2009 Club Report
The East Midlands Club has had another successful year with its mix of sales, talks, herd competition, herd visit and annual dinner. Considering the programme has all been packed into ten months and is over and above the day-to-day tasks, shows a group of people that enjoy their cattle!
The year started with our Annual General Meeting at which the officers for the coming year were appointed and the business of the club discussed, future activities planned according to budget, and then the fun begins!
A March discussion on sub fertility in bulls led by a local vet and then into the Club Sale in April which resulted in a 100% clearance of 496 pedigree and commercial Limousin cattle at Newark Livestock Market’s fifth annual Limousin sale. Trade was buoyant with bulls averaging 4,600gns and females selling to a top of 4,500gns with maiden heifers peaking at 3,200gns. Leading the sale were Newark regulars Ian Wildgoose & Family, Scarcliffe, Chesterfield with the 6,500gns Scarcliffe Cracker, a November 07 son of Objat. The females also had a flying trade with 4,500gns being achieved 3 times: firstly Nigel Matthews of Pyebrook, Ludlow sold Jencralodge Hope with bull calf followed at the same money by Peter and Ian Pitcher with Cockleshell Vicky and the final 4,500gns bid being taken by the in-calf heifer of Stephen and Heather Timms with Roseycombe Betty. Leading the commercial section was Messrs Smiths of Bloxham, Banbury selling crossbred cows with calves to £2,200. Our thanks once again go to Paul Gentry and all at Newark Market who organise it on our behalf.
Into May and a business meeting, followed in June by a meeting addressed by Stuart Boothman from Semenstore which brought us all up to speed with what’s available and gave thoughts of a future visit to Cogent.
July led us into a Herd visit to John Warner and his family. A very enjoyable afternoon and evening spent looking at good cattle, a stock judging event and hog roast in which about 40 members and friends participated. This led into August and the Herd Competition when we were delighted to welcome Mary Reynolds around the region. With four days to visit 18 herds, we kept her on the move contending with traffic on the M25 and staring into the mouth of the Humber in what is a fairly widespread area.
A September meeting to elect a judge for 2010’s Herd Competition and prepare for the October Sale which led to a small number of bulls being sold and another very successful female entry and sale.
And then into November and the Annual Dinner and Presentation evening at Greetham at which Mary presented the result of her deliberations. We were able to show pictures of the cattle she had visited during the evening and members were able to try and spot their own – except Tom Evans who had craftily got himself into his cattle’s pictures so he could identify them!
So the year ended ready to start 2010 with a new set of officers. After six years at the helm, Michael Fieldson is to revert to the ranks having served the Club very well, a fact which was marked at the Annual Dinner with a presentation to him. James Hazard is to take on the Chairman’s role but we are looking for a new Secretary as Rachel has found the time demands too much to do the job as she would wish. Our AGM is to be on the 1st February at Greetham and new members will be most welcome as we meet to plan out another exciting year for the East Midlands.
Herd Competition Results
Extra Small Herd
1) Paul Cairns Plumtree Herd
2) Mr M J Brunton Sheelin Herd
3) Messrs M D & W M Morton Blackfriar Herd
4) Mr C A Atkins Pelham Herd
Small Herd
1) Mr & Mrs T F R Evans Fenrose Herd
2) Mr D R & R L Burns Teviothead Herd
3) Ian Brown Lowgate Herd
4) Mr R W Hayes Staindrop Herd
Medium Herd
1) Mr P Pitcher Cockleshell Herd
2) Mr W E D Morris Blounts Herd
3) Mr R Lawrence Bosworth Herd
Large Herd
1) Mr R P Hutchinson Beaconsfield Herd
2) Messrs W J & M Mash Ltd Brockhurst Herd
3) Mr A W Watchorn Loodal Herd
Extra Large Herd
1) Mr R M Hazard & Sons Mereside Herd
2) Messrs J W & M C Fieldson Fieldson Herd
3) Mr J AWarner Oaktree Herd
4) Manby Farms Ltd McTurk Herd
Best Overall Herd Mereside
Best Heifer Calf under 1 year Brockhurst Elizabeth – Messrs W J & M Mash Ltd
Best Bull Calf under 1 year Fieldson Duracell – Messrs J W & M C Fieldson
Best Stock Bull & progeny Goldies Uppercrust – Messrs J W & M C Fieldson
Best Cow and calf Mereside Berti/ Mereside Dainty – Mr R M Hazard & Sons
Best in calf heifer Mereside Bambi – Mr R M Hazard & Sons
Best maiden Heifer Cockleshell Candy – Mr P Pitcher
Judged by Mary Reynolds
Points Competition Winner Mr M J Brunton Sheelin Herd
