Presentation of the National BWCS Herd Competition awards, along with trophies for the BWCS Bull, Cow, Senior Heifer and Junior Heifer of the Year took place at the Society's Annual General Meeting on Saturday 1st October, kindly hosted by the Grindal family at Manor Farm Shop & Farmhouse Kitchen, Catthorpe. Members enjoyed a delicious meal, prepared with the farm's own British White beef and home grown vegetables, plus homemade puddings and cakes, with a few members even taking the time to make some extra purchases in the extremely well-stocked farm shop before heading for home!
The Annual General Meeting invites fellow breeders to catch up on the breed's progress during the year, and it was fantastic to welcome some of the Society's newer members to their first AGM. Re-elected to the positions of President and Vice-President were Mick Wright (Castleton) and Nell Matheson (Dadley), with a further four members being re-elected to their positions on the Executive Committee; Angela Hamilton (Dallyashes), Leslie Cook (Albany), Vivien St Joseph (Tollesbury) and James Allen (Dupree).
Announcing the results of the National Herd Competition was judge Brian Palmer of the recently dispersed Porlock herd in Somerset. Having won the top award last year and subsequently retired from breeding cattle, Brian and his wife Marilyn toured 21 herds across 14 counties making their assessments, and were keen to thank members for their kind hospitality along the way, and for making the experience such an enjoyable one.
Awarded the Randolph Turpin Trophy for Best Herd were father and daughter Leslie and Sarah Cook from Cambridgeshire. Run together as one herd totalling around 55 head, their cattle make up the Albany and Alcroft prefixes, producing both pedigree stock and finished beef by utilising the banks, washes and flood collection areas of the River Great Ouse.
In the Best New Herd category it was James Osborne, along with his father Martin, who picked up the trophy for their Woodfield herd based near Stourbridge. Since only recently establishing the herd during the summer of 2019, the family have fully embraced all aspects of the BWCS by purchasing cattle via Society sales, hosting members at a superb Winter Workshop back in February this year, inducting their herd into the new Type Classification Scheme, and James also being one of the latest members elected to the BWCS Executive Committee in October 2021.
The Enterprise Trophy is awarded to the member making the best use of their herd to promote the breed, and was won by Mark Kennett of the Cadarn herd near Ceredigion. Mark and his family have been successfully publicising British White cattle on the show circuit and via social media for a number of years, selling both breeding cattle and boxed beef from their predominantly pasture-based system near the coast at Cardigan. Many prominent herd sires of the breed in recent years have borne the Cadarn prefix; a testament to the consistent strength of breeding contained within the herd.
The De Beauvoir Cup for Best Stock Bull was, rather appropriately, awarded to the 2017-born De Beauvoir Pullman Jim, bred by Angela Dunn and the late David Evans, and owned by the Amos family in Derbyshire. Sold as a two-year-old to Amos Farms Ltd, this bull has gone on to sire over 50 pedigree progeny for the Rathbourne herd, with judge Brian Palmer praising the bull for having to beat a number of other strong contenders to be crowned the winner in this year's competition.
The winner of the Best Small Herd was David Elliott, based at Rocester in Staffordshire. Established just five years ago, the Jadebeam herd has been diligently put together using a selection of top-quality foundation cows, along with another outstanding De Beauvoir bull; the 2013-born De Beauvoir Majestic, still working well and siring tremendous calves which Mr Elliott looks forward to retaining within his growing herd.
The Best Large Herd trophy was won by last year's Best New Herd winner; David Sketchley of the Carthy herd near Tamworth in Staffordshire. A prolific supporter of Society sales since his first introduction in 2019, Mr Sketchley has built what is considered to be an outstanding breeding herd of pedigree British Whites both in number and in quality, which is on course to become one of the breed's leading herds in years to come.
Next up came the presentations for the BWCS Bull, Cow, Senior Heifer and Junior Heifer of the Year, awarded to the animals gaining the most points at shows during 2022.
Junior Heifer of the Year went to Woodbastwick Babycham, bred and owned by Rotac Farms in Norfolk. Sired by Meadowlands Pimms and out of Woodbastwick Baby Doll (VG86), this smart young heifer particularly impressed judge James Brain at the Suffolk Show in June, earning her the title of Breed Champion.
BWCS JUNIOR HEIFER OF THE YEAR
1st Woodbastwick Babycham, Rotac Farms
2nd Oldington Arctic Tern, Mr P Pennington
=3rd Templar Louisiana, K & RP Harding
=3rd Dallyashes Twostep, Mrs A Hamilton
In the Senior Heifer stakes it was Alcroft Glory from Sarah Cook, Cambridgeshire, which topped the category by achieving wins at the South Suffolk, Shropshire, Suffolk and Royal Welsh shows. Sired by Alcroft Davos and out of Alcroft Gentle (VG86), this two-year-old heifer was shown in-calf to the BWCS Bull of the Year for 2022, Alcroft Gunslinger (VG87).
BWCS SENIOR HEIFER OF THE YEAR
1st Alcroft Glory, Miss S Cook
2nd Dallyashes Tapestry, Mrs A Hamilton
3rd Albany Octavia, Mr L Cook
Seven-year-old Dallyashes Tattersett (EX92) from Angela Hamilton, Carmarthenshire, was the first-placed cow in both sets of classes at the Royal Three Counties Show in June, as well as at the Royal Welsh Show in July, earning her the title of BWCS Cow of the Year. One of only a handful of live progeny remaining by the bull Elgany Monteray Jack and out of Dallyashes Tokyo Mary, this cow held herself in superb condition throughout the season with her December 2021-born heifer calf Dallyashes Taittinger at foot.
BWCS COW OF THE YEAR
1st Dallyashes Tattersett, Mrs A Hamilton
2nd Tollesbury Peach, Dr V St Joseph
3rd Amaroo Meringue, Mrs R Pugh
The final award was for Bull of the Year, won by the two-year-old junior stock sire Alcroft Gunslinger (VG87) from Sarah Cook, Cambridgeshire. Sired by the prolific De Beauvoir Mazerati and out of Alcroft Georgia (EX90), this young bull finished in first place thanks to Male Championships at the South Suffolk, Shropshire, Suffolk and Royal Norfolk shows.
BWCS BULL OF THE YEAR
1st Alcroft Gunslinger, Miss S Cook
2nd Marshbrook Mallow’s Pride, Mrs E Astbury
3rd Lordswood Oliver, Mr J Brain