Who runs the world? Girls, at National Poll Show

It was certainly a day dominated by female power at The National Poll Hereford Show, held at Moreton-in-Marsh. Judge Mrs Mary Reynolds, Bordan, Hants, made history as the first female judge to proceed over what attendees would say is the most anticipated show in the poll breeders’ calendar. With a large number of entries to choose from, Mrs Reynolds had the challenging task of selecting this year’s champion but came armed with the desire to find ‘a modern, well fleshed, clean animal with tremendous locomotion’. The weather was kind, which helped drawing the crowds to the ringside, including television personality Jeremy Clarkson and his partner, Lisa Hogan, much to the delight of Top Gear and Clarkson’s Farms fans within the Hereford tent.

 

The appearance of Mr Clarkson was soon overshadowed by what the judge described as a ‘sweet clean and modern heifer’. Yet to celebrate her first birthday, Porton House 1 Jane 4th, from Paul and Vicky Moyles, Newport, Gwent, hit a career-high on her first outing securing her a permanent position within the Porton House herd. 

 

First stepping into the ring, Jane won her class ‘heifer, born on or after 1st November 2022’ there she moved from strength to strength again catching the judges’ eye, claiming both Junior and Grand Female rosettes.

 

After having a brief rest within the straw, she returned to the ring to claim the overall Junior Champion title and the coveted Supreme Champion ribbon.

 

 

A previous Christmas Calf Show winner Rempstone 1 Bonny N655 from M.Ludgate, Thame, Oxfordshire saw sucess on the Saturday. With winning blood being in her DNA, Bonnys sire, Dendor 1 Nairobi, won the Junior Male Champion title at both the National Poll Show and Kington in 2016, at six months of age. Mary commended the heifer on how well she paraded and again for being a ‘nice modern sort’. 

 

Bonny started her streak of wins in Heifer born on or between 1st April 2022 and 30th April 2022, climbing up the ladder taking the intermediate female and reserve grand female title and finishing the day alongside Porton House 1 Jane 4th as reserve overall champion.

 

 

Kingsland 1 Wolf has totted up a ream of awards this summer, parading rings from Yorkshire to Builth Wells. Working his magic at Moreton, this March 2022-born bull from S and H O’Kane, Adfa, Powys first caught Judge Mary’s eye in Bull born on or between 1st March and 30th April 2022 class. He went on to increase his rosette collection, claiming the top spot in intermediate male championship and finishing on a high with Grand Male Champion. A son of the 2018 Royal Welsh champion Gouldingpoll 1 Moonshine, it is out of Kingsland 1 Lily 1st which is from the Lily line at Dendor.

 

 

Moving up the ranks alongside Kingsland 1 Wolf, Normanton 1 Warnie W980 was tapped out as reserve in the grand male and intermediate male championship. From TD & WT Livesey, sired by Gouldingpoll 1 Gold Spice.

*Normanton 1 Warnie W980 will be available for purchase at the Society Autumn Show and Sale (Lot number 42 in the Catalogue)* 

 

Coming out on top in the junior male championship and claiming reserve in the overall junior championship, following success in his class bull born on or between 1st September and 31st October 2022, was Coley 1 Alexander from Heather Whittaker. Sired by Dendor 1 Sherlock, out of Kammerherre Kati.

Another Coley bull bringing home the goods, Coley 1 Ariel took reserve junior male champion, alongside stablemate Alexander, owning the junior bull championship, after winning red in bull born on or after 1st November 2022.

 

 

Part of the winning team of three, Spartan 1 Jen 4th, from SC & GL Hartwright, stood as reserve intermediate female champion after being tapped out as first in Heifer born on or between 1st March and 31st March 2022. Sired by Solpoll 1 Perfection, last year’s sire of the year and out of Englefield 1 Jen 5th.

 

*Spartan 1 Jen 4th will be available for purchase at the Society Autumn Show and Sale (Lot number 16 in the Catalogue)* 

 

 

Rempstone 1 Fashion N584 from M Ludgate, Thame Oxfordshire, saw previous success as the bridesmaid in the senior female championship at Moreton last year but this year steps up to claim the senior female champion rosette following her success in her class, senior cow with her own calf-at-foot. By Solpoll 1 Nobility, she is out of Kinglee 1 Fashion 304, which goes back to Costhorpe breeding.

 

 

Another success story from the Keadyview herd saw Keadyview 1 Pippa Kicks named reserve senior female champion following her class win. Hot on the tail of her success gaining the same title at Buck County Show days prior. Mary described Pippa Kicks as ‘a long, clean modern heifer’.

 

 

Brought forward by the judge for her size and power, Sky high 1 Lavish Lucy, from B. Birch & G Brindley took home the reserve junior champion accolade following her success in heifer born on or between 1st September and 31st October 2022. Sired by Gouldingpoll 1 Stockman, out of Sky high 1 L’amour Lucy.

 

 

Following success in his class, bull born on or between 1st January and 31st August 2021, Reserve Senior Male Champion title was taken home by Kinglee 1 Verlou from Pete Cobley, Stoney Stanton, Leicestershire. By the 3100gns Cleland 1 Nelson, he is out of Kinglee 1 Nicole.

 

 

Standing beside Kinglee 1 Verlou as reserve senior male was Spartan 1 Voyager SP V138, from SC & GL Hartwright, sired by Solpol 1 Perfection, out of Panmure 1 Plum K19, the full brother to the Spartan hero Spartan 1 Typhoon. Typhoon had a whirlwind season last year sweeping up at the National Poll show, and Great Yorkshire show, moving on to be named champion of Europe as well as UK Bull of the Year. This well-admired bull then closed the year on a high, breaking records for a poll sale reaching 16000gns at Designer Genes.

 

 

Newtoncroft 1 Whole Lot of Fun from Newtoncroft Farms, sired by Hawkesbury 1 Swift took home the red rosette in Bull born on or between 1st January and 28th February 2022.

 

 

Dendor 1 Jano 23rd, sired by Pepperstock 1 Trigger from D.E., E.D. & A.L. Jones, was tapped out as the victor in heifer born on or between 1st May and 31st August 2022. Early this season, Jano 23rd snagged the red rosette at the Royal Welsh show in her class heifer born after April ’22.

 

 

Dendor 1 Atlas has had a busy summer, attended three shows, and won at each. The latest of these triumphs for D.E., E.D. & A.L. Jones, is his in Bull born on or between 1st May and 31st August 2022.

*Dendor 1 Atlas will be available for purchase at the Society Autumn Show and Sale (Lot number 51 in the Catalogue)* 

 

Winning Heifer born between 1st September and 31st December 2020, with her own calf-at-foot born in 2023, Rempstone 1 Anna Mary D594, bred by M Ludgate and owned by Dr E Williams. Dr E Williams, Denbighshire, Holetown Herd joined the society in 2022 and purchased Anna Mary at the Designer Genes sale last December for 6,000gns.

 

 

Allwood 1 Greta from F.J Wood & Sons, sired by Kilvrough 1 Thomas, out of Dendor 1 Greta 33 won heifer born on or between 1st January 2022 and 28th February 2022.

 

 

R & R.I Shaw, Ledsham, Cheshire saw success in the pairs with Hallwood 1 Sprite, sired by Hallwood 1 Theodore and Hallwood 1 Apollo, sired by Dorepoll 1 93N Nationwide.

 

 

Both groups of three classes were led by a trio from SC & GL Hartwright, with the progeny group all sired by Solpoll 1 Perfection, this being the second consecutive year the Spartan herd have come out on top in the group classes.