HighHouse, Pulham and Dieulacresse herds take top online show titles
Achieving 200 entries forward for the second year running, the National Hereford Virtual Show has proven to be the opportunity in 2021 for all breeders of Hereford cattle registered in the Horned Section of the UK Hereford Herdbook to showcase their stock. Entries were once again received from herds far and wide and the standard of quality provided a considerable task for the international judging panel to position each of their 14 class winners, runners-up and Champions.
This task fell to Aled & Jen Jones of Dendor Herefords, Wales, Anselm Fitzgerald of Grianan Herefords, Republic of Ireland and Erica Haliday of Ben Nevis Angus, Australia, who were all separately asked to place every animal in each class and to make their final selections from the winners to decide the Male and Female Championships, which were also contributed to by a public vote.
Taking the Male Championship and receiving a £150 feed voucher kindly offered by NHC Virtual Show sponsor Manor Farm Feeds was Drumatee Rocket, owned by JR Whitlow & family of HighHouse Herefords, Worcester. Spotted as a calf by the Whitlows as potential future herd sire, Rocket was purchased at the NIHBA Premier Show & Sale at Dungannon back in February 2020 from breeder John Conlon, County Armagh. Sired by Cill Cormack Nevada – two-time winner of the Best Stock Bull award in the NIHBA Herd Competition – and out of Drumatee Blossom 813, he was selected as the winner of the January 2018 to August 2019 class of bulls and proved consistently popular both with the public and our panel of judges. Erica Haliday admired the quality throughout the male championship as “a great class of bulls from start to finish”, praising Drumatee Rocket for having “natural thickness through the lower part of his hindquarters and [being] muscled closely to the hock.”
The overall Female Champion came from largest class of the competition with a whopping 29 entries forward, for cows born between September 2015 and August 2018. It was Clipston Pansy B3, owned by PRJ & LR Vincent, Norfolk, and bred by R & R Westaway, Market Harborough, which triumphed with her January 2021-born calf Pulham Pansy 28th at foot, further proving the quality of the outfit by also achieving a fourth place from 19 entries in the youngest heifer calf class in her own right. As her choice for Female Champion, judge Erica Haliday described the cow “a stunning female who best combines structural correctness and natural thickness with and extra special quality element; mostly this is in her beautiful fine skin which indicates softness, doing ability and carcase quality.” Clipston Pansy B3 is sired by the renowned Irish bull Moyclare Malcolm bred by M Molloy, Offaly and is out of Clipston Pansy K15. As winners of the Female Championship, the Vincent family receive a Moocall calving sensor kindly sponsored by Moocall, who have been great supporters of NHC events in recent years.
Following a remarkably successful showing of entries from the Dieulacresse herd, yielding top-five placings for eight of their animals across seven classes, the competition finished with both the Reserve Male and Reserve Female Championships awarded to homebred animals from Messrs Spooner, Leek. In the male ranking it was Dieulacresse Tic Tac, winner of the January 2020 to August 2020 bull class, which took Reserve Male Champion and garnered high praise again from the judges, Erica Haliday describing him as a “standout bull for quality who adds a flawless combination of natural thickness and correctness, as well as having balance and sire appeal.” This bull’s pedigree is full of quality breeding including grand-sire Mara Humorous (bred by RN & MA Borwick), a prolific producer of show winners and himself a winner of the HCBA Best Stock Bull & Progeny award in 2016.
Winning the Reserve Female Championship was Dieulacresse Dowager 41st also from Messrs Spooner, Leek; winner of the most senior female class of the show for cows born in August 2015 or before. Born in October 2014 and with her January 2021-born heifer calf Dieulacresse Dowager 56th at foot, this cow is by the prolific Australian AI sire Mawarra After Shock – the EU semen rights to which are jointly owned by the Dieulacresse and Haven herds – and was described by judges Aled & Jen Jones as a “good smooth cow [with] very little waste on her and an excellent udder”.
Amongst the further class winners, it was also a well-rewarded effort for D Thurman of the Brambles herd, Isle of Wight, who not only scooped the first and second prizes in the September 2018 to August 2019 female class with Brambles Luna and Brambles Ophelia respectively, but who also achieved top-five placings in the eldest two female classes and the January 2020 bull class, all with homebred stock. Class winner Brambles Luna is sired by Haven Neptune, bred by EL Lewis & Son, Hereford, and was regarded by Erica Haliday in her comments as a “big capacity cow with a thumping calf at foot”.
Also experiencing double success in one class were J & L Lewis of Boycefield Herefords, Dilwyn, Herefordshire, placing first and second in the hotly contested section for heifers born September 2019 to December 2019. Pipping her stable mate to the post was Boycefield Curly 27th, sired by Lisrace Lumberjack 18th bred by DR Wilson, Co Fermanagh, and out of homebred Boycefield Curly 7th. Described by Aled & Jen Jones as being equipped with “great bone” and being “clean through the front [and] really well balanced”, she made it to the top spot just ahead of Boycefield Louisa 38th.
Long-standing supporters of the National Hereford Club W & R Kemp & Sons, Bishop Auckland rose to the top of the January 2020 to March 2020 heifer class with Auckvale Lively 1971T, commented on by Erica Haliday as a “super heifer [which] will grow into a magnificent cow and I can’t wait to see her then.” A heifer with a show-winning pedigree, she is out of Auckvale Lively 1058H, Senior Female Champion at the 2018 National Hereford Show at Tenbury Wells, and sired by Auckvale Kalgoorlie 1322K, Reserve Senior Male Champion in 2019 at the same event.
Having been placed first in her class as a calf in last year’s competition, it was Hayestone Wyandot T135 bred and owned by A G Cork, Wolverhampton, which took the top spot this time in the April 2020 to August 2020 heifer class. Sired by Miss H Cork’s Hayes Phoenix – himself progeny of the widely successful Badlingham Blossom family – and out of Dovemount Wyandot K1 bred by Thorley Bros, Derbyshire, this yearling was described by judge Anselm Fitzgerald as “a beautiful, sweet heifer with lots of eye appeal”.
Pulham Blossom 29th from PRJ & LR Vincent took first place in another well-supported class, this time for heifers born between September 2020 and December 2020. A daughter of the previous year’s Reserve Male Champion of the NHC Virtual Show – Shiloh-Farm Elite bred by H & S Murray, Westmeath – and dam Pulham Blossom 23rd, also descended from the famous Badlingham Blossom family, this calf was described by Aled & Jen Jones as being a “sweet heifer”, with “great markings and style”.
Commented on by Anselm Fitzgerald as “a heifer with lots of style and breed character, combined with power and substance”, the winner of the youngest female class of the competition was Broughan Jubilee, bred and owned by S Curry, Armagh, Northern Ireland. Born in March 2021 and making her just five months old at the time of judging, this promising young calf and her herd mate Broughan Juniper – placed second in this class – are both sired by Gurteragh Aristocrat 758, bred by M O’Keefe, Cork.
Back to the male standings, and it was perhaps no surprise that Haven Rover, owned by DJ Makin, Hereford and bred by EL Lewis & Son, also of Hereford, caught the eye of the judges in his class for bulls born in December 2017 or before. A son of Haven Lamborghini – winner of Male Championship in the 2020 Virtual Show and two Senior Male Championships at the National Hereford Show in 2017 and 2019 – judge Anselm Fitzgerald remarked that he was “a bull with lots of power and a strong top line”.
Another herd which is never far from the top of the line-up is that of RA Bradstock and Partners, Free Town, Tarrington who dominated the September 2019 to December 2019 bull class with Free Town Truman in first place, Free Town Talent in second place, and having bred the fifth-placed Free Town Tiger, exhibited by owners Robert and Nicola Birchall of the Deanery herd, Stafford. Speaking on Free Town Truman as the winner of this class, Aled & Jen Jones commented that he was “full of breed character [and] stands out well on four legs, with good heels and pasterns”.
It was Pulham Vanguard, owned and bred by PRJ & LR Vincent, Norfolk and sired by former National Hereford Show Junior Male Champion Pulham Powerhouse, which stood first in the September 2020 to December 2020 bull calf class, prompting a glowing review from Anselm Fitzgerald: “a well-balanced young bull with lots of breed character, he stands with a leg in each corner and has the potential to be a great sire”. Standing second was Pulham Va Va Voom, also exhibited by breeders PRJ & LR Vincent, fighting off close competition in the form of two Haven calves – Haven Virtual and Haven Voltage – from EL Lewis & Son placed third and fifth respectively, and Boycefield Virat from J & L Lewis, placed fourth.
The final class of the show was for the youngest of the male section; calves born January 2021 to April 2021, which was won by DC Smith & Son, Talog with March-born Laxfield Silverado. Sired by Laxfield Wilberforce and out of Laxfield Silver 11th [*], this calf clearly made an impression on judge Anselm Fitzgerald who described him as “a young calf with lots of quality, well made with great softness and looks”. DC Smith & Son also took the second placing in this class with Laxfield Condor.
The National Hereford Club would again like to thank our sponsors Moocall and Manor Farm Feeds for their continued support, as well as to thank the many exhibitors who took time to contribute to the competition, and who presented such an outstanding selection of cattle for the judges to contemplate in every class. Special thanks go to our international panel of judges for the event; Aled & Jen Jones of Dendor Herefords, Anselm Fitzgerald of Grianan Herefords and Erica Haliday of Ben Nevis Angus, who lent their expertise to complete the difficult job of placing every one of the 200 entries. See below photographs of the top five placings in each class!
CLASS F1
Cow, In Calf Or With Her Own Calf At Foot, Born On Or Before 31 August 2015
(16 Entries)
1ST: DIEULACRESSE DOWAGER 41ST, OWNED AND BRED BY MESSRS SPOONER
2ND: HAVEN DOWAGER 170TH, OWNED BY J R WHITLOW, BRED BY E L LEWIS & SON
3RD: PULHAM PRINCESS PANSY 4TH, OWNED BY B VINCENT, BRED BY PRJ & LR VINCENT
4TH: BRAMBLES VICTORIA 3RD, OWNED AND BRED BY D THURMAN
5TH: HONEYBROOK DAINTY 399, OWNED AND BRED BY A GOODWIN
CLASS F2
Cow, In Calf Or With Her Own Calf At Foot, Born On Or Between 1 Sept 2015 And 31 August 2018
(29 Entries)
1ST: CLIPSTON PANSY B3, OWNED BY PRJ & LR VINCENT, BRED BY R & R WESTAWAY
2ND: FREE TOWN GIGI, OWNED AND BRED BY R A BRADSTOCK & PARTNERS
3RD: PULHAM BLOSSOM 23RD, OWNED AND BRED BY PRJ & LR VINCENT
4TH: ALBANY GRACEFUL 36TH, OWNED AND BRED BY F W COOK & SON
5TH: BRAMBLES VICTORIA 4TH, OWNED AND BRED BY D THURMAN
CLASS F3
Heifer, In Calf Or With Her Own Calf At Foot, Born On Or Between 1st September 2018 and 31st August 2019
(23 Entries)
1ST: BRAMBLES LUNA, OWNED AND BRED BY D THURMAN
2ND: BRAMBLES OPHELIA, OWNED AND BRED BY D THURMAN
3RD: TRILLICK CHARM, OWNED BY G & T MORTON, BRED BY JJ FARRELL
4TH: HONEYBROOK PINKY, OWNED AND BRED BY A GOODWIN
5TH: DIEULACRESSE BABETTE 10TH, OWNED AND BRED BY MESSRS SPOONER
CLASS F4
Heifer, Born On Or Between 1st September 2019 And 31st December 2019
(11 Entries)
1ST: BOYCEFIELD CURLY 27TH, OWNED AND BRED BY J LEWIS
2ND: BOYCEFIELD LOUISA 38TH, OWNED AND BRED BY J LEWIS
3RD: PULHAM PANSY 22ND, OWNED AND BRED BY PRJ & LR VINCENT
4TH: SALBRI MILLIE 209TH, OWNED AND BRED BY E & M LEWIS
5TH: PULHAM PANSY 23RD, OWNED AND BRED BY PRJ & LR VINCENT
CLASS F5
Heifer, Born On Or Between 1st January 2020 And 31st March 2020
(14 Entries)
1ST: AUCKVALE LIVELY 1971T, OWNED AND BRED BY W & R KEMP & SONS
2ND: PULHAM HAZEL 17TH, OWNED AND BRED BY PRJ & LR VINCENT
3RD: FREE TOWN DEFT, OWNED AND BRED BY R A BRADSTOCK & PARTNERS
4TH: ADZOR TRIXIE, OWNED AND BRED BY DJ MAKIN
5TH: HAVEN LADY LYNDA 59TH, OWNED AND BRED BY E L LEWIS & SON
CLASS F6
Heifer, Born On Or Between 1st April 2020 And 31st August 2020
(10 Entries)
1ST: HAYESTONE WYANDOT, OWNED AND BRED BY A G CORK
2ND: BECKHALL PRINCESS KATIE, OWNED AND BRED BY B VINCENT
3RD: TWILIGHT CERES 688, OWNED AND BRED BY AG, LE & AA GIFFORD
4TH: BOYCEFIELD CURLY 30TH, OWNED AND BRED BY J LEWIS
5TH: ELWESS GYPSY T28, OWNED AND BRED BY V ELWESS
CLASS F7
Heifer, Born On Or Between 1st Sept 2020 And 31st December 2020
(14 Entries)
1ST: PULHAM BLOSSOM 29TH, OWNED AND BRED BY PRJ & LR VINCENT
2ND: PULHAM DIADEM 6TH, OWNED AND BRED BY PRJ & LR VINCENT
3RD: HAVEN THRUSH 74TH, OWNED AND BRED BY E L LEWIS & SON
4TH: HAVEN LOUISA 93RD, OWNED AND BRED BY E L LEWIS & SON
5TH: DIEULACRESSE ANNIE V915, OWNED AND BRED BY MESSRS SPOONER
CLASS F8
Heifer, Born On Or Between 1st January 2021 And 30th April 2021
(21 Entries)
1ST: BROUGHAN JUBILEE, OWNED AND BRED BY S CURRY
2ND: BROUGHAN JUNIPER, OWNED AND BRED BY S CURRY
3RD: DIEULACRESSE DOWAGER 56TH, OWNED AND BRED BY MESSRS SPOONER
4TH: PULHAM PANSY 28TH, OWNED AND BRED BY PRJ & LR VINCENT
5TH: HIGH HOUSE DOWAGER V17, OWNED AND BRED BY JR WHITLOW
CLASS B11
Bull, Born On Or Before 31st December 2017
(7 Entries)
1ST: HAVEN ROVER, OWNED BY DJ MAKIN, BRED BY E L LEWIS & SON
2ND: PULHAM PROVIDENCE, OWNED BY G & T MORTON, BRED BY PRJ & LR VINCENT
3RD: AUCKVALE PANACHE 1639P, OWNED BY OXTON FARM, BRED BY W & R KEMP & SONS
4TH: MARA PARAMOUNT, OWNED BY MESSRS SPOONER, BRED BY MR R & MRS M BORWICK
5TH: LAXFIELD MINSTREL, OWNED BY MRS S COWLE, BRED BY D C SMITH & SONS
CLASS B12
Bull, Born On Or Between 1st January 2018 And 31st August 2019
(7 Entries)
1ST: DRUMATEE ROCKET, OWNED BY JR WHITLOW, BRED BY J CONLON
2ND: BORDER SALERNO S19, OWNED BY DJ MAKIN, BRED BY S QUAN & CO
3RD: HAVEN SHERLOCK, OWNED BY D THURMAN, BRED BY E L LEWIS & SON
4TH: HAYES SHAKA, OWNED AND BRED BY MISS H CORK
5TH: HAVEN SNOWDON, OWNED BY J LAWRENCE, BRED BY E L LEWIS & SON
CLASS B13
Bull, Born On Or Between 1st September 2019 And 31st December 2019
(7 Entries)
1ST: FREE TOWN TRUMAN, OWNED AND BRED BY R A BRADSTOCK & PARTNERS
2ND: FREE TOWN TALENT, OWNED AND BRED BY R A BRADSTOCK & PARTNERS
3RD: HIGHHEDGES TREHANGR, OWNED AND BRED BY MRS S COWLE
4TH: HIGH HOUSE TOMMY, OWNED AND BRED BY J R WHITLOW
5TH: FREE TOWN TIGER, OWNED BY R & N BIRCHALL, BRED BY BRED BY R A BRADSTOCK & PARTNERS
CLASS B14
Bull, Born On Or Between 1st January 2020 And 31st August 2020
(17 Entries)
1ST: DIEULACRESSE TIC TAC, OWNED AND BRED BY MESSRS SPOONER
2ND: HAVEN THEO, OWNED AND BRED BY E L LEWIS & SON
3RD: BROUGHAN ICE, OWNED AND BRED BY S CURRY
4TH: BRAMBLES BALENCIAGA, OWNED AND BRED BY D THURMAN
5TH: ALBANY LONE RANGER, OWNED AND BRED BY F W COOK & SON
CLASS B15
Bull Calf, Born On Or Between 1st September 2020 And 31st December 2020
(9 Entries)
1ST: PULHAM VANGUARD, OWNED AND BRED BY PRJ & LR VINCENT
2ND: PULHAM VA VA VOOM, OWNED AND BRED BY PRJ & LR VINCENT
3RD: HAVEN VIRTUAL, OWNED AND BRED BY E L LEWIS & SON
4TH: BOYCEFIELD VIRAT, OWNED AND BRED BY J LEWIS
5TH: HAVEN VOLTAGE, OWNED AND BRED BY E L LEWIS & SON
CLASS B16
Bull Calf, Born On Or Between 1st January 2021 And 30th April 2021
(15 Entries)
1ST: LAXFIELD SILVERADO, OWNED AND BRED BY D C SMITH & SONS
2ND: LAXFIELD CONDOR, OWNED AND BRED BY D C SMITH & SONS
3RD: DIEULACRESSE VERNON, OWNED AND BRED BY MESSRS SPOONER
4TH: DIEULACRESSE VIMTO, OWNED AND BRED BY MESSRS SPOONER
5TH: ELWESS VICTORY, OWNED AND BRED BY V ELWESS