PETER KIRTON ELECTED AS CHAIRMAN OF THE BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

Shropshire based breeder Peter Kirton is the new Chairman of the British Limousin Cattle Society (BLCS) following the Society’s Annual General Meeting held in Stoneleigh on 7th July. He takes over from Jim Bloom who had served as Chairman for the previous three years.

Peter Kirton   BLCS Chairman

Peter Kirton (AG Kirton & Sons) joined the BLCS in 1983 when the family established the Ashledge pedigree herd based at Ashby St. Ledgers in Northamptonshire   Having had ‘a few’ Limousin commercials, Peter’s interest in the breed was confirmed  after a farm visit to the noted Grange pedigree Limousin herd of George Smith at Daventry, Northants.  In 1992 the Kirtons moved to the 290 acre Severn Lodge Farm, Kinlet, Bewdley, Worcestershire, a farm that now consists of 440 acres, 60acres in arable with the rest in grass.  Since joining the Society, the Ashledge herd have established a strong following for commercial bulls and the herd has attained several championships and top prices at breed sales at Builth Wells, Brecon and Welshpool.  As a rule the herd does not show nationally but it has had the pedigree champion at the English Winter Fair in 2002.   The herd presently consists of 80 plus pedigree cows and 40 plus commercial cows. A distinguished judge, Peter presided over the February 2006 BLCS Sale atCarlislewhere he put up Haltciffe Vermount as his champion and the bull subsequently went on to sell for a world record 100,000gns!  Other judging stints have included the Great Yorkshire Show in 2010,Devon County, Royal Cornwall, Brecon Sale and numerous other shows as well as three regional herd competitions.

Elected as a British Limousin Council member in 2000, Peter Kirton has held office as Marketing Chairman and has been the Society’s Vice Chairman over the previous three years.

Commenting on his election as the 14^th Chairman of the British Limousin Cattle Society, Peter Kirton said: “The 40^th anniversary year of the breed and Society in theUK is a special year for allLimousin breeders.  I feel greatly honoured to have been elected in such a year as Chairman of theUK’s leading beef breed Society.  It is my aim, in harness with Council and the Society’s membership, to drive on the long term programme of breed and genetic improvement to benefit breeders and customers.  The BLCS delivers a high level of services through BASCO Data, Semenstore, Taurus and of course the BLCS office itself.  Forward work will seek to enhance and add to this service provision,” said Mr. Kirton

Steven Illingworth who runs the Glenrock pedigree herd at Howgillside, Eaglesfield, Lockerbie takes office as the British Limousin Cattle Society’s newly elected Vice Chairman.