her powerful upstanding frame, her advantage over my lengthy, second choice was the extra depth throughout this body, especially the rear rib. Second, third & forth was closer in placing but in the line up my second had the most superior hard top, correct rump structure, the best tail setting in the class to hold her standing & it was this “natural beauty” that gave her the edge. Third over Fourth was the extra heart room between the front legs, this helped the shoulders blend a little nicer into the front end, though another positive area of difference was the loin & pin set. A great class to judge.

Calf born between 1st Jan and 30th April 2013.

1. Norman & Sales. Bickfield Linda 68 by Andante

2. A Thomas. Kimcote Elizabeth 3 by Pedro.

3. C Greenslade. Greensfield Conqueror Francine.

4. C & H Evans. Hilcol Crunch Flower.

5. M Dawes. Aber Norman Nia.

Laura Sales with Bickfield Linda 68 bred by the Durbins.

Hot on the heels of the titanic ten, came the super six, the most consistent class of the day in my opinion, certainly lots of differences but great individual heifers all the same.

My winner showed herself with fabulous poise & balance, clearly knowing she’s a beauty. She walks big & through herself, yet is so easy on the eye. It was the more correct body condition that also prevailed over my solid second place, with my winner having the cleaner head, neck & brisket, but none the less, this heifer is one I’ll look forward to seeing another time. Second over third was maturity & a heifer that followed my first. Third over fourth, two clean skinned, sleek dairy heifers but advantage for me was the extra room through the fore rib, the hardness of top & more desirable tail setting. Four over five, a heifer that followed my previous in type, a more complete heifer on the day, that handled her legs.

Champion Calf. Bickfield Linda 68 from Richard Norman and The Sales Family.

Champion – selected for her overall correctness. Advantage over Reserve Champion was more style, through the front end with a more feminine head. Superior rump structure, cleaner bone quality & particularly, teat quality.

Reserve Champion Calf, Mike Moody’s Latifa Princess Leia.

Reserve Champion – selected for her scope, power & balance.

Hon Mention calf from Michael Dawes, Kelsmor Meadowsweet 570.

Hon. Mention – selected for her open, deep spring of rib, utterly superb locomotion.

Thank you to the Guernsey society asking me to Judge!

Dawn Coryn.

EGCS President Elect, Maurice Durbin, presents the Trophy to Laura Sales. also in picture on the right, Dawn Coryn, Judge of the Guernsey Classes. Maurice bred the Champion calf so it was a double pleasure for him as Laura works for the Bickfield Herd.

Owners of the Champion Calf, Neil, (Maurice Durbin) Laura, Kim and Richard Norman.

Handlers get together for a team photo.

Thank you to all Handlers and Exhibitors for putting on a great show of Guernseys. Also to Louise, Tracy and Laura for the “behind the scenes” organisation and Kirsten Bevis for stewarding the classes on the two days.

See more images of the show on the FGB page.

Kim Sales.

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