The Farmers Mart Aug-Sep 2019 - Issue 64 | Page 24

24 THE GREAT YORKSHIRE SHOW
AUG/SEP 2019 • farmers-mart.co.uk
CELEBRATING AGRICULTURAL EXCELLENCE
A host of awards to celebrate
farming excellence were pre-
sented throughout day two of
the Great Yorkshire Show while
livestock took centre stage in the
judging rings.
Exhilarating displays wowed
crowds in the Main Ring with the
RAF Falcons Parachute Display
Team dropping in as well as the
Bolddog Lings Motorcycle Display
Team.
There was a packed audience
for the Future Farmers breakfast
meeting, where speakers NFU
President Minette Batters, Red
Shepherdess Hannah Jackson
and Arable Farms Director at
JSR Farms Charlie Parker were
tackling Adaptability in the Face of
Change.
In the sheep rings, the Supreme
Sheep title went to a Spotted Dutch
sheep shown by Ali Jackson, 29,
from Scotland, on its first time out.
Having won the show’s first ever
breed class dedicated to the Dutch
Spotted – which is gaining pop-
ularity in the UK – it was also the
show’s Short Wool and Lowland
Champion. Reserve sheep cham-
pion was a home-bred Texel called
Procters Cinderella, from Procter
Farms in Lancaster and shown by
Jeff Aiken.
The cattle competitions cul-
minated in the ever-popular
Blythewood Pairs. The Native
champions were a pair of
Aberdeen Angus, Shadwell Estate
Co Ltd of Norfolk’s bull, Shadwell
Evolution, and Mr D Rankin of
Perth’s cow, Kilmalaug Lady
Isabelle, with calf at foot.
The Continental title went to
the Supreme Beef champion
British Simmental bull, Heathbrow
Important, owned by David
Sapseed of Hertfordshire, and
David Donnelly of Ashbourne in
Derbyshire’s cow, Kennox Diva’s
Gena.
The champion Dairy pair made
it a day of double celebrations for
the Saxby family of Bawtry. Their
Jersey intermediate cow, Saxown
Precision Cash 89, was bred by
father Richard Saxby, with daugh-
ters Ellie and Hannah and son Tom
all involved with the herd.
The family milk about 20 cows
which run with the Thurlstone
herd of about 250. Tom said: “She
is the best and easiest cow we
have ever worked with – we have
never had one like her.
“We lost a close family friend,
Frank Poskitt, in April who has
helped us enormously over the
years and it was a great tribute to
him that we won today.”
Their Blythewood Pair was
completed by Thurlstone Topeka
Orange, owned by JR and SE
Dickinson.
The Dairy Supreme had been
won by Saxown Precision Cash
89 earlier in the day, with Reserve
going to Dairy Shorthorn interme-
diate cow, Churchroyd Gentle 105,
owned by Mary and Ian Collins of
Dewsbury.
Allerton Bywater cheese
producers Cryer & Stott took the
Supreme Cheese Championship
with Ewe Beauty a Pecorino
style cheese made from sheep
milk. Owners Clare and Richard
Holmes, were there to receive the
trophy.
Taking the Supreme Champion
honours in the dairy section was
Longley Farm’s Bio Gooseberry
Yogurt. Jimmy Dickinson,
Managing Partner, of the Holmfirth
based company was presented
with the award by Steward Henry
Chadwick.
An organic dairy farm in Kendal
lifted the prestigious Tye Trophy.
The Robinson Family have farmed
the 300-acre site for five gener-
ations with the farm going fully
organic in 2006.
They were chosen from six
other area winners in the com-
petition which covers the whole
of the North of England and
recognises conservation and
environmental improvements in
commercially successful farms.
The winners of the School
Vegetable Box Competition were
Outwood Primary Academy
in Darfield. The newly-formed
Gardening Club took the top
honours with sister school
Outwood Primary Academy
Lofthouse Gate taking second
place.
The theme of this year’s com-
petition was Field to Fork, with the
winning school praised for their
knowledge of where their food
comes from.
The expertly managed mixed
woodland at West Farm in
Sleightholmedale has won the
John Boddy Award for Forestry.
The woodland, owned by Patrick
and Natasha James was originally
planted by Mr James’ mother
Rosanna and all three judges
unanimously decided it was the
winner.
Thirteen long service awards
amounting to a combined 550
years were presented to agri-
cultural workers, with one very
special award for a man who has
notched up 69 years continual
service.
The awards are presented each
year to employees of Yorkshire
Agricultural Society members
who have worked for 35 years or
more continuously for the same
family, or on the same farm or
estate.
The special award went to
86-year-old Douglas Fairburn
a farm worker from Oswald
Potter Farms (Kirklington) Ltd,
has worked continuously for 69
years.
Seven students just beginning
to make their mark in agriculture
were chosen as cream of the crop
from colleges across the region to
be honoured at the Show.
The annual Best Agricultural
Student Awards were presented
to students from seven colleges
and universities across the
region: Askham Bryan, Bishop
Burton, and Craven Colleges,
and the Universities of Leeds
and Newcastle and, new for this
year, East Durham College and
Myerscough College.
Leeds soldier Private John
Skillings was presented with the
YAS Cup for Best Soldier in the
Main Ring by Head of Operations
Nigel Morgan. Pte Skillings, 20,
was recognised by his Platoon, 1st
Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment
for his dedicated and selfless
service.