The fourth National Show of South Devons was held at the Devon County Show, and saw a remarkable turnout of just under 100 well-presented cattle, swamping other breed entries and making a wonderful spectacle during six hours of judging in the spring sunshine.

Breed Secretary Caroline Poultney commented: “The standard of the cattle has risen each and every year that we have held our National Show, raising the competition stakes and really setting a benchmark for the breed.”

Judge Mr James Eustice from Wadebridge, Cornwall, was faced with some difficult decisions, particularly in the bigger classes, and was impressed with the quality and number of cattle put before him.  Exhibitors travelled from as far away as Leicestershire and Staffordshire, joining fellow breeders from nearer to home in Devon and Cornwall.

Show champion was A & C Farms’ AI X Mutterton Ashton Bitter, a 4-year old bull bred by A H & E M Bartley from Cullompton, and bought for a breed record price at Exeter in 2011 by the exhibitor from Langham, Rutland.  Taking overall reserve was the female champion, Kestle Dahlia 60 from Mr R K Rundle, Newquay, Cornwall, a 4-year old cow who was breed champion at the National Show in Norfolk in 2011.

Mr Rundle also had success with last year’s National Show Champion, Kestle Tulip 85, who won her class and was reserve female champion.  Mr T L Warne, also from Newquay, won the 2011-born heifer class with Porthkerras Hyacinth 1; and the 2012- born heifer class was won by A & C Farms’ Langham’s Lady 2, sired by the breed champion.

Last year’s National Show male champion, Hopton Maximus 2, from P R & T Eustice, was reserve male champion this time around.  The intermediate bull class was won by Hadley Farms’ Knightcote Demetrius 6, from Leamington Spa, Warwickshire; and the junior bull was G W & L F Pluess’s Trevoulter Crusader 16.

Best cow and calf judged on Breedplan performance points with inspection was won by Mr W H D Scott’s Grove Celandine 85, from Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire; and best young bull judged on performance and inspection was R W & S M Bostelmann’s Rufford SAS Lewis, from Staffordshire.

A Society Dinner was held on the showground where the awards were presented, and South Devon beef from the Tregondale herd much enjoyed.  Society President John Wakeham, and Secretary Caroline Poultney thanked all those who had contributed to the success of the Show, and congratulated all the exhibitors for a splendid display of cattle that had been much appreciated by the large crowd watching the judging.  Special thanks   were conveyed to all the sponsors who had made the show possible.

Next year’s National Show will be held at the Great Yorkshire Show in July.