Plans On Track for Another Jam-Packed Borderway Agri-Expo
2009-05-12

Following the success of last year’s event, Harrison and Hetherington have announced this year’s Borderway Agri Expo will take place on October 30th at Borderway Mart, Carlisle.

Last year’s event was a resounding success with more than 200 livestock entries packing the judging rings, as well as specialist shows from the Hereford, British Blue and Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Societies.

“This year we expect livestock entries to be in the region of 250 for cattle and 100 pens of sheep. £8,000 of prize money will be on offer with the champion from the cattle rings receiving £500, while the champion sheep entry will receive £100,” explains Harrison and Hetherington’s operations director and event co-ordinator David Pritchard.

Judging the cattle classes this year will be Donald MacPherson, Castle Hills Farm, Berwick-upon-Tweed. As well as being the face behind the well known beef retail company Well Hung and Tender, the MacPherson family have notched up many wins in the show ring themselves, culminating in five wins at the Scottish Winter Fair. “I’ll be looking for an animal with great length and meat in all the right places, particularly across the top. I will also be looking for an incredibly showy animal with style and presence in the ring,” says Mr MacPherson.

In the sheep rings, Granville Colegrave, Inchture, Perthshire, will be taking care of proceedings. Mr Colegrave runs 500 Texel x Beltex ewes which are put back to Texel and Beltex tups for producing prime lambs for the butcher’s trade. “For me it’s all about finding a matching pair, which is well fleshed with wide loins, a thin tail and good gigots,” he explains. Mr Colegrave is no stranger to the show ring himself as he has picked up numerous championships at the Scottish Winter Fair, Smithfield and Welsh Winter Fair. He has also won the Scottish national Carcass Competition.

Along with the cattle and sheep classes, the Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society will again be holding their national Youth Development Programme final. Also the Border British Blue calf show will be back in the ring building on the 45 entries that were present last year. Coming on board this year is the Hereford Cattle Society who will also be holding their national calf show.

As well as the livestock classes, there will be a series of working demonstrations, trade stands, breed society stands and a number of other areas of interest including Young Farmers stockjudging competitions.

Once again the event is pleased to have some fantastic sponsors on board. New for this year we welcome Morrison’s and Lloyds TSB, as well as previous supporters Carrs Billington, Norbrook Laboratories and our media partners Farmers Guardian.

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