Page 52 - Demo

North West Region of Dairy Shorthorns –
Herd Competition
Having accepted the invitation to Judge the North West Shorthorn Competition, my first visit
was to Mac Findlay’s Redhouse herd in the small herd category. I was surprised to see a herd
of Normandy cattle alongside his Shorthorn, all very well suited to his farming system of
robotic milking and 12hr grazing paddock fields in beautiful scenery.
JUDGE: WILLIE WHITEFORD
His Shorthorn herd comprised a
small group of well selected families,
Rose, Vi ,Wren and Jill bloodlines. I
saw very smart twin heifers, Jill 512
and 513, whose sire is Oxton Finnan.
Mother and Daughter class entry was
a good pair from the Wren Family.
Next we moved on to the Harrison’s
Crossrigg herd to view two calves
born in 2023. Crossrigg Fever Pauline
& Crossrigg Jazz Alice, both very
stylish calves, sorry that the girls
were at school so weren’t able to
show them as they wished. We left
Crossriggs to go to David Jacksons
Tahuna herd, but just along the
road we met the legendary Fred
Harrison, he invited us in for a cuppa
which we enjoyed and then made
our way to Davids. David took us
around his cattle, his Bull entry was
Moorriggs Stanley, and his purebred
heifer entry a very stylish red heifer,
Tahuna Lady Rose 9. David and
myself did a bit of reminiscing and
up came the name of Wilson Moffit.
Our next stop was at Armstrongs
Moorriggs, who are in the large herd
category, we had lunch with Phil
& Caroline, Ann being gluten free
particularly enjoyed Mrs Armstrongs
gluten free Chocolate buns and is
delighted that she was given the
recipe! After lunch we went out
to see his herd and also see David
Jacksons mother & daughter entry
that are housed here. Dam Tahuna
Millness Rosebud 2, a powerful dairy
cow, and her daughter Rosebud 3
was very dairy-like. Phil showed us
round his herd we looked the young
stock first, all looking well, then
moved on to see the milking ones
Shorthorn
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mixed in with his Fresian herd. The
heifer in milk was Ellerghyll Pauline
from the Throup Family. The twice
calved cow Moorriggs Lacey, very
good cow. Bull Progeny entry was
Winbrook Claridge we saw a large
group of very sound cattle. Dam &
Daughter were from the Wildeyes
Family, both a great kind of milky
shorthorns.
Next we made our way to David
Dents Winbrook herd in the small
herds category, but darkness was
beginning to fall and David had 3
entries in the heifer in milk class
Empress, Peers-Rose & Kathleen,
being milked by a near neighbour, he
hoped they will sell well at the next
Shorthorn sale. We viewed all the
young stock groups with light fading,
then saw the young ones in the
buildings. I also noticed an Ayrshire
in calf heifer with back breeding to
Bankend Wren! Homeward bound
first day completed.
Day 2: A drizzly wet morning just
a short journey from home to
Jonathan Fishers Mossrigg Herd,
in the small herds category, his
Shorthorns were separated from the
rest of the herd. The Pigmy Goats
took Ann’s eye when we arrived!!
Great start, seeing his heifer in milk
Mossrigg Lady Barrington Iris 16,
upstanding and very much like
doing the business. His second
calver Mossrigg Barrington Duchess
is outstanding, full of dairy quality.
Bull Progeny Bushmills Jazz this
bull seems to be breeding well
among Shorthorn Breeders. Cow on
inspection Mossrigg Barrington Iris
8, a great cow. Dam and daughter,
the Iris family two pairs Iris 3 &
8 and Iris 8 & 13, two great pairs
from only three animals, we then
went to view the young stock all
looking well, my choice of in calf
heifer Mossrigg Barrington Iris18 by
Bushmills Jazz. Calf born in 2023 Iris
by Amber Firefox.
Tahuna Lady Rose 9