The Farmers Mart Oct/Nov 2013 - Issue 30 | Page 11

EVENTS

First national ‘mature beef’
competitive classes for cull
cows to debut at Stafford
The English Winter Fair 2013 is to
be the first national winter livestock
showcase to introduce competitive
classes for mature beef cows, it has
been announced.
The new classes celebrate both mature
cows’ contribution as foundation stock
of many herds and the strong values
achieved currently in cull cow auctions
with prices peaking at £1400-1600/
head for top end well-fleshed continental
types.
This inaugural competition sponsored
by Derbyshire-based cull cow processor
Pickstock Ashby Ltd - which handles
1500 Over Thirty Month Old (OTM) and
Under Thirty Month Old (UTM) cattle
weekly drawn from 50 livestock marts
and direct off farm - sees classes for
cows over five years old split between
pure and cross-bred continental or native

breeds. With a total prize pool of up to
£500 the new classes will be judged by
experienced commercial cattle exhibitor
Mike Alford.
Commenting on the new mature
beef classes Pickstock Ashby director
Greg Pickstock explained: “There is
good demand for OTM and UTM cattle
particularly those finished to a good
standard. The market is mainly export
driven and led by the value of the euro.”
EWF chairman Ray Nield said the new
competition reflects exhibitors’ wishes.
“The high value of mature beef or cull

cows makes a huge contribution towards
buying in replacements for many herds.
Producers are eager to ensure cows are
finished to a high standard to achieve that.
Our new competition reflects that move
and we are delighted to have Pickstock
Ashby as sponsor and the experienced
eye of Mike Alford to adjudicate.”
The English Winter Fair will be held on
16th & 17th November 2013 in Bingley
Hall, the Sandylands Centre and the
Argyle Centre at the Staffordshire County
Showground, Weston Road, Stafford.
These are purpose built exhibition halls
where the whole of the Show is held
under cover in heated buildings, with
the carcass section held in a specially
refrigerated and enclosed hall adjacent to
the main exhibition area.
www.staffscountyshowground.co.uk

SUN SHINES ON CROWDS
FOR NIDDERDALE SHOW
The sun made a welcome appearance
at this year’s Nidderdale Show at
Pateley Bridge showground – along
with special guests TV Presenter
Kirsty Allsopp, and Dorothy Fairburn
MBE, regional director of the
Yorkshire Division of the Country
Land and Business Association.
The Show, some of which will be
featured on Kirsty’s Channel 4 show,
attracted one of the biggest crowds in
living memory.
Kirsty took a great interest in the pig
section learning the ropes from 14 year
old Young Farmer, Sarah Whitley. Sarah
from Summerbridge, who was born and
raised on a pig, sheep and dairy farm
in Nidderdale, has followed in both her
grandfather and father’s footsteps an d
in the past four years has won a host of
awards for showing pigs.
Country girl Kirsty also gamely tried her
hand on the ATV Manoeuvrability course

To read more, visit www.farmers-mart.co.uk

and despite wearing a dress along with
her crash helmet, she completed the
course to great applause. The competition
was won by local lad Paul Middlemiss.
Later, Kirsty tweeted: ‘Amazing day
at the Nidderdale Show, everyone so
friendly & kind, perhaps the most beautiful
showground we’ve visited’.
Dorothy unveiled a new sculpture carved
to create a seating area in the shape of
farm animals, by local artist Rose Badger.
The sculpture was made from a 90ft oak
tree that grew on the showground but had
to be felled owing to disease.
President John Fort said: “The weather
was truly magnificent. Everybody had
a great time, from the start with the
traditional parade throughout what was a
beautiful day.
“There has been such a resurgence of
interest in agriculture, it really is gratifying
to see so many young people involved
in the show and the classes. This year

has been the best Show anyone can
remember for many years.”
Show director and local farmer Trevor
Stoney said he was impressed with the
“tremendous” show stock across all
exhibitors and classes.

FarmersMart Oct/Nov 2013

11