ROYAL SHOW 2008

Thursday 3 July
Judge: Stuart Bothwell

Prize List

pictures to follow 

Charolais at The Royal

The Royal Show staged at Kenilworth, Warwickshire last week suffered a massive reduction in entries due to the impact of bluetongue movement restrictions, however the quality of Charolais cattle forward was of a high standard culminating in Cotehouse Cockenzie carrying off both the junior breed and junior interbreed championships.

 Cockenzie, who was making her showring debut, was a 13 month old maiden bred and exhibited by Don Marshall, Scropton Derby. Sired by Doonally New and out of a homebred cow, in addition to the junior titles, she also collected the reserve breed female award and the best exhibitor bred female.

 Mr Marshall, whose Mertrux business sponsored the Charolais awards, also found himself in the limelight with his other entry, Killadeas Barney was awarded the supreme male and overall breed championship. A rising two year old bull owned jointly with Peter Donger, Foxley, Towcester, Barney was by Dunlon Ulick and out of a heifer by the 10,000gns Harestone Nighthawk.

 Led to victory by Seawell herdsman, Glen Welsh, Barney has already enjoyed a highly successful journey during his short career; 12 months ago he collected the male title at the NI National Charolais Show, Fintona before going on to be described as a ‘dream’ bull in Perth where he scooped the junior and overall supreme championship and was knocked down sold for 13,000gns in a two way bid to Messrs Marshall and Donger to work among their respective Cotehouse and Seawell herds which amount to more than 400 cows. This season on English soil he has claimed the interbreed title at Stafford, and reserve interbreed at Derbyshire.

 At the Royal, Barney found himself back face to face with his breeder, Stuart Bothwell, Ballinamallard, County Fermanagh who had been appointed to do the honours, leaving UA auctioneer, David Leggat to act as official umpire and make the final decision in each class he appeared in. “Barney was an easy choice, he is a very clean modern bull with tremendous conformation, and would appeal to a lot of commercial producers,” said Mr Leggat.

 Mr Bothwell found his female and overall reserve champion in Marwood Beaumont, a two year old in calf heifer exhibited by Colin and Gaynor McDowell, Billesdon, Leicester. Bred by the Blyth family, Ray, Jean, Neil and Kirsty, she was sired by the 15,000gns Perth intermediate champion, Inverlochy Passport and out of a Mowbraypark dam. Beaumont caught the eye of the McDowell father and daughter partnership at the Christmas Cracker, in Carlisle, in November where they secured her to add to their 12 cow herd. Since then, she was been in the limelight at the Newark where she claimed the junior female interbreed champion, together with breed title at Cheshire and reserve breed award at Stafford.

 Near neighbours, James and Vanessa Webb, of Billesdon, Leicester found themselves in reserve male place with their senior stock bull, Newroddige Bruno. Secured towards the end of last year in a private deal from the Derbyshire based Newroddige Partnership to run with their 36 cow Rushfield herd, this January 2006 born entry was by the 15,000gns Burradon Talisman, sire of the 55,000gns Perth intermediate champion, Thrunton Voldemort and out of a Clinterty bred dam. Bruno was no stranger to the ring; at the Royal he claimed his seventh award of the season achieved on as many outings which found him in pole place on three occasions and taking the reserve slot on the remainder.

 The best junior male and best exhibitor bred titles went to Roundshill Cally, exhibited by local breeder, John Bostock, Kenilworth. This 14 month old was by his homebred Roundshill Amorous and out of a homebred cow.