All-Breeds All-Britain Calf Show 2015

Complete Photo Galleries

Links to Results
Showmanship
Holstein Calf Classes
Jersey Calf Classes
Ayrshire Calf Classes

Complete Photo Galleries are now available for the All-Breeds All-Britain Calf Show, for you to view, share and purchase photos.  The show took place October 17th-18th at Three Counties Showgrounds in Malvern, Worcestershire, UK, with complete Cowsmo coverage provided by Holstein UK, UK Jersey Society & UK Ayrshire Society.

Schedule of Events
FRIDAY 16th OCTOBER
12:00hrs – 22:00hrs Calves arrive on site
18:00hrs – 18:30hrs Coordinator Briefing in Show Office
19:30hrs – 20:30hrs Showmanship Demonstration in Main Ring (Avon Hall)
23:00hrs Stockmans Bar closure

SATURDAY 17th OCTOBER
10:00hrs – 15:00hrs Showmanship Classes
12:00hrs Best Presented Stand Judgement
15:00hrs – 17:00hrs Littlestar Interviews
20:00hrs – 00:00hrs Young Breeders Celebration in Teme Hall

SUNDAY 18th OCTOBER
09:00hrs Individual Breed Calf Classes Commence in Avon Hall
14:00hrs Red & White Holstein Championship in Avon Hall
14:30hrs Individual Breed Championships in Avon Hall
15:00hrs Champion Parade & Presentations in Main Ring, Avon Hall
16:00hrs Departure

Can you tell us a little bit about your judging experience?
I’ve had the privilege of judging in Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, France, Spain, Ireland, Belgium, Slovania, Poland, UK and I’m judging in Italy later this year. The highlight of my judging is seeing how strong the competition is between the competitors.

What are your proudest showmanship achievements?
When I started clipping there weren’t many competitions in Holland – we didn’t have 4H or Young Breeders. I was actually part of the group who set up HHH Young Breeders and I started teaching.

What other achievements have you had in the show ring?
I’ve had a lot of fun showing cows, the highlight is probably leading a second prize winner at World Dairy Expo. I’ve led 11 National champions in Holland and led National champions in Spain, Italy and Belgium. It is nice to handle the champions, but the biggest achievement as a handler is showing something that isn’t so easy to lead. However, it takes more than a good handler to win the show – it is the whole team, the clippers and the people who’ve fed and prepared the animal.
I really enjoy the preparation and build up and I get enjoyment out of seeing cows enter the ring in the best possible form. It is more rewarding for me to prepare a champion than just lead her.

What do you aspire to win in the show ring?
Madison is the show to win as it’s where the whole dairy world comes together. The top cows from Canada and America compete there, so it’s great just to get a ribbon.

Who do you think is the best showman in the world?
There are many good showmen but for me Donald De Bois was the best I’ve known. He was a very good friend, but he was so quiet and skilled on the halter – he was very good at hiding animals’ faults.

What qualities are you looking for in the handlers?
The importance of showmanship is in the word – handlers should have control over the whole situation. The handler should have an even balance of attention between the heifer and the judge. The harmony between heifer and handler should be obvious and this comes from having control over the heifer.

Are there any areas you will be particularly hard on?
I hate lack of attention. I like a natural, smooth handler and don’t like someone that shows themselves more than the calf. When the standard is so strong it comes down to the smallest mistakes.

Introducing the coloured breeds showmanship judge for this weekends All Britain calf show……Rebecca Jarvis

Having being brought up on a Dairy Farm milking Pedigree Friesians, my interest in the Dairy Industry started at an early age. In 1984, my parents finally gave in and bought me 2 Jersey heifers as a Christmas present and as my interest in cattle developed, I registered my own prefix in the Holsteins and started up the Braimber herd. The size of the farm is insufficient to warrant my full time commitment and so for the past 13 years I have been employed as a Feed Representative by I’Anson Bros Ltd, Masham.

My main hobby has always been showing and after winning a trip to Canada to learn the art of preparing and presenting animals in the show ring, my involvement with both the Holstein and Jersey Young Members flourished. As a young member, I was fortunate to win the UK National Jersey Stockperson Competition as well as being part of the 1991 winning Dairy Event Pentathlon Team. Success in both breeds continued and I was lucky enough to be Champion Showman at the National Holstein Show as well as winning the Stockjudging at the Royal and finally, as I reached the end of Young Members, receiving the Presidents Medal for outstanding achievement within the Holstein movement.

Appointed as a Society Panel Judge for both breeds, my interest has given me the chance to officiate as a Judge at some of the top shows including encourage and support the youngsters who will hopefully promote their Breeds Agri Scot, Balmoral, Royal Welsh, European Dairy Event and the Royal. My enthusiasm is still within the Young Members sector where I try to encourage and support the youngsters who will hopefully promote their Breeds in the future.

You can meet Rebecca on Friday evening where she will give you a demonstration of what she will be looking for on show day.

My name is Geraint Thomas, and the partnership farm 350 acres overlooking the South Wales estuary near Llangennech which is close to the M4 corridor.

We run a herd of 150 milking cows, which are split equally as Pedigree Holsteins and Pedigree Ayrshires. Both herds are registered under the Gynnog prefix.

The Gwynnog Ayrshire herd was established in 2001 and has become a recognised herd throughout the UK.
We have won many show champions, the best to date being the Ayrshire breed champion at the All-Breeds Show in 2011.

On a personal note I’ve had the privilege of judging many shows throughout the UK, from county to national shows.

Judging the National Calf Show will be the highlight of my judging career and I am looking forward immensely to the task and honour of judging this prestigious annual event.

What have been your judging highlights?
My judging highlight to date is when I judged Charleville Show in the Republic of Ireland, which saw 20 milkers in each class. During the past four years I have enjoyed judging calf show qualifiers at Scotland South, Border and Lakeland, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Northumberland and I had the pleasure of judging calves at The Great Yorkshire Show. I’ve judged one herd competition each year for the past eight years and in 2012 I had the privilege of judging the Western region Premier Herds. I havealso judged the HYB Competitions Day stock judging on three occasions.

What are the main achievements of the Wormanby herd?
The main achievements are reaching the final of the Premier Herds competition and being runner-up in the Gold Cup. Having three All Britain nominations in 2014 with homebred cows was also an achievement I am very proud of.

What have been your highlights in the show ring?
Standing at the top of the line at UK Dairy Expo and UK Dairy Day with Wormanby Atwood Linda and Wormanby Aftershock Gloriette have been our biggest success stories in the show ring. Having the opportunity to compete on a National stage and then realise that your cattle are good enough to compete in strong company gives you the confidence to keep going.

What is your favourite cow of all time and why?
Idee Lustre, having seen her when she won the Royal Winter Fair she was a cow I think was almost ahead of her time, she was a really dairy, silky, black cow with tremendous height of rear udder. She wasn’t just a show cow either, she’s bred well and I was lucky to get the opportunity to buy in to the family and still have Honesberie Shottle Lustre EX93 in the herd in her seventh lactation.

Is there an All-Britain Calf winner that stands out for you?
Feizor Jordan Flo 2, I judged her at the Lancashire qualifier the year she won and made her reserve champion. I thought she had real potential and purchased a Windbrook out of her – it is amazing what you see when you are judging. Her pedigree has generations of National champions.

What makes a worthy All Britain winner?
Something with that extra something that catches the eye, first impressions are everything. Calves had to have strength and dairy character, strength of spine, width of rump and chest, but need that extra style to stand out. The champion should be noticed as soon as she enters the ring – if she is good enough she is big enough.

Where has been the best show of dairy cattle you have ever seen?
I’ve never had the chance to get to Madison, but I was blown away by the high standard at the Royal Winter Fair. I’ve been four times and the strength and depth in the classes is amazing.

What show would you most like the chance to go to?
I’d really like to go to Madison and Switzerland.

This year Yorkshireman Frank Poskitt will judge the five Jersey Calf Classes and select our breed champion. Frank is a true friend of the breed, who has developed and shown some of the best cows in the UK over more years than he cares to remember. His eye for a ‘good one’ and true stockmanship skills in preparing cattle is well known, and his integrity, skill, easy manner and knowledge of the Jersey breed, which he is always willing to share; particularly with the next generation, is respected by his peers.
Frank has judged the length and breadth of the UK, this year alone judging the Royal Welsh and Balmoral, and he is not only a respected show judge but also a renowned herds competition judge. Frank tells us he is retiring from judging in 2015 – it’s therefore fitting that his final assignment is to judge the Jerseys at this year’s National All Breeds Calf Show.