Welsh bred Charolais cross scoops supreme Scottish title

A Welsh bred Charolais cross heifer exhibited by Robin Roberts and Leri Hughes was awarded the supreme championship at the Royal Highland Winter Fair staged at Ingliston, Edinburgh on Wednesday 26 November. Called Smarty Pants, she was bred by A, F and D Jones, Betws-y-coed, Conwy and purchased in a private deal by Mr Roberts, a fencing contractor who manages a smallholding at Bodssord, Llangesni, Anglesey.

Sired by a Ross bred Charolais bull, the 18 month heifer who tipped the scales at 630kg, had been much admired throughout the relaunched event which attracted over 245 entries, while for judge, Donald MacPherson, Berwick-on-Tweed, she was an ‘easy winner’. “Smarty Pants has power, style and she is extremely well shown,” he said.

For her exhibiter, the accolade came after more than 10 years of exhibiting at the Scottish event. “It was indeed a very big honour to return the title and the accompanying trophy to Wales, the second time in its entire history, after we’ve competed against and respected Scottish cattleman on a regular basis since 1996. We’re over the moon,” said Mr Roberts who jointly exhibited the heifer with his girlfriend, Leri Hughes.

Smarty Pants was no stranger to the ring; she began her show career this season at the Royal Welsh where she was awarded the reserve commercial title and went on to scoop five champion titles, together with the supreme champion at the East of England Winter Stock Fair, the champion Charolais and reserve commercial heifer titles at Countryside Live, Harrogate and she was placed second in her class at Agri Expo, Carlisle. She sold later in the day at the Royal Highland Winter Fair for £7,000 to Tom Hughes, Anglesey.

The only Welsh exhibitor to make the 700 mile round trip to the event was Will Owen, Braich y Saint, Criccieth who was the first ever to take home the Winter Fair silverware to Wales back in 2004. This year he headed two sections. The homebred Deunawd Carol, a 16 month old 540kg heifer by Deunawd Moses and out of a Penfold bred cow secured the pure Charolais title, while Mr Owen was in top slot in the Charolais cross section with the 13 month old Crackerjack, a 540kg homebred steer by Caedr Regal and out of his prize winning homebred Charolais cross, Lady MacOwen.

A Charolais cross also headed up the lightweight heifer section: honours went to the Paton and Hunter team’s yearling, Hazey Jane, bred by D and R Durno and Sons, Glenlivet and sired by Glenlivet Singlemalt.

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