MYNACH WINS S WALES & MID WEST LIMOUSIN PEDIGREE HERD COMPETITION
- Messrs Griffiths 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 theUKand 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.”
Winner of the South Wales & Mid West region was the Mynach herd of ED Griffiths & Co, Cilgryman-Fawr, Cwmfelin-Mynach, Whitland, Carmarthen under judge Mr William Cowx, Hudscales, Hesket New Market, Cumbria who commented: “Mynach is a well-established herd where a lot of thought has been put into the selection of sires which shows through in the quality and conformation of the breeding cows. The progeny are very good with the replacement heifers maintaining this quality and with many good young bulls produced for sale.”
The Mynach Herd is run by three generations of the Griffiths Family and was first established in 1992. The herd currently has 65 breeding cows and is 400 head in all. The family say they choseLimousinfor the ease of calving, quality of the meat and their temperament. Daughter Hannah has also recently bought a farm in nearby Trelech, where the herd has expanded to.
Mynach is no stranger to the competition having won the regional club’s Herd of the Year eight times in the past 10 years. They have also had great success at the Royal Welsh Show winning the Overall Championship in 2006 with their homebred bull Mynach Sporty. That was topped in 2008 when their stock bull, Rhonllwyn Vandal, was crowned Overall Limousin Champion, and went on to pick up both the Interbreed Pairs and Team of Five championships at the same show.
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’s Inn, 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 Hume, Randalstown, Co. Antrim, N.Ireland
North East Messrs JM & SP Cooper, Tomschoice Herd
Judge: Gary Swindlehurst, Procters Farm,Woodhouse Lane, Slaidburn, Nr. Clitheroe, Lancs
