Awarded the British White Breed Championship at the Royal Three Counties Show on Friday 14th June was the 4-year-old homebred stock bull Castleton Ken from CMB, JAW & DM Wright, Tretower, the same exhibit then moving forward to take the RBST Watchlist Interbreed Championship at the event on Sunday 16th amongst strong competition in all sections. Taking the Reserve Breed Championship in the British White classes was the 2021-born first-calver Tismans Peony (VG85) from Mr C Davis, Honiton, the Davis family being particularly excited about their achievement on their debut appearance at the Royal Three Counties.
Judging the largest entry of British White cattle for any show in 2024 was professional stockman Keith Jempson, whose extensive list of breeds worked with over the years at one time included the Cleland British White and Hereford herds in Berkshire. Commenting on his final Championship line up, Mr Jempson remarked: "When I saw this bull [Castleton Ken] walk into the first class this morning, I thought that there would have to be a very good animal to come out and beat him today - and I have certainly had some great entries come forward - but I fell in love with him and have ended up taking him right through to stand as Breed Champion. My reserve is this wonderful cow [Tismans Peony], a nice-sized working female in just the right condition. Thank you to all of the British White exhibitors for bringing out some lovely cattle for me to judge, and to the Royal Three Counties Show, our ring steward Gerald Cox, and Breed Secretary Sarah Cook for organising the exhibits and prizes."
Other class winners included two bulls from Mr J Brain, Stratford-upon-Avon, whose homebred bulls Lordswood Finley (born 2022) and Lordswood Jonte (born 2023) both won their classes, with Finley also awarded the Reserve Grand Male & Reserve Senior Male Champion awards, and Jonte the Junior Male and Overall Junior Championships, rounding out a successful day for the Brain family.
First prize in the senior cow class went to Mrs E Astbury, Cheltenham, with the homebred cow Marshbrook Dragonfly (VG87), eight years old and shown alongside her sixth calf, a strong bull calf sired by Marshbrook Mallow's Pride (EX90).
Picking up first prizes in both heifer classes was the Dallyashes herd of Mrs A Hamilton, Carmarthen, with 2022-born heifer Dallyashes Heloise also taking the Reserve Grand Female & Reserve Senior Female Championships, and the maiden Dallyashes Tisket-A-Tasket winning the prize for best Junior Female.
The final two classes of the day were for the Best Calf, won by the promising March-born bull calf Waun Wern Lamington from Mr M Jones, Carmarthen, and the Best Pair of Animals, won by the pair of Lordswood yearlings - bull Lordswood Jonte and heifer Lordswood Ada - from Mr J Brain.
Congratulations to all of the BWCS exhibitors who came together to put on this turnout of cattle across all three days, and provided hospitality and merriment for our breeders and guests throughout. We would also like to thank the Three Counties Agricultural Society along with their judges, stewards and staff for another enjoyable event. The next Royal Three Counties Show will be held from Fri 13 to Sun 15 June 2025.
RESULTS
Watchlist Interbreed Champion, Breed Champion (Harrow Farm Perpetual Trophy), Grand & Senior Male Champion (Alcroft Perpetual Trophy) Castleton Ken, CMB, JAW & DM Wright
Reserve Breed Champion, Grand & Senior Female Champion (Pip Perry Perpetual Trophy) Tismans Peony, Mr C Davis
Reserve Grand & Reserve Senior Male Champion Lordswood Finley, Mr J Brain
Reserve Grand & Reserve Senior Female Champion Dallyashes Heloise, Mrs A Hamilton
Junior Champion (Dallyashes Halberd Perpetual Trophy), Junior Male Champion Lordswood Jonte, Mr J Brain
Reserve Junior Champion, Junior Female Champion Dallyashes Tisket-A-Tasket, Mrs A Hamilton
Bull, born in 2021 or before 1st Castleton Ken, CMB, JAW & DM Wright
Bull, born in 2022 1st Lordswood Finley, Mr J Brain; 2nd Cadarn Cargo, Mr M Kennett; 3rd Marshbrook Firecracker, Mrs E Astbury
Bull, born in 2023 1st Lordswood Jonte, Mr J Brain; 2nd Athelstan Freddie, Mr B Pickford; 3rd Cadarn Scania, Mr M Kennett
Cow in calf or in milk, born before 1 Jan 2021 1st Marshbrook Dragonfly, Mrs E Astbury; 2nd Athelstan Anastasia, Mr B Pickford; 3rd Dallyashes Lappet, Mr M Jones
Cow or heifer in calf or in milk born in 2021 1st Tismans Peony, Mr C Davis
Heifer born in 2022 1st Dallyashes Heloise, Mrs A Hamilton; 2nd Marshbrook Bluebell, Mrs E Astbury
Heifer born in 2023 1st Dallyashes Tisket-A-Tasket, Mrs A Hamilton; 2nd Lordswood Ada, Mr J Brain; 3rd Waun Wern Loli, Mr M Jones; 4th Cadarn Starburst, Mr M Kennett; 5th Marshbrook Debutante, Mrs E Astbury; 6th Marshbrook Snapdragon, Mrs E Astbury
Bull or heifer calf 1st Waun Wern Lamington, Mr M Jones; 2nd Marshbrook Flash, Mrs E Astbury; 3rd Old Wolford Pika, Mr C Davis
Pair of animals 1st Lordswood, Mr J Brain; 2nd Athelstan, Mr B Pickford; 3rd Cadarn, Mr M Kennet; 4th Marshbrook, Mrs E Astbury
GALLERY
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