Page 94 - Shorthorn Magazine

JUDGE: DUNCAN HUNTER
UK Dairy Expo Dairy Shorthorn
10th &11th March 2023
It is always a pleasure to be invited to officiate at a major dairy showcase and I was delighted to have been selected to judge the Dairy Shorthorns at the 2023 UK Dairy Expo. All breeds were very well represented, and I was happy to see a good show in numbers with exceptional quality in the Dairy Shorthorn section.
When the first class of maiden heifers entered the ring, I knew
we would be in for a good show
as all the young heifers exhibited really impressed me. Two heifers immediately caught my eye. I led the class with a superb individual, Mossrigg Barrington Iris 18, a heifer with so much presence, who was particularly well balanced with strength and width throughout, great bone quality and had superb legs and feet. Following on in second place was the very dairy and correct Shaunlea Geri 28. These two were exactly what any judge could wish for to stand at the top of the line to enthuse you for a good judging experience for the rest of the show! I later proceeded to tap them out as Junior Champion and Reserve respectively. Later in the
evening, with a public vote online
to determine the supreme Junior Champion of the show, Mossrigg Barrington Iris 18 was announced as the overall champion ahead of some outstanding individuals from other breeds to end a great evening for the Fisher family.
On day two the quality continued with very impressive milking animals throughout the day exhibiting tremendous breed character. The 2-year-old class was represented with heifers who all had admirable qualities and my winning heifer had superb potential to develop into something special. It was her dairy frame and clean bone which easily took her to the top of the line.
The winning four-year-old was a young cow who would not fail to
impress any dairy cow enthusiast. Churchroyd Bronte Wildeyes 63 was a cow I have seen before, and
I greatly admire for her overall balance, dairy quality throughout, correctness through her rump, freedom of movement and an excellent mammary system. When a cow like this is exhibited before any judge, they can be assured that a superb breed champion is on
the cards! Another very impressive individual won the senior cow class. Shaunlea Geri 13 is an obvious great production cow with so many admirable traits.
When it came to the breed championship, I had no hesitation
in tapping out that great young cow from the Collins family, Churchroyd Bronte Wildeyes 63 as my Champion, with the senior cow from Shaun Dixon and Grace Holiday as Reserve Champion.
It was an absolute pleasure to have had the opportunity to judge the Dairy Shorthorn breed. I appreciate great cows of any breed, and I certainly was not disappointed
with the animals shown before me at the 2023 UK Dairy Expo. I would also like to express my thanks to your breeders for their politeness and friendship and who conducted themselves so professionally and took the time to promote their herds and the Dairy Shorthorn breed.
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Shorthorn
Champion - Churchroyd Bronte Wildeyes 63 VG88