LOOSEBEARE WINS SOUTH WEST LIMOUSIN PEDIGREE HERD COMPETITION
- Messrs Quick & Sons go forward to National Final
Details of the winning herds in the regional finals of the 2011 National Limousin Pedigree Herd Competition have now been announced by the British Limousin Cattle Society (BLCS). The National Limousin Pedigree Herd Competition is a one-off unique event and is being held as part of the British Limousin Cattle Society’s 40th Anniversary promotional programme. Supported and sponsored by Pfizer Animal Health, this new event is an extension of the coveted annual herd competitions held annually within the nine Limousin regions around the United Kingdom.
The regional competitions, open to all pedigree Limousin herds in the respective areas, saw the appointed judge in each region put forward an overall winning herd. With regional judging completed through August, the nine winning herds now go head-to-head in a National Final judge-off to determine the 2011 National Limousin Pedigree Herd Overall Champion. Currently moving around the UK and judging the National Final is noted breeder, and current Hon BLCS President, Mr Sam Coleman of Glarryford, Ballymena, N. Ireland.
Commenting on the task at hand Mr Coleman said: “It is a great honour to be judging such a prestigious event and it is clear that the level of competition is of the very highest order. What I am looking for is a combination of such things as the overall presentation of the herd, the up-and-coming youngstock, the breeding policy, sires used, the breeding females, herd health, and herd successes. Herd size won’t be the overriding determinant.”
In the South West it was Messrs EW Quick & Sons, Loosebeare Manor, Zeal Monachorum, Crediton, Devon who took the regional award under judge Martin Bull who formerly ran the Bapton Herd at Bapton, Warminster, Wilts prior to its dispersal in 2009. Commenting, Mr Bull said: “At Loosebeare I found what I was looking for: no extremes of type but medium sized, smooth-muscling females of amazing consistency throughout the herd, largely due to the extensive use of the impressive bull Rainbow Simon who is still going strong. The youngstock are largely by the more recent stock bull Haltcliffe Anzac who is complementing Simon perfectly and producing exactly the functional, hard-working cattle which I believe the majority of commercial buyers are looking for,”
The Loosebeare Herd numbers 90 females and has won the South West Large Herd Competition in both of the last two years. Prolific sellers, the Quicks (Bill and his two sons Mark & Andrew) have sold bulls to 20,000gns (Loosebeare Diego Carlisle Feb 2010) with 25 Rainbow Simon sons averaging £8,028 at Carlisle to date where they have also won two Championships with Loosebeare Superman in 2002 and Loosebeare Easyrider in February 2011. Other recent achievements include winning the Interbreed Yearling Bull of the Year Competition at Beef South West in 2010. The Loosebeare Herd was established in 1980 with the purchase of three recipient cows carrying embryo calves. This was followed by the purchase of Limousin cow Hampton Sophie at Banbury Market who many of the best cattle in the herd go back to. In addition to Limousin cattle, the Quicks also run a flock of pedigree Texel sheep.
When the final judging is completed, the Overall Winner of the 2011 National Limousin Pedigree Herd Competition will be announced, by Mr Coleman, at a dinner being hosted by the British Limousin Cattle Society and Pfizer Animal Health in Carlisle on Friday 14th October. The dinner, at the Shepherd’sInn, Borderway Mart, is being held on the evening prior to the Society’s 2011 October Bull Sale at Carlisle.
THE NINE REGIONAL FINALS WINNERS ARE:
East Midlands RM Hazard & Sons, Mereside Herd
Judge: Richard Bartle, The Cottages,Upper Dinmore, Dinmore,Hereford
Scotland Mr J Nimmo, Maraiscote Herd
Judge: Brian Jones, Bailea, Sennybridge, Brecon, Powys
NW Midlands & N Wales Messrs KI & E & HI Jones, Garnedd Herd
Judge: John Phillips, Esgerddeugoed, Cwmfelin-Mynach, Whitland, Carmarthenshire
S Wales & Mid West ED Griffiths & Co, Mynach Herd
Judge: William Cowx, Hudscales, Hesket New Market,Wigton,Cumbria
South East Buriton Estates Ltd, Miscombe Herd
Judge: Jim Bloom, Scorborough, Driffield,East Yorks
South West Messrs EW Quick & Sons, Loosebeare Herd
Judge: Martin Bull, Warminster, Wiltshire
Northern Ireland WJ & J McKay, Ampertaine Herd
Judge: John McInerney, Clonmoney West,NewmarketOn Fergus, Co Clare
North West Messrs Ridley, Haltcliffe Herd
Judge: Derek Hulme, Randalstown, Co. Antrim, N.Ireland
North East Messrs JM & SP Cooper, Tomschoice Herd
Judge: Gary Swindlehurst, Procters Farm,Woodhouse Lane, Slaidburn, Nr. Clitheroe, Lancs
