A National Suckled Calf Show with a prize fund of £4000 will be a major feature of the UK's national beef event, Beef Expo 2006, to be held at Carlisle on Friday, June 2.

A total of 12 classes will be on offer - six for Continental calves and six for native-breed calves - in three different weight ranges for steers and heifers.

The overall champion will walk away with a cash prize totalling £800 for class, section and championship wins as well as a handsome championship trophy.

“The show is set to create huge interest among suckled calf producers and the generous prize money should prove a real attraction,” said Ian Watson, Newlands Farm, Carleton, Carlisle, who is chairman of the local committee which is organising Beef Expo 2006 on behalf of the National Beef Association.

“I would urge exhibitors to get their entries in right away as numbers will be restricted because of space considerations and entries will have to be accepted on a first come, first served basis.”

The entry fee is £5 per animal for NBA members and £10 for non-members. Each exhibitor will receive a memento for entering.

Mr Watson is also kindly presenting a trophy for the best animal bred by exhibitor.

One of Scotland's leading beef producers and judges, Terry Coghill, Muce, Birsay, Orkney, has accepted an invitation to judge the show. Mr Coghill is a director and procurement officer for the farmer-owned Orkney Meat abattoir in Kirkwall, purveyors of the award-winning Orkney Gold beef brand, and runs a large-scale beef finishing enterprise on his own farm, including calves from a 60-cow suckler herd.

A widely respected judge of beef cattle, Mr Coghill has the unique distinction of having judged all four major breeds - Aberdeen-Angus, Charolais, Limousin and Simmental - at the Perth bull sales. He has also judged the Charolais breed at the Royal Show and last year was beef inter-breed judge at the Royal Highland Show.

Beef Expo 2006 is being held at Borderway Mart, courtesy of auctioneers, Harrison and Hetherington Ltd, and is expected to attract several thousand beef producers from throughout the UK and Ireland, as well as from overseas.

Features of Beef Expo 2006 will include practical demonstrations, educational exhibits, beef breed displays, stockjudging, seminars and trade stands. The emphasis will be on performance, health, efficiency of production, profitability and marketing.

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