2015 is the 50th year since the Show moved to its permanent site at Shepton Mallett and again the Guernsey section was the best supported of the dairy breeds with 25 Guernseys forward from 9 exhibitors with 2 exhibitors showing for the first time .
Given that these are difficult times for dairy farmers with low milk prices and widespread problems with TB in cows and in wildlife all exhibitors should be thanked for their efforts in particular the Durbin family and those who work and show for them , Sir Howard Guinness and the Parfitt family, these three exhibitors have been the backbone of this show and were competing at the show in the 1980’s when I used to travel from Kent to take part at what was the premier Guernsey show. The other link to those days is Faye Down who still has a love for cows and brings a great deal of humour to the lines.
Dawn Coryn from Cornwall was our Judge and is an expierenced Judge, but I doubt if she has ever judged in such atrocious conditions and sensibly used the “shallow end” of the flooded show ring between the downpours!
Her first class contained 8 maiden heifers and with a 12 month span of ages and some of the younger calves did not show themselves off in the deluge, winning calf Bickfield Indus 9 (Phonze) with Trewey Legend Joanne in second place ,Wiltown Patience ( VIP) in third and Wiltown Annabelle (Andante ) in fourth place.
5 in calf heifers saw Latifa Princess Leia (Andante) from new exhibitors Caroline and Mike Moody, with Graylands Justina 7th ( McCoy) in second place with Hinton Nancy ( Novak ) in third place.
2 in calf cows found Bickfield Venessa 37 (Chiller) who had more maturity than Graylands Meadowsweet 64th (Andante) but she is developing into a great cow.
5 in milk heifers was perhaps the most competitive class of the day with 4 of the heifers catching the eye, the winner was Bickfield Mary 34 (Ezekiel) with Hinton Sheila 3rd (Lyndell) second , Bourton Fiona 13 (Double L) in thrd and White Ladies Ruby 94 (Andante) in 4th.
5 Junior cows saw Wiltown Claudia (Mint) in first place with Bickfield Golden blanche 14 ( Yogis Prince) in second place and Bickfield Michelle 32 (Mervyn( in third place , with a fresh calved Graylands Bouncy’s Starlight (McCoy) In fourth place
Two senior cows both sired by Shalford Pacific and both in their sixth lactations competed with Latifa Whinwhistle Mary in first place and Wiltown Lynne in second place
The Bickfield group were placed first with Hinton second.
Hinton had the winning pair
The championship was awarded to Wiltown Claudia owned by the Bartlett family but bred by the Adam’s and she is the first Senior Champion bred by Brian and Sheila and was the first calf of the original Addington heifer Aber Showtime Dancer 5 , a worthwhile project that for the last six years have seen the Adam’s rear for and care for a heifer at up to 10 shows a year raising money and awareness of one of agricultures most worthy charities.
The reserve Championship was awarded to Bickfield Mary 34.
The Bill Roberts team of four were pulled in as reserve champions and included Claudia, Meadowseet 29 , Sheila 3 and Fiona 13
Heather Limond backed up her 2014 ABAB Guernsey showmanship win with the Interbreed Showmanship with her own calf Bickfield Sally 26
Izzy Phillips was placed second in her class and Harry Crowter , Matthew Limond and Victoria Dimond also took part
Three Guernsey calves got through to the Championship Bickfield Sally 26 and Bickfield lillian 36 from the Limonds and Latifa Andante Mary from the Moody’s and she was pulled into the final 5.
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