Success made in Shifnal at English Winter Fair

And Shropshire was celebrating winning the overall supreme interbreed beef championship – with a £1,000 prize.

Paul Tippetts and Christine Williams won the prize with their Limousin x heifer, Cor Blimey.

Bred by CT Akrigg and sired by Ballylin Popeye, the16-month-old heifer joined the Wilodge herd in March after going for sale at Kirby Steven.

“We thought she had a lot of potential when we saw her,” said Paul, who keeps 170 pedigree Limousins and crossbreds at Lodgehill Farm, Shifnal.

“She’s very square plated and naturally fleshed, and very showy.”

She won her class at Beef Expo and went on to sell in the Winter Fair auction for £6,400.

Taking the reserve championship was Georgia and Charlotte Davies’ British Blue x Limousin heifer, Daisy.

Bred by Dai Brute, the 20-month-old heifer was bought privately by the sisters; she won her class at Agri Expo and was reserve champion at Newark.

“She’s a really good allrounder,” said Georgia, who keeps 200 store cattle and 1,000 ewes at Topfield Farm, Brecon. She went on to sell for £4,600.

In the national pedigree calf championship, Jimmy and Vikki Wood’s young Simmental bull Popes Premier scooped the top prize, completing an exceptional year for the family.

“He’s been out showing all summer with his mum, Popes Princess Immie, who won the English national championship, the Scottish national championship, and interbreed championship at the Great Yorkshire Show,” said Vikki.

“Now he’s come here and done it on his own.”

The family bloodlines are strong – Immie was shown as a calf at foot with her own dam, who won the interbreed championship at the Great Yorkshire and Royal Welsh shows.

The baby beef class saw Mike Rowland’s Limousin x steer Fist Full of Dollars take the supreme championship in the hands of Steven O’Kale.

“Bought at Welshpool in May, he was baby beef champion at Agrifest and reserve champion at Anglesey,” said Steven.

Bred by Lion Parry Jones, he will head to the Welsh Winter Fair next before returning home to Dolwen Farm in mid Wales.

In reserve spot was OW & GL Williams’ Limousin x Rosie. Born in April, the homebred heifer is by Sheehills Jumbo out of a Limousin x dam.

Across in sheep lines, the Hall family from Inglewood Edge near Penrith continued their winning streak, claiming their fourth interbreed championship at the Fair.

The pair of Beltex crosses – sired by a Murrays tup – won the 70-80kg untrimmed class before going on to claim the interbreed trophy.