16/06/06
The National Aberdeen-Angus Show, held for the first time last
year at Westmorland Show, is returning to the same venue this year.
The show will be held on Thursday, September 14, at Kendal and
is again expected to attract a large entry from throughout the
UK.
Last year’s inaugural event attracted many of the top prize
winners from summer shows in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland
competing for £3000 in prize money and the Certified Aberdeen-Angus
Beef Trophy for the “champion of champions”.
This year’s prize fund has been boosted to £5000 as
a result of sponsorship from the Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society’s
Certified Aberdeen-Angus Beef Scheme, Farmers Guardian and the
Westmorland County Agricultural Society, organisers of the Westmorland
Show.
One of Canada’s leading Aberdeen-Angus breeders, Barry Young,
owner of the renowned Youngdale herd in Alberta, has accepted the
Society’s invitation to judge the show.
Following the success of the inaugural national show last year,
breed president, Nigel Hammill, owner of the Tegsnose herd at Pyegreave
Farm, Coalpit Lane, Langley, Cheshire, is anticipating an even
larger entry this year.
“Last year’s show was a tremendous success and we
had fantastic co-operation and assistance from the Westmorland
Show to make the show a real spectacle for the Aberdeen-Angus breed,” said
Mr Hammill.
“Kendal is an ideal venue with easy access from both north
and south and excellent facilities for the show.”
Mr Hammill added that the date of this year’s show would
avoid a clash with the Kelso ram sales which last year had been
held on the day following the show. The Aberdeen-Angus breed
will again have its own dedicated marquee and showring.
Westmorland County Agricultural Society chief executive, Christine
Knipe, said the show society was “absolutely delighted” that
the National Aberdeen-Angus Show was returning to Kendal.
“The show was very successful last year and attracted a
large number of exhibitors and spectators,” said Ms Knipe. “We
will be working closely with the Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society
to make the show even better this year.”
The championship awards will be presented by Jonathan Charles
of Costco, the UK’s largest retailer of Certified Aberdeen-Angus
Beef. Costco and their wholesale meat supplier, AK Stoddart, are
major sponsors of the Aberdeen-Angus Beef Club.
“The National Show plays an important part in promoting
the Aberdeen-Angus breed to the public and highlighting the opportunities
for commercial beef producers to meet the ever-growing demand for
Aberdeen-Angus beef from Costco and other multiple retailers, including
Marks and Spencer, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and the Co-op,” said
Ron McHattie, chief executive of the Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society.
“Aberdeen-Angus prime beef cattle are continuing to attract
a premium price which reflects the strong consumer demand for quality
beef with guaranteed provenance.”
Mr McHattie said the easy care attributes of the Aberdeen-Angus
breed, combining easy calving with low maintenance requirements,
made the breed an ideal choice for farmers seeking to reduce costs
to maintain the profitability of their beef enterprises following
the decoupling of support from production.
“The combination of low production cost and premium price
makes the Aberdeen-Angus breed a highly attractive proposition,” said
Mr McHattie.
Champion at last year’s National Aberdeen-Angus Show was
the three year old cow, Lady Croft Verice A089, shown by Brendan
Hayward, Wester Aldie, Rumbling Bridge, Kinross.
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