East of England Show Livestock Judging a Huge Success
2009-06-22

This year’s livestock judging at the East of England Show (19-21 June 2009) was a huge success, with record entries in both the beef and sheep sections and strong numbers in the pig and dairy lines as well as a who’s who line up of pedigree judges.

Beef interbreed champion, Weybread Tiffany

Beef was the strongest section by far and the interbreed line up as strong as you’ll see at any show this year. The much admired Charolais champion, Weybread Tiffany from the diss, Norfolk-based Harper family took the overall beef honours under judge and Simmental and Devon breeder David Barker, Taunton, Somerset.

This homebred cow, which also stood reserve interbreed champion at Suffolk last month is by Beauchamp Ferrari and out of Weybread Olivia. Shown with a calf at foot, March 2006-born Tiffany won through from an exceptionally strong show of Charolais in the breed classes to take first the Continental championship and then the overall interbreed title.

Junior beef interbreed champion, Wilodge Diamante

Taking the reserve spot was the Beef Shorthorn and Native breeds champion Pode Hole Madeline Zeta from Peterborough-based Charles and Sally Horrell. This March 2006-born cow, also shown with her calf at foot, is by one of the herd's most successful sires Chapelton Promoter and out of Wenmar Madeline.

In the junior beef interbreed, Shifnal, Shropshire-based Christine Williams and Paul Tippetts (T/AS D A Williams) took the top spot with their yearling Limousin heifer Wilodge Diamante. She is by Wilodge Vantastic out of Wilodge Amethyst. The reserve junior spot went to Paul Barwood and Anita Padfield’s Lincoln Red heifer Brambles Lip Gloss who is by Anwick Chancellor out of Brambles Hot Lips.

Keeping with the beef theme, no stranger to the commercial show circuit, Kevin Ludgate, Bedfordshire, continued his winning form taking the overall championship with his Limousin cross heifer Sex Kitten, under judge Harry Emslie, Peterhead.

Champion at last week's South of England Show, Sex Kitten was purchased from Kirkby Stephen suckled calf sales last autumn and was bred by D and C E Marston. Mr Emslie described his champion as: “A well balanced heifer with a great carcass and show ring presence.”

Taking the reserve honours were Christine Williams and Paul Tippetts, Shifnal, Shropshire, with their Limousin cross steer Buck Off. This one is homebred and took the steer championship before being placed reserve overall.

Champion pig, Bakers Actress 4

In the pig classes it was another winning weekend for Mark and Emma Edgar, Hertfordshire, with their British Lops. Carrying on her winning ways from South of England Show it was Bakers Actress 4, by Greenway supreme 2 out of Poplarburn Actress 2.

This September 2005-born sow is by Poplarbarn Ben 10 and out of Greywacke Actress 34. She is dam of the couple's sow Bakers Actress 4 which took the interbreed title for the couple at last week's South of England Show. Stading reserve to the British Lop was the reserve champion female, British

Saddleback sow Victoria Lottie 343 from John Wreakes and family, Doncaster. She is by Prescombe Grand Duke 5 and out of Victoria Lottie 288.

Commercial pig champion was, once again, Peter Mortimer, Norfolk, with his crossbred white pigs.

Interbreed Sheep champion

Taking the interbreed sheep silverware home was the Texel leader, Neil and Emma Pamplin's shearling ewe. This homebred ewe, by Ettrick Jackpot and out of a dam by Cowell Maverick is one of 40 ewes kept by the couple at home at Ringstead, Northampton. She was previously interbreed champion at Suffolk last month and is destined for the breed's premier sale at Worcester.

Standing reserve to the Texel was the Suffolk and Native breeds champion, a two shear ram from Merrick and Julie Pinny, Northampton. This one is a Baileys tup purchased privately in 2007 and is one of a team of tups used on the family's 180 ewe Alloaks flock.

Reserve in the Continental section went to a Charollais shearling ewe from Graham Allenby,Lincs, while the second spot in the Native interbreed was awarded to Buckinghamshire-based Basil Cooper's Southdown aged ewe.

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