Page 51 - Shorthorn Magazine

Our next visit took us to Weardale
in Durham to Dennis and Margaret Craigs herd in the small herds category alongside Micheal and Victoria Bowmans Park View herd
also in the small herds. We viewed the young stock in the buildings before having lunch made by Margaret,
lovely shorthorn steak followed by trifle. Dennis and Georgina took us round. These two herds run well together. Dennis and all the family are dedicated to the Shorthorn breed and keen to be involved in all competitions at shows, sales and calf shows,
the stock are reared on a different landscape to many others. The bull Newpark Poldark is running with the heifers. Mother & Daughter from the Pansy Family, Pansy 7 and Pansy 12. Calf Born in 2023 Pansy 14. Pure-bred entry Snowdrop. Cow calved twice
a Clarity daughter Waterloo Rose. Cow on inspection Pansy 7, heifer in calf Pansy 10. End of day 2 beautiful sunset on route home after a wet start to the day.
Day 3. Set off for James Robinsons Strickley herd in the large herd category, James and his son Robert took us round the the fields and young stock in their Land Rover it was a
very windy day! When we looked at the cattle in the field near Killington Lake, the lake looked like the sea with waves. On our way round the stock we met Uncle Arthur doing stone walling it was interesting to see how he set about it. We saw the young stock in the buildings and a lovely group of near to calving heifers, bull Strickley Ferdinand and young calves in hutches. We passed a very tidy silage face also! Cows were grazing on a hillside field. The heifer in milk Goldie 287 was clean boned and very dairy like. Cow calved twice, Foggathorpe Fragrance 56 a good young cow. Strickley Odyssey had a lot of good milky daughters in the herd. Cow on
Moorriggs Bessie Browneyes 24 VG85, sired by Winbrook Claridge
inspection Strickley Starbud good cow clean boned dairy-like and very stylish. Mother & Daughter were a good pair, Fragrance 49 & 56. After a lovely lunch and cheese provided by Michelle we headed off.
The next visit was to John & Sam Handleys Beaconview herd in the
large herd category, it wasn’t far from Robinsons but we managed to go wrong on the narrow roads and had to phone John!! John’s cattle were inside fed on big bale silage and out of parlour feeders. Sam looks after the Poultry unit, John says it takes the place of 60 cows! My choice of cow in this herd
was cow calved twice, Lottie 14 by Bushmills Jazz. Lottie 7 was the cow on inspection a mixed roan. We saw some very pleasing young stock before going in for a cuppa and homeward bound.
Day 4. Just down the road from home to Thomas Moscrops Irthingelt herd
in the large herd category. We were shown his bull entry Fair Rampant and progeny group from Oxton Clarity, a good group of heifers. Calf born in 2023
Vi 25 a very smart calf. When looking among the cows in the field Hooton Fair Lily 291 took my eye, a great cow. We then headed to William Hewsons
Irthingelt Vi 25
Parton herd in the large category. A great field of Shorthorn cows, the bull entry was Solway Rando, we looked round the young stock inside and the heifers outside, had a cup of tea with Williams mother before making for home.
Day 5. Another damp start just like the previous Wednesday, we left home
to go to the Kingdom of Fife to Adam & Basil Lawsons Lisnamulligan herd in the small herds category. Here we saw Lisnamulligan Fairy 18 a great young cow having calved twice. Bull progeny inspection and production
is Lisnamulligan Lotto, a great shape to this bull. Pure-bred Lisnamulligan Fairy 18. Mother & Daughter Lady Barrington 3 & 5. Calf born in 2023 Royal Kathleen 3. Two great cows
in the herd are Lady Barrington 3 and Royal Kathleen 2. I also enjoyed seeing Adams Irish Moyle Cattle and his Friesian stock bull. Thank you to Margaret and Basil for lunch.
Thank you all for your hospitality and welcome to Ann & myself, I thoroughly enjoyed judging, seeing all your
herds and seeing all the different countryside.
Pictures sourced from breeders
Winning large herd- Strickley’