Will Tucker of the Gower herd had the tough job of judging a fantastic entry of Charolais at the Royal Cornwall Show, and he found his champion in Michael and Melanie Alford’s outstanding heifer, Larahill Violet.
Bred in Ireland by John O’Connor, this August 2024-born heifer, went onto enjoy further success at the show, taking the reserve inter-breed cattle championship and being part of the pair that won the reserve junior inter-breed pair title, along with J Gregory’s Burradon Admiral. Sired by Neptune and out of the Balmyle Vagabond daughter, Ballydownan Maggie, she was bought by the Alfords last September at the National Calf show and sale in Carrick-on-Shannon, where she had been placed senior female champion.
For reserve breed champion, Mr Tucker selected another heifer from the Alfords’ team. That was Liscally Angel, a 17-month-old heifer bred by Jon Regan and also purchased at Carrick-on-Shannon. A daughter of Fiston, her dam is the Doonally New-sired Liscally Rachel.
Taking the male championship was Gretnahouse Utopia, from Roger Hopper, Penfound, Bude, Cornwall. This three-year-old bull, by Lochend Nighthawk and out of Gretnahouse Iusilla, had stood male and reserve overall champion at last year’s show. He was bought at the Gretnahouse dispersal as a seven-month-old calf.
Finishing reserve male champion was Trenestrall Viking, a home-bred bull from WF Palmer and Son, Ruan Highlanes, Truro, Cornwall. This two-year-old is by Caylers Pioneer and out of the Fairway Jazz daughter, Trenestrall Olwen.
Class results:
Bull born before 1st January 2025
1 – Gretnahouse Utopia, R Hooper
2 – Trenestrall Viking, WF Palmer & Son
3- – Polgoda Volcano, DR & B Stacey
Bull born on or after 1st January 2025 and before 30th April 2025
1 Burradon Admiral, J Gregory
2 – Trefrawl Angus, PR & AM Hooper & Son
3 – Penhargard Apollo, TJ Stacey & Son
Class 236 – Heifer born after 1st January 2024:
1 – Larahill Violet, M & M Alford
2 – Liscally Valerie, M & M Alford
3 – Trenestrall Volauvent, WF Palmer & Son
Class 237 – Heifer born on or after 1st January 2025 and before 30th April 2025:
1 – Liscally Angel, M & M Alford
2 – Polgoda April, DR & B Stacey
3 – Willowbridge Annie, Miss F Gray
Class 238 – Bull or Heifer born on or after 1st May 2025:
1 – Starlight Altitude, W Glover
2 – Trefrawl Aceman, PR & AM Hooper & Son
Class 239 – Pair of animals
1 – M & M Alford
2 – WF Palmer & Son
Special Awards
Best Charolais Male Bred & Exhibited by a South-West Member
Trenestrall Viking, WF Palmer & Son
Best Exhibitor Bred
Trenestrall Viking, WF Palmer & Son
Best Charolais Bred & Owned by an Exhibitor Resident in Cornwall
Trenestrall Viking, WF Palmer & Son
Best Charolais Female Bred & Exhibited by a South-West Member
Trenestrall Volauvent, WF Palmer & Son
Male Championship
Champion Male – Gretnahouse Utopia, R Hooper
Reserve Male Champion – Trenestrall Viking, WF Palmer & Son
Female Championship
Female Champion – Larahill Violet, M & M Alford
Reserve Female Champion – Liscally Angel, M & M Alford
Overall Championship
Overall Champion – Larahill Violet, M & M Alford
Reserve Overall Champion – Liscally Angel, M & M Alford
Royal Cornwal Show
It was the bulls that dominated the quality show of Charolais at the Royal Cornwall Show,
capably judged by Alistair Lyle, of the Lyles herd in Yeovil, Somerset.
Taking the male and overall championship titles was the two-year-old Hollywell Unclebob,
from Michael and Melanie Alford, Foxhill Farm, Cullompton, Devon. A Nuthampstead Judas
son, out of Hollywell Rouge, he was bought for 14,000gns at Stirling last October. This
impressive bull had also stood overall breed champion at Devon County Show, last month.
Following him all the way, the reserve male champion went onto finish reserve overall
champion. That was Gretnahouse Utopia, a two-year-old Lochend Nighthawk son, out of
Gretnahouse Iusilla, from RS Hopper’s Penfound Charolais herd in Bude. He had been
bought for 16,000gns as a seven-month-old calf, from the Gretnahouse dispersal.
Taking the lead in the female section was the 14-month-old heifer, Foxhillfarm Victorious,
another from Michael and Melanie Alford. Like the reserve male champion, she is sired by
Lochend Nighthawk, with her dam being Gretnahouse Masweety. This heifer is already well
accustomed to the show ring, having had success at some of the calf shows last winter, before
taking the reserve female title at Devon County Show.
Reserve in the females was the home-bred two-year-old heifer, Trenestrall Udon, from the
Palmer family’s herd in Truro, Cornwall. A second prize winner at last year’s show, she’s a
daughter of Caylers Pioneer and out of Trenestrall Pasta, by Balmyle Neptune.
Class results:
(Judge: Alistair Lyle)
Bull born before 1 st January 2024:
1 st – Hollywell Unclebob, Mr and Mrs M Alford
2 nd – Gretnahouse Utopia, Roger Hopper
Bull born on or after 1 st January 2024 and before 30 th April 2024:
1 st – Polgoda Volcano, DR and B Stacey
2 nd – Penhargard Vancouver, TJ Stacey and Son
3 rd – Trenestrall Viking, WF Palmer and Son
Heifer born on or after 1 st January 2023:
1 st – Trenestrall Udon, WF Palmer and Son
Heifer born on or after 1 st January 2024 and before 30 th April 2024:
1 st – Foxhill Farm Victorious, Mr and Mrs M Alford
2 nd – Polgoda Vanessa, DR and B Stacey
3 rd – Trenestrall Volauvent, WF Palmer and Son
Bull or heifer born on or after 1 st May 2024:
1 st – Kurlycoat Viking, Jake Gregory
2 nd – Shamleys Volunteer, Hannah Payne and Steven Ley
Pair of animals:
1 st – DR and B Stacey
2 nd – WF Palmer and Son
Champion male – Hollywell Unclebob, Mr and Mrs Alford
Reserve champion male – Gretnahouse Utopia, Roger Hopper
Best Charolais male bred and exhibited by a Southwest member – Kurlycoat Viking, Jake
Gregory
Champion female – Foxhillfarm Victorious, Mr and Mrs M Alford
Reserve champion female – Trenestrall Udon, WF Palmer and Son
The Peter Watts Memorial Trophy – Foxhillfarm Victorious, Mr and Mrs M Alford
Kivells Silver Cup – Hollywell Unclebob, Mr and Mrs Alford
Overall champion – Hollywell Unclebob, Mr and Mrs Alford
Reserve overall champion – Gretnahouse Utopia, Roger Hopper