The Wessex Guernsey Association held an Open Day at Bickfield Farm, Compton Martin, Nr Bristol on Saturday August 23rd, by kind invitation of the Durbin Family. The weather was perfect and around 50 people enjoyed a very full day.
We started with a two ring Stock-judging competition which was judged by local man Darren Forsey, who was a former HYB member and is now an Area Manager for Agricentre. Darren gave an informative commentary on the classes and did not receive too many disagreements!
Dry Cow line up which was topped by Bickfield Phylis 18, last years S.W. Dairy Show Reserve Champion.
Cow in Milk line up topped by Bickfield Indus 7 a cow much admired by all visitors.
Also on show in these classes was Bickfield Linda 52, dam of Bickfield Grand Slam who is being considered for GGBP selection.
After the stock-judging, there was a chance to look around the high yielding section of the herd. These animals are on a 12 hour milking split and are grass fed by day and night and fed a partial TMR ration at milking times. Some 30 heifers have calved over the past five weeks, boosting the total numbers in milk to around 250.
Bickfield Golden Blanche 13 by B. Luxury Ambionic.
Bickfield Bramble 35 ,a daughter of Mint.
Bickfield Dot 119, freshly calved heifer by Bickfield Chillerie
Bickfield Suprema 110 by Marksman, calved 3 weeks, would have been our autumn show’s heifer in milk.
Bickfield Daisy 95, a typical Ezekiel daughter at Bickfield, whose progeny have consistantly topped our classification averages in the Good Plus range.
Visitors were also invited to judge a picture competition of former champions. They paid £1, (50p for juniors) and the winner was Jackie Langley who was £18 better off. Junior winner was her daughter Elissa!
Lunch was a wonderful Hog Roast, which was cooked to perfection by May and aided by her daughters, Lesley, Diana and Julie. We were then treated to a taste of “Chew Moo’s” Ice Cream, very kindly provided by the Parfitt Family who farm only a few miles away. A big “thank you ” to them for providing the ice cream.
After lunch, we presented our Association Trophies. Here is a list of winners:
Bucknall Cup-for the 10 cows with the highest weight of F+P.
1. Griffin 745.5kg
2. Durbin 650.7kg
3. Bartlett 627.4kg
James Bartlett receives his Certificate from EGCS President, John Berry.
Lady Walker- Memorial Bowl for the highest weight of Fat.
1. Griffin Briddlesford Oaks Foxglove 3 476kg
2. Bartlett Hinton Brenda 415kg
3. Durbin Bickfield Elizabeth 12 393kg
Blake Trophy- for the highest weight of Protein.
1. Griffin Briddlesford Delta’s Buttercup 326kg
2. Bartlett Hinton Brenda 294kg
3. Durbin Bickfield Elizabeth 12 293kg
Tom Emm- Trophy for highest weight of F+P
1. Griffin Briddlesford Delta’s Buttercup 800kg
2. Bartlett Hinton Brenda 709kg
3. Durbin Bickfield Elizabeth 12 676kg
Bibby Trophy- for 3 cows or heifers with highest average CPI
1. Griffin June Oak 130 CPI
2. Durbin June Oak 129.7 CPI
3. Durbin Luxury Ambionic 119.3 CPI
4. Bartlett Easby Rowan 118 CPI
Millennium Trophy- for the cow with the highest lifetime yield of F+P
1. Durbin Bickfield Lillian 11 4357kg
Maurice and May’s Grandchildren, Rachel and Aiden accept the Millennium Trophy from John Berry.
Nitrovit Trophy- for the best Home Bred cow on Inspection.
1. Durbin Bickfield Indus 7
2. Bartlett Hinton Clarity
3. Parfitt Graylands Elissa 9
Winner-Bickfield Indus 7
Elissa collects the Certificate on behalf of Grandad, Colin.
Waterstone Plate -for the best Heifer on Inspection.
1. Durbin Bickfield Rainbow 66
2. Bartlett Wiltown Claudia
3. Phillips Bourton Shalford Princess 2
Sally Phillips collects her prize for the Heifer Plate.
Winner-Bickfield Rainbow 66.
2nd prize-Wiltown Claudia.
3rd prize- Bourton Shalford Princess 2.
Thicket Mead Production and Inspection Cup-points awarded on Production and Insp.
1. Durbin Linda Family 694.75
2. Bartlett Clover Family 643.75
3. Durbin Liz Family 623.5
4. Parfitt Elissa Family 577.5
The results of the Stock Judging were then announced.
Open.
1. Jo Clarke
2. Colin Evans
3. Nick Clarke
Jo Clarke receives her award from Darren Forsey.
Under 16.
1. Lizzy Clarke
2. Justina Langley
3. Elissa Langley
Wessex Branch.
1. Brian Adams
2. Andrew Payling
3. Sally Phillps.
(Apologies to the rest of the winners for lack of photos as my camera ran out of battery!)
Thank you to everyone for making the effort to attend. It was a very enjoyable day. Laura and I would like to thank the Durbin Family for hosting the event. Also thanks to our Judges, Darren Forsey for the Stock-judging and Richard Norman for the Association Competitions, Rob Chivers for helping to wash the cows, Phillip, George, Lesley, Jason and Rob for leading in the Stock-Judging and lastly to Jan Chivers and Jodie Sales for doing the scoring.
Kim Sales.
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