A short but sweet show season for Devon dairy herd
ADEVON farming family have ended this year’s shortened summer showing season on a high with a second supreme dairy championship.
Leslie Rockett and Tracy Marshall, from Bridestowe near Okehampton, claimed the interbreed title at the Frome Show last Saturday with their homebred Ayrshire cow, Greenway Thea.
The four-year-old second calver, giving around 38 litres a day, was adding to her breed and supreme championship sashes won at last month’s Okehampton Show.
Tracy, who has bounced back to health after suffering a stroke during lockdown, said: “It’s been a great season. Sadly dairy numbers have been down at the shows, but it’s been lovely to get back out and meet our showing friends, especially for me as this time last year I didn’t know if I would be able to take part in the shows after my stroke, but I have bounced back.”
She added: “Dairy farmers, like other livestock farmers, are struggling at the moment so it’s important to get to the shows with livestock, to talk to the general public and help them understand where their food comes from, and what we are doing to make sure it’s a good quality product. Sadly a lot of them don’t understand what goes on behind the scenes. Let’s hope more shows will be running next year.
“Also if it wasn’t for our relief staff Olly Murrain, Will Risdon and Abi Warren who hold the fort at home we couldn’t attend the shows, so a huge thanks to them.”
Tracy’s daughter, Abi Marshall, also plays a key role in looking after the family’s Greenway Ayrshire, British Friesian and Holstein herd and was on the halter when her Guernsey seventh calver, Blacknor Cracker Weston Duchess, stood breed and reserve interbreed dairy champion at this year’s Devon County Show, held in July.
It turned out to be a very successful Devon County for the Rockett and Marshall team, with their impressive haul of accolades including Ayrshire breed champion with Greenway Redrock and any other dairy breed champion with their British Friesian, Greenway Solo Billie Jo.