HIGHLIGHTS FROM DAY ONE
Anglesey breeder Elfyn Jones found himself in illustrious company when his young bull won red at Llanelwedd yesterday.
In a section that included Limousin royalty, his 13-month-old bull, Trisant Moonraker, romped to victory in the young bull class.
Elfyn, a teacher from Ty Gwyn, Llantrisant, was delighted: “This bull is one of the best I’ve ever bred. I’ll continue showing him in North Wales this summer and then hopefully he’ll go to the society sale at Carlisle in October.”
Welsh Black champion, was Eirianfa Ebrill 7, a homebred in-calf heifer from Eirian and Caryl Lewis, Lampeter.
They duly collected the OG Thomas trophy, a new piece of silverware donated by the Chwaen Goch family on Anglesey.
Reserve male champion was 19-month-old bull Ynysfor Emlyn bred and shown by Ken Ellis, Tywyn, who went on to win the pairs.
“I had a young team with me this year so I’m more than happy with their showing,” he said.
At Llanelwedd a yellow rosette can count for a good deal and two exhibitors were delighted with their third places.
Charolais breeder Bob Roberts, of Brynffanigl Ucha, Abergele, said competition was fierce in the breed’s youngest heifer class.
“I said at home that if we could get a third place I would be more than happy with that,” he said.
“It was a heck of a good class - they were all very evenly matched.”
And in the Limousin section, Buckley’s Steven Whitley was delighted with third spot in the cow and calf class.
His homebred entry, third calver Heulfryn Hooker, was shown by Corwen producer Tudur Edwards, who said: “Steve was over the moon!”
In the sheep lines the Texels are traditionally one of the biggest sections and yesterday William and Liz McCaffrey, of Bettisfield, Wrexham, came within a whisker of a clean sweep. The couple, who run the Scholars flock at Malpas, reclaimed the reserve breed title they won last year with a homebred shearling ewe – and this was only headed by a Scholarssired ewe.
On an almost perfect day, they also won the pairs and group titles. “We’re on a roll!” said Liz.
Also in the Texels, Iolo Jones, of the Llangwm flock, Corwen, was happy to settle for the male title with a homebred ram lamb.
Iolo, who was cheered on by wife Gwennan, son Hari, 10, and daughter Begw, 9, said: “A couple of years ago we won the reserve male title here, so this time we have gone one better.”
Beef championships results Interbreed: Ch - JH & VG Wood (Sim); R - M Cormack & R Bartle (SH) Welsh Black: Eirian & Caryl Lewis, Llangybi British Blonde: Sue Knight, Bristol Lincoln Red: Nottingham Trent University Saler: Mathew Jones, Glan-y-Mor, Talsarnau Highland: Louisa Jordan, Bridgenorth. Beef Shorthorn: M Cormack & R Bartle, Hereford. British White: Sarah Cook, Cambridge. Longhorn: George Woollatt, Minehead. Aberdeen Angus: Glympton Farms, Oxfordshire. British Blue: GL & KS Morgan, Hereford. Simmental: JH & VG Wood, Preston. Limousin: Ch - Harry Emslie, Aberdeen. Charolais: Boden & Davies, Stockport. Hereford: DE, ED & AL Jones, Caersws.