The 25th Northern Expo Holstein Show
01/11/07

On the evening of Friday 26th October 2007 Harrison & Hetherington’s Borderway Mart was the venue for the 25th “Silver Edition” Northern Expo Holstein Show.

Riverdane Outside Hazel VG88

Well what can we say! With an undoubtedly turbulent few months for the farming industry and a difficult decision as to whether the quarter century Northern Expo show would take place, more than 25 exhibitors (5 showing here for the first time) entered over 60 cattle for this years “Silver Edition” show from as far a field as Cheshire and North Yorkshire and Peeblesshire to compete in one of the most important national autumn show fixtures. It was great to see such a packed ringside with spectators having travelled from all over the UK, Northern Scotland and the Isle of Man to see what was on show for the 25th Northern Expo.

With entries down on the year due to many past supporters being tied up by restrictions the quality of cattle on show was still exceptional and a huge credit to the hard work put in by each and every exhibitor.

This annual dairy show has without a doubt maintained its reputation as being one of the top Holstein shows in the UK. The judge for this years show was Mr Hank Van Exel who made the journey all the way from California. Having already completed many major judging tasks including the World Dairy Expo, he was extremely complementary of the animals displayed to him at Northern Expo.

To begin the evening was the youngstock section receiving good encouragement from the increasing crowd. The Michael Armstrong perpetual trophy for the champion calf was presented by Sue Armstrong and awarded to Crossrigg Lustre Lucy a July 2006 born calf from F Harrison & Sons of Crossrigg Farm, Cliburn, Penrith. Lucy is by Wedgwood Laramie and out of the 2005 Northern Expo Grand Champion Ewefields Lucy 7 EX95 (4) who has given 12451kgs @ 4.04%BF in her 7th lactation proving that show quality is repeating itself in the Lucy family.

The reserve ticket and Semen World Ltd trophy was won by Holmland Igniter Fuchsia, a May 2006 born Summershade Igniter daughter out of a VG86 Silky Gibson shown and bred by SL & PS Bell of Forest Hill, Bowscar, Penrith.

Taking the Genetic Merit award for the animal in the junior section of the show with the highest PIN value for the second concessive year was Messrs Dennison of Scales Park Farm, Aldingham, Ulverston with their home bred heifer Denmire Shottle Marie 57 ET. This May 2006 born calf has a PIN value of +£44 and is out of the 5th lactation 15470kgs @ 4.76%BF& 3.24%P Denmire Storm Marie 12 EX94 (3) LP80 SP.

The Junior championship was awarded to the Laird family from Blyth Farm all the way from Peeblesshire with their first prize senior heifer in milk Mayne Magik Beam VG87 who calved in December 2006. This is the first time this heifer has entered the show ring having been purchased for 3,000gns at Dean and Andrew Anderson’s “Mayne” dispersal in May this year. She is by Trelissick Magik and is out of a 12994kgs Jed daughter.

The Reserve Junior Championship, Exhibitor Bred Junior Championship and reserve overall exhibitor bred championship were awarded to the second prize senior heifer in milk Ryisle Holly M 101 VG86. This December 2004 born heifer calved a heifer calf in mid September and is currently giving 35kgs daily. She is by Pursuit September Storm and out of the 4 10370kgs @ 3.64%BF & 3.05%P Ryisle Lex Margaret 72 GP83. She was shown and bred by P & JA Isles of Sunny Bank Farm, Greenhalgh, Kirkham, Preston. Earlier in the year Holly took the In calf Championship at Great Eccleston Show.

The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the quality line up of cattle in one of the very best championship showdown’s the Northern Expo has surely seen. The judge tapped out three cows which were in with a shout of the top honours and after a few breathtaking moments the one to come out on top was an extremely stylish second calver in awesome condition from Mark and Sue Nutsford’s highly regarded Riverdane herd, Riverdane Outside Hazel VG88 who in her first lactation gave 10296kgs @ 4.30%BF & 3.20%P. Hazel who is a daughter of Comestar Outside and out of the twice 14000kgs Clayden Storm Hazel EX94 (2) calved a bull calf by STBVQ Rubens in mid August and is currently giving 50kgs daily. She also won the Tony Hackett model cow for the Best Exhibitor Bred Animal. The Grand Champion also took the Trophy Charles Lawson Perpetual Trophy for the best Breeders Pair with her stable mate Riverdane Terrason Melissa PI ET VG86, another young cow who calved her second at the end of August.

In reserve place was the 2nd placed young cow from what could easily be Northern Expo’s strongest ever Junior Cow in milk class from Brian, Valerie and Craig Davidson’s noted Errolston herd. This VG88 SP homebred cow Errolston Gibson Wendy 2 gave 8820kgs @ 4.88%BF & 3.31%P in her first lactation is by Silky Gibson and out of the 5 10543kgs @ 4.47%BF & 3.33%P Lliwe Rudolph Wendy 6 EX90 SP. She calved down in early May with a Comestar Lheros heifer calf.

The Honourable Mention ticket went to P & G Rawcliffe and A Patterson’s Highland Show Champion Herdstown Rachel 388 EX94 (3). Rachel 388 calved a year ago and is still milking 52kgs daily by Parker Aero Wadeand out of Herdstown Rachel 341 EX91 (3) calved down a year ago with her 5th and is still giving 52kgs daily. This awesome cow has given over 10000kgs in each of her lactation so far. She also took first prize in the senior cow class and picked up the Hilltop Trophy for coming first in the Production and Inspection class and the John Dentice Trophy for the Best Udder in the show.

Winning the Premier Breeder and Premier Exhibitor prestigious awards for the second year in concession were Paul and Ann Harrison and family of Breckney Hill Farm, Heddon On The Wall, Newcastle with their strong team from their Chishillwaysherd. One of their entrants Chishillways Gibson Jubilant 126 VG87is no stranger to this show ring having won the Junior cow in milk class and Honourable Mention to name but a few at the 2006 show and this year with two weeks to go before calving took first place in the dry cow class.

The winner of the £100 in the Farmers Mart sponsored stock judging competition was James Pratt of Studdah Farm in Leyburn, North Yorkshire.

Enormous thanks goes to all exhibitors from near and far for submitting entries that can only increase the popularity of the Northern Expo Holstein Show as “One of the Best Dairy Shows in the UK”.

Thanks go to the judge, Exhibitors and spectators and of course the many, many sponsors especially the main sponsors Carrs Billington Agriculture, Farmers Guardian, Holstein UK and World Wide Sire UK for making the 25th Northern Expo Holstein Show “Silver Edition” a truly memorable event.

The 24th Northern Expo Holstein Show 2006
2005 Northern Expo Holstein Show Report
Bullsemen.com Tops Value-For-Money Holstein Rankings