Page 46 - Demo

North East Shorthorn Breeders Association
Herd Competition Results 2022
It was a real privilege to be asked to judge the North East Herds and NMR Competitions
and to spend a few glorious summer days travelling around herds from Northumberland to
Nottinghamshire.
JUDGE: SARAH SLADE
The hospitality and welcome we had
from everyone was second to none
– thank you to everyone, it was so
much appreciated! However, what
really stood out was the quality of
the cattle in all those herds – a real
credit to breeders.
Our first stop was the high open
country of Northumberland and
Paul and Ann Harrison’s magnificent
Breckney herd. The Shorthorns have
to compete with tall robust Holsteins
on a simple grass and self-fed silage
system. The cattle are powerful,
milky, well-balanced cows. The
Goldie family was well represented
and among several outstanding
cattle was Breckney Goldie 23, a
standout winner in the in-calf junior
cow class for her power, balance
and udder quality. However, as we
progressed to the youngstock, it
was the maiden heifer, Breckney
Goldie 42, sired by Marleycote Triple
Blend that set the standard (in a
very large and competitive class)
that proved impossible to beat. This
eye-catching heifer exuded quality
throughout – a heifer I would happily
have taken home!
From the open expanses of
Northumberland we wended
across the North Pennines
down to Weardale to Denis and
Margaret Craig’s New Park herd,
the home also of Victoria and
Michael Bowman’s Parkhouse
herd. It is very encouraging to see
the establishment of a new herd
already showing consistency of
type. Although Denis no longer
sells his milk, we saw the herd just
before they were milked – with the
milk being used on farm. It was a
beautiful sight to see the shorthorns
Shorthorn
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waiting in the stone walled collecting
yard and heartening that the
dairying link with the past continues.
Both herds showed consistency and
quality with robust, hardy cattle that
live on steep banks. The maiden
heifer, New Park Barbara 8, a very
correct roan heifer, stood out, as
did Parkhouse Pansy 9, a Glenbrook
Queens Prince daughter.
At Deirdre Throup’s the following
morning, we saw the last of
her herd before it is sold. The
Blackwood Park Butternut-sired
Ellerghyll Pauline 4 (one of three
Paulines still in the herd) was a
stylish, clean boned heifer showing
tremendous rib, a worthy second
in this competitive class. Sadly we
were on a tight schedule and from
Ellerghyll we travelled to Thirsk
to Martin Jackson’s Bilbro herd.
This was a small herd but with the
full age range of cattle. Martin’s
enthusiasm for his cattle brimmed
over, and justly so with some milky,
upstanding cattle. The Tulip family
particularly impressed here. Bilbro
Tulip 2, by Churchroyd Wild Card and
expecting her 4th, had depth and
capacity in spades. Bilbro Tulip 9,
an in-calf heifer, also exhibited that
same capacity and stretch over the
rib.
Continuing our journey around
Yorkshire, we arrived at Oxton to
see this renowned, long-established
herd. This was the largest of the
herds with around 200 cows – a
real picture grazing the parkland.
Although it was not so easy to pick
out the cows when they were all
sheltering under the trees out of the
sun! It was particularly interesting
to see the impact of American
breeding with cows by Oceanbrae
Logic’s Plato being tall, stretchy
and clean over the shoulder. We
saw many groups of heifers, both
in the sheds and grazing. The
consistency and quality throughout
the youngstock was particularly
impressive. The senior cow, Oxton
Reagan, was an excellent example
of all that shorthorns are about –
New Park and Parkhouse Heifers