Beef Burke Trophy winners
More than 750 cattle, across 17 breeds battled for the prestigious Burke Trophies awarded to the best pair of animals in both the beef and dairy sections. Claiming the beef award were Beef Shorthorn breed champion and reserve, Highsky Erins Enchantment from Boomer and Millie Birch, Stafford and Willingham Spitfire from Mary Cormack, Leominster.
Home-bred three-year-old Highsky Erins Enchantment was fresh from its inter-breed title win at the Royal Bath and West Show.
The Carrarock Chalkie daughter out of one of Caramba Erins Enchantment which was voted the breed's 'Miss Europe' in 2022, was shown with an October 2023-born bull calf, Highsky Tomohawk, by Highsky Roger.
Enchantment was joined by Willingham Spitfire, a two-year-old polled roan bull which was bought by Mrs Cormack at Stirling in February for 20,000gns. The son of Willingham Lieutenant Commander and out of Willingham Eva Broadhooks has picked up three breed championships this season.
In reserve was a pair of Limousins, the 2022-born heifer Poole Treasure by Powerful Irish out of Wilodge Mizdiamate from Tom Hilsdon, South Molton, which was joined by another of Mary Cormack's animals, two-year-old Limousin bull, Foxhillfarm Titan by Derrygullinane Kingbull, and out of Foxhillfarm Grace.
Burke Trophy judge, Paul Westaway, Gloucestershire said: "I was honoured to see such a high quality of cattle in front of me. There were multiple high quality cattle but my champion and reserve were selected for how they matched."
Earlier in the day, Foxhillfarm Titan was also awarded the individual inter-breed title under judge, Steve Watkins, who travelled from New South Wales after emigrating 30 years ago from the Herefordshire-Monmouthshire border.
A May 2022-born Charolais heifer, Skysea Tickle by Foxacres Memnon exhibited by Will Glover, Starlight Charolais, Yeovil, took the reserve inter-breed title.
Champion native was awarded to a six-year-old Devon bull, Exmoor Captain, from Angela Poad, Exmoor, which was also breed champion at the show last year. Reserve champion went to the Hereford bull, Severnvale Rogue, from E. Mills, Bristol.
The commercial championship went to James May, Bromsgrove, with his Limousin cross heifer, Rhona, while reserve was another Limousin heifer from Lin Calcraft, Devon.
Dairy
In the dairy ring, the Devonshire based Panda Holstein herd claimed the inter-breed championship with their Holstein champion, Panda Ambrosia O'Kustard Red which is producing 58kg of milk per day and goes back to their well-known Panda Autumn O'Kalibra Red. With its herd mate, Panda Christmas Red, the reserve Holstein champion, it went on to win the Burke Trophy for the best dairy pair.
Reserve dairy inter-breed champion went to the Guernsey, 2018-born Glanmor Levi Okapi, a fourth calver from Michael Dawes, Banbury, which was last year's inter-breed champion.
Sheep
In the sheep ring, Ross Lawrence's Suffolk ewe took the inter-breed title after claiming reserve inter-breed champion at the show last year. The two-year-old ewe from Mr Lawrence's Roundacre flock, Winkleigh, is by Strathbogie Magic Mike and out of a home-bred ewe.
Reserve champion went to a Rouge ram from Herefordshire breeders, Colin, Wendy and Owen Phillips' Powerhouse flock. Tullyvallen Aga Can is a Crawfordsland Young Gun son which was bought from Dungannon two-years ago.
Inter-breed judge, Tim Pritchard, Glamorgan, said: "My champion was a super ewe with great carcase and character, which handled and stood exceptionally well. While my reserve was a well fleshed, powerful ram with style and size."
Inter-breed champion in the non- terminal section was a two-year-old home-bred Zwartbles ewe from Alister Thorburn, Dumfries, which was the breed's Scottish National champion last year.
Reserve went to a Clun Forest ewe from Gwar Llewellyn Williams who runs a flock on the Llyn Peninsular. The home-bred shearling ewe is by a Hayton tup and was reserve any other breed champion at the Royal Welsh Spring Festival in May.
Pigs
In the pig section, the supreme title was awarded to Hayley Loveless, Beaminster, with her home-bred Duroc gilt, Hazeway Havnbjerg 6. The August 2023-born gilt is out of a home-bred sow and from a line of British Pig Association Pig of the Year winners. The reserve champion went to the Tamworth, Valstock Princess 2513 from A. Brown, Exmoor. The four-year-old sow goes back to the National Tamworth champion, Valstock Princess 894.
Results
BEEF
Burke Trophy (Judge, P. Westaway, Gloucester) Supreme, B. and M. Birch, Highsky Erin's Enchantment and M. Cormack, Willingham Spitfire (Beef Shorthorn); res., M. Cormack, Foxhillfarm Titan and T. Hilsdon, Poole Treasure (Limousin).
Inter-breed ( S. Watkins, New South Wales) Sup. and continental, M. Cormack, Foxhillfarm Titan (Limousin); res. and res. continental, W. Glover, Skysea Tickle (Charolais); supreme native, A. Poad, Exmoor Captain (Red Devon); res. native, E. Mills, Severnvale Rogue (Hereford).
Hereford (M. Moore, Northern Ireland) Sup. E. Mills, Severnvale Rogue; res., Rempstone 1 Alpha, J. Ludgate.
Aberdeen-Angus (R. Tully, Devon) Sup. M Alford, Foxhill Princess Caroline; res., Glympton Farms, Glympton Perseus X385.
Beef Shorthorn (A. Maclean, Wiltshire) Sup. B. and M. Birch, Highsky Erin's Enchantment; res., M. Cormack, Willingham Spitfire.
Belted Galloway (R. Adams, Derby) Sup., D. Powell, Shelsleys Kwagga; res., M. Forster, Croasdale Tawny Owl
British Blonde (M. Davies, Ceredigion) Sup. and fem., J. Hickin, Penwen Topsy; res., T. Atkinson, Hallfield Plato .
British Blue (G. Brindley, Shropshire) Sup., I. Williams, Iz Tryme; res., I. Williams, Iz Senorita.
British Charolais (J. Price, Hereford) Sup., W. Glover, Skysea Tickle; res., W. Glover, Skysea Umbrella.
British Limousin (V. Smith, Devon) Sup., M. Cormack, Foxhillfarm Titan; res., T. Hilsdon, Poole Treasure.
British Simmental (D. Jones, Powys) Sup., R.J. and B.E. Kimber, Beanhill Nila; res., R.J. and B.E. Kimber, Beanhill Lettie.
British White (J. Playfair-Hannay) Sup., D. Wright, Castleton Ken; C. Davies, Tismans Peony.
Devon (D. Martin, Devon) Sup., A. Poad, Exmoor Captain; res. J. May, Priorton Yeoman.
Longhorn (D. Ball, Dumfries) Sup. P. Stanley, Blackbrook Yelenah; res., P. Stanley, Blackbrook Gunner.
Murray Grey (T. Russel, Oxon) Sup., W. Finucan, Oakley Iceman; res., W. Finucan, Oakley Rita 12.
South Devon (S. Ward, Cornwall) Sup., M. Plain, Foxhole Bonnie 17; N. Bunkum, Tregarrick Mylor.
Any other beef breed (R. Tully) Sup., S. Hollier, Longash Hemily (Salers); res., S. Hollier, Longash Lumberjack (Salers).
Commercial (P. Parrott, Bucks) Sup. J. May, Rhona; res., P.L. Calcraft, Uptonley Uphoria.
Dual purpose cattle
Inter-breed (A. Park) Sup., C. Davies, Moomin Magenta (Dexter); J.R. Williams, Pinguis Jeremiah (Red Poll).
Gloucester (M. Cormack, Hereford) Sup. J. Crump, Burfords Molly 27; res., C. Phillips, Buryfields Revenge.
Dexter (A. Park, Wiltshire) Sup., C. Davies, Moomin Magenta; C. King, Northbrook Tor.
Red Poll (D. Blunt) Sup. J.R. Williams, Pinguis Jeremiah; res., J.R. and C.A. Daw, Wheatfield Lark.
DAIRY
Burke Trophy Sup., Panda Holsteins, Panda Ambrosia O'Kustard Red and Panda Christmas Red (Holstein); res., M. Dawes, Glanmor Levi Okapi and Edgehill Latimer Okapi (Guernsey).
Inter-breed (M. Davies, Devon) Sup., Panda Holsteins, Panda Ambrosia O'Kustard Red (Holstein); res., M. Dawes, Glanmor Levi Okapi (Guernsey).
Holstein (B. Miller, Somerset) Sup., Panda Holsteins, Panda Ambrosia O'Kustard Red VG87; res., Panda Holsteins, Panda Christmas Red.
Jersey (M. Davies, Devon) Sup., B. Cambridge, Buryhill Littlestar Rumour; res., G. Woodward-May, Signature Strongbow.
Guernsey (M. Davies) Sup., M. Dawes, Glanmor Levi Okapi; res., M. Dawes, Edgehill Latimer Okapi.
Any other dairy breed (B. Miller) Sup., Z. Cambridge, Allstar Blooming S Vogue (Brown Swiss); res., Z. Cambridge, Bingham Apple Martini 3 (Brown Swiss).
SHEEP
Inter-breed (T. Pritchard, Glamorgan) Sup. and sup. terminal sire breeds, R. Lawrence (Suffolk); res., and res. terminal sire breeds, C. W. O. Phillips (Rouge); sup. non-terminal sire breeds, A. Thorburn (Zwartbles); res. G. Williams (Clun Forest).
Beltex (G. Anderson, Dumfries) Sup. V. Bowring; res., A. Groucott.
Berrichon (E. Burgess, Dumfries) Sup., J. Bett; res. T. Digweed.
Bleu du Maine (N. Millar, Dumfries) Sup., D. Jones; res., S. Smith.
Blue Texel (C. Howells, Carmarthenshire) Sup. D. Roberts; res., R. Cooke.
Border Leicester (N. Howie, Northumberland) Sup., D. Grinnall; res., B. Lugsden.
Charollais (M. Alford, Devon) Sup., D. Roberts; res., T. Newth.
Clun Forest (B. Roberts, Monmouth) Sup. and res., G. Williams.
Coloured Ryeland (S. Gilbert, Ireland) Sup. J. Fisher; res., M. Varmen.
Dorset Down (T. Osbourne, Somerset) Sup. and res., S. Stamp.
Dorset Horn and Poll Dorset (J. Dufosee, Wiltshire) Sup. R. Fitton; res., J. Sparks.
Hampshire Down (J. Mercer, Co Down) Sup. J. Galbraith; res., S. Short.
Lleyn (J. Douglous, North Yorkshire) Sup., P. Andrews; res., P. Eckett.
Oxford Down (J. Eustice, Cornwall) Sup., H. Graham; res., C. Clarke.
Shropshire (. Cooper, Buckingham) Sup. and res., S. Farquar and E. Butcher.
Southdown (H. Wood, Pontypool) Sup., J. Long; res. E. Yates.
Suffolk (P. Machray, Aberdeen) Sup., R. Lawrence; res., E. Yates.
Texel (A. Ligget, Omagh) Sup. J.E. Amphlett; res., J. Theyer.
Valais Blacknose (C. Slee, Devon) Sup. S. Dace; res., S. Shail.
Zwartbles (J. Stevenson, North Yorkshire) Sup. A. Thornburn; res. P. S. Addison.
Badger Face Welsh Mountain Torddu (B. Pritchard, Monmouth) Sup., K. Richardson; res. fem. and res., A. Groucott.
Badger Face Welsh Mountain Torwen (B. Pritchard, Monmouth) Sup. and res., M. D. Evans.
Black Welsh Mountain (J. Green, Ceredigion) Sup., D. Rowlands; res., G. Williams.
Dutch Spotted (D. Steen, Dumfries) Sup., D. Roberts; res. fem., J. Grossick.
Jacob (J. Simmons, Staffordshire) Sup., J. Leonard; res., C. Fisher.
Kerry Hill (S. Burgess, Dumfries) Sup., E. Amphlett; res., W. Awan.
Ryeland (J. Pinches) Sup. A. Burton; res., Z. Unwin.
Wiltshire Horn (S. Cowle) Sup., W. Roberts; res., A. Hadfield.
PIGS
Inter-breed (J. Cloke, West Midlands) Sup. H. Loveless, Hazeway Havnbjerg 6 (Duroc); A. Brown, Valstock Princess 2513 (Tamworth).
Gloucestershire Old Spot (A. Robinson, Derby) Sup., M.V. Hicks, Windmill Bluebell 30; M.V. Hicks, Windmill Star 38.
Berkshire (A. Robinson) Sup. S. Barnfield, Kilcot Royal Lustre; H. Heeley, Alkington Louise 5.
British Lop (S. Booth, Cheshire) Sup. and fem., S. Loveless, Portbredy Houri; res., S. Loveless, Portbredy Napoleon.
British Saddleback (S. Booth) Sup. and fem., E. Paddock, Prestcombe Lady; res., S. Carr Silverbirch Lottie.
Large Black (J.S. Ashcroft, Lincoln) Sup. and fem., J. Holroyd, Addison Golden Harvest; res. and male, J. Holroyd, Addison Julia 8.
Large White/British Landrace (R. Fieldhouse, North Yorkshire) Sup. and fem., M. Brown, Whitecross Beautiful 37; res. and male. C. Taylor, Hideaway Royal Turk.
Middle White (A. Robinson) Sup. C. Baker, Rockwood Woodlands Lady 14; res., C. Baker, Rockwood Mishcheif 8.
Tamworth (S. Ashcroft) Sup., A. Brown, Valstock Princess 2513; res., B. Warren, Courtbleddyn Jaqueline 17.
Welsh (A. Rose, Kent) Sup., C. Taylor, Hideaway Aconite 1189; G. Bretherton, Hedgerow Bodil 166.
Duroc/Pietrain (A. Rose) Sup., H. Loveless, Hazeway Havnbjerg 6; res., A. Newth, Prestcombe Vanfred.
