Quality Commercial Stock Dominate East of England Winter Festival 2009-11-18

An incredibly high standard of commercial beef cattle graced the rings of East of England Winter Stock Festival, held at the weekend (13-14th November 2009) at Peterborough showground which saw championship honours awarded to a Derby-based exhibitor.

Buying on behalf of East of England Showground catering
services was Thomas Beazley pictured with Society chairman Stephen Harris and handler for Brailes Livestock Richard Mcinnes with Black Diamond, an Aberdeen-Angus cross heifer.

With more than 125 entries forward, judge Stuart Clatworthy praised organisers for the standard of stock on the day as well as the potential the event has to be a real feature on the winter showing season.

Having spent a lengthy day judging, Mr Clatworthy tapped out Fantasia, a Charolais cross heifer from Phil and Sharon Sellers, Belper, Derby. This one took the Continental heifer championship and then went on to take the overall. Describing his champion, Mr Clatworthy said: “This heifer is a real body of beef with a great loin and rib, she is packed full of meat.”

Fantasia has won three small shows including Charolais breed champion at Countryside Live. She was bought privately from Jim Mills, Builth wells in May this year. She will be shown at English Winter Fair and if successful she will be sold and if not she will go on to Agri-LIVE Smithfield.

The reserve champion went to the steer champion Paparatzi, a British Blue cross from Michael and Melanie Alford, who made the long journey up from Cullompton, Devon. The steer was bought at Ruthin Market, north Wales as a calf and has stood interbreed champion at Frome and will be shown at the English, Scottish and Royal Welsh Winter Fairs before going on to AgriLive Smithfield. He will be used for the Christmas market and sold in their butchers shop in Somerset – Stillmans Butchers.

The Alford’s also stood reserve heifer champion with Lady GaGa, a British Blue cross, while they reigned supreme in the pedigree section taking the pedigree steer championship with their Galloway steer Super Man. Taking the reserve steer championship was David Plested, Chinnon, Oxon with his Limousin cross Jim. Taking the pedigree heifer championship was Richard and Judy Fountaine with their pedigree Limousin heifer Millington Dinead.

Winning the baby Beef championship was Keith Harryman
with his Limousin steer Ronaldo.

Judging on the Saturday kicked off with the commercial baby beef classes where taking the championship having made the journey down from Keswick, Cumbria was Keith Harryman. His calf champion came in the form of Ronaldo, a Limousin cross steer shown by his son Mark. Taking the reserve calf championship was Anita Padfield and Paul Barwood, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk with their Limousin cross heifer Daisy Duke.

Leading trade for commercial cattle was the champion native animal Black Diamond, an Aberdeen-Angus cross animal from Brailes Livestock. Weighing 542kg, this one was bought for £5.60/kg (£3035.20) by Thomas Beazley who was buying on behalf of the East of England Showground catering services. Black Diamond will be shown at AgriLive Smithfield by owners Rachel Wyllie and Richard Hassle before transferring ownership to the Society.

The other commercial animal to be sold was MA and LH Richardson’s South Devon cross steer Sidmonds which sold for 172p/kg grossing £1124.88. Buyer was R Schofield. The Richardson family were in the money again leading trade for show potential calves with their South Devon cross heifer calf Black bell. She sold for £1500 to Charles and Sally Horrell, Peterborough.

Their other calf entry was the second prize South Devon cross steer calf Albert which sold for £620 to Paul Barwood, Norfolk.

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