Over 6000 farmers and key players in the milk industry turned out to join in the celebrations at an action-packed Silver Jubilee Dairy Show which saw the cream of the country’s cattle on parade.
And with a Royal visitor, record entries for both tradestands, exhibitors and cattle, and a host of awards commemorating people’s hard work, dedication and success stories in the dairy industry, organisers and visitors voted the show the best ever.
In the last 25 years the number of dairy farmers has halved and herd sizes have doubled, but the South West is still one of the three major areas for milk producers in the country, show chairman Edwin White said. And the show was an important platform and meeting place for everyone involved in the industry.
Cattle entries were up by 30 per cent and trade stands up by 40 per cent on last year’s figures. A total of 328 cattle – compared to 241 last year – turned out at the Bath & West Showground for the Show on Wednesday, October 5th.
Cattle exhibitors were up by 19 to 69, and there were 270 trade stands, (including 35 new ones making their debut at the Show), booked in, compared to 252 last year.
Her Royal Highness, The Countess of Wessex, was guest of honour at the Dairy Industry Dinner on the eve of the Show and joined in the celebrations the Show the following day. It was her second visit to the Showground – she attended last year’s Royal Bath and West Show.
Her Royal Highness watched the Juniors’ Showmanship Classes which were judged at the reception before the dinner. Twelve year old Milly Shipley from Glebeland, London Road, Wendover, Buckinghamshire, won the Showmanship Class for youngsters aged 13 and under and also beat fellow handlers up to six years older than her to scoop the Champion Showmanship award with her 14 month old Jersey calf, Wellhead Rocket Patsy, which she reared and trained herself.
During the dinner Her Royal Highness presented the coveted Dairy Industry Award to David Handley, the founder and chairman of Farmers for Action, in recognition of his services to the dairy industry.
Key speaker at the dinner was Barry Wilson, one of the leading lights in agricultural journalism and the man behind Dairy Industry Newsletter and British Dairying. He also gave a talk at the Show.
During the Show on Wednesday The Countess toured stands, met exhibitors and guests and presented the South West Dairy Farm Business of the Year Award, to delighted Crewkerne farmer Stuart Bacon. He beat off stiff competition from Devon farmers Heather and Richard Gibson of Tiverton, and Will and Jo Jones of Crediton, who were runners up in the competition sponsored by Barclays Bank and Milk Link which attracted entries from across the south west.
Her Royal Highness also presented the show’s top award to Worcestershire Holstein breeder Richard Bown who took the Supreme Cattle Championship with his senior in-milk cow Ketby Bud.
Located in the heart of one of the main dairy regions in the UK, the Show sponsored by Nat West Dairy Crest and Farmers Guardian is recognized as one of the country’s top speciality shows for farmers.
Other highlights included the The Calf Show, Showmanship Classes open to all juniors and The Interbreed Heifer Championship.
Richard Bown also won the Interbreed Heifer Championship with his Holstein Richaven Mattador Squaw. The Cattle Presentation was won by the Wadman family, Jersey farmers from Holton, Wincanton.
The top breeder awards were as follows:
- Holstein – M A & R A Bown, from Worcestershire with 22 points
- Brown Swiss – M & J Edwards from Malmesbury with 12 points
- Ayrshire - G Timbrell & Son from Poole Keynes, near Cirencester with 15 points
- Dairy Shorthorn – WH & SJ Rawlins from Figheldean, Salisbury, with 22 points
- Guernsey – Sansom Partners, from Chettle, near Blandford with 22 points
- Jersey – Murray Farms, from Pattingham, Wolverhampton, with 20 points
Reserve Champion at the Show was an Ayrshire cow, Hunnington Joy Bell, bred by C and L Window from Hunnington, Worcestershire.
New features this year included Brown Swiss classes, sponsored by Future Genetics, plus a Special Silver Jubilee points accumulator competition for breeders, sponsored by Kingfisher Veterinary Practice
The popular Education Trail was back – taking 80 youngsters from schools around the region on a fun fact-finding tour round the show.
The Show had demonstration trial plots of Elephant Grass, Hemp, Crambe, and Willow as part of its drive towards to sustainable production in its Renewable Britain programme.
Up to date information and advice was on offer from experts at the wide range of tradestands, and the very latest techniques, systems and machinery were on display. And Shropshire-based Thomas and Fontaine Ltd. demonstrated their Secure Block Tyre Recover Service throughout the day alongside Kelvin Cave’s Murska Crimping/Bagging Demonstration.
To mark the Show’s Silver Jubilee a special cake was baked – in the shape of a calf. And commemorative paperweights were also presented to all tradestand and cattle exhibitors who had been at the very first show.
But one the most moving moments of the Show came at the Dairy Industry Dinner when Her Royal Highness presented a surprise special award of an engraved decanter to show founder Philip Snell from Yeovil.
And, to applause from fellow guest, Edwin White paid tribute to Mr Snell for having the foresight and vision to create the show all those 25 years ago.