5 minute read
South Western Hereford Association
Gould elected South West chair
After the long lockdown the South Western Hereford Breeders’ Association is reawakening, and held an in-person AGM in 2021.
The South Western Hereford Breeders Association began the year with its AGM held at the Shrubbery Hotel, Ilminster which saw a good turnout of breeders and friends old and new.
Chairman Les Gould says: “I went along to meet up with some old friends and pick up a bit of silverware and came home as chairman. This is just to help bed-in Colin Layzell, the newly elected vice-chairman.
“Although not active in the association recently, Colin is a walking encyclopaedia on the breed and its history and Les says he is confident that he will work hard to help our very competent and hard-working secretary Angela Kerslake make a success of the association.”
The association extends its congratulations to the Mitchell family on once again winning both the Barclays and the Caldicott cups for the male and female Herefords winning the greatest number of points at shows within our area.
Plans are afoot to hold two farm walks and demonstrations at different ends of the South West in 2022 and any enthusiast of the breed is invited to attend and meet up with others of the same interest.
Herd competition results
Overall, RA Mitchell, Lanscombe
Reserve, M Harris, Hilfield Overall stock bull, L Gould, Richmount 1 Peppermint Large herd, 1st, JD and RA Moorhouse, Cato; 2nd, GHA and Mrs MU Faull, Trelissick; 3rd, Paul and Trish Earley, Spyway Best stock bull (large herd), GHA and Mrs MU Faull
Best bull calf (large herd), PR and CA Caunter
Best heifer calf (large herd), - JD and RA Moorhouse Medium herd, 1st, RA Mitchell, Lanscombe; 2nd, M Harris, Hilfield; 3rd, R Robinson, Velleyhill Best stock bull (medium herd), RA Mitchell Best bull calf (medium herd), M Harris Best heifer calf (medium herd), RA Mitchell Small herd, 1st, L Gould, Baybridge; 2nd, J and G Burgess, Clarence; 3rd, G Simpson, Gilmar L-R Paul Sneyd and Ellen Layzell
Best stock bull (small herd), L Gould Best bull calf, L Gould Best heifer calf, L Gould
Novice (judged by Jonathan Moorhouse)
Novice, 1st, E Layzell, Farmlay Herd; 2nd, A J Calloway, Kingshedge Best stock bull (novice), A J Calloway
Lanscombe leads South West herds competition
The Dorset-based Lanscombe herd run by the Mitchell family won the South West herd competition to qualify for the National Herd of the Year Competition.
Roger and Valerie Mitchell founded the Lanscombe herd 52 years ago with the purchase of their first Hereford bull, Benhur, from Major North’s Tiverton herd. This bull was shown successfully and then sold at Hereford Market for 1,000gns in 1969. At this time, a small number of females were run alongside the family's dairy herd with Lansombe Curly and Mary being shown at local shows and L-R: James Greensill, Sally, Roger, Valerie, Christopher and Joanne Mitchell
numerous bulls purchased out of
Hereford Market and sold to dairy
farmers in the area. Once the dairy herd was sold, the Herefords became the main priority with Moigne Regina purchased from the late Peter Miles’ dispersal sale, Butcombe Jewel from the late Tony Venner and Bransgore Jane out of the store ring at Shaftesbury Market. These three females, together with further Bransgore lines, have formed the basis of the herd of 30 females now found at Higher Henley Farm, near Dorchester.
The most noteworthy bulls of recent years have been Free Town Nick, Kiddles 1 Haslebury, Bromham 1 Vim, Brangwyn 1 Emperor, Lanscombe 1 Maxamillion and Vexour 1 Phantom.
Sally Mitchell says: “These sires have all contributed to producing bulls with strength and a depth of colour and feminine female lines which we have aimed for in the Lanscombe herd.”
True to the breed, the cows are managed on a grass-based system with only baled silage fed when housed during the winter, the youngstock are given creep in the early stages and then all weaned together with the potential show cattle given no preferential treatment until they are selected in April in preparation for the early shows.
Only very selective female purchases have been made with the last being Snipelands 1 Ripple purchased from Sedgemoor Auction Centre in 2008 which produced Lanscombe 1 Maxamillion and Lanscombe 1 Lizzy which both did well in the show ring.
Other females of note in the herd are Lanscombe 1 Mille, a Butcombe Jewel granddaughter, which produced Pixie and Roxy; Lanscombe 1 Lexie, a Fisher 1 Jane granddaughter, which gave Olive and Queenie and in turn producing the show heifers Solitaire, Bethany and Beatrice.
Numerous bulls have been sold to various herds to include Lanscombe 1 The Lanscombe herd is based near Dorchester
Oliver to Nicholashayne, Lanscombe 1 Rudolph to Free Town and Lanscombe 1 Orkney to Dendor which sired the Poll Show winner Dendor 1 Nairobi.
Sally says: “Showing is very much a family passion with three generations now involved. Lanscombe 1 Maxamillion was our most prolific show winner. Having been shown as a yearling, he was sold and purchased back as a three year old. He went on to take breed championships at the Royal Bath and West, Royal Cornwall and Royal Berkshire shows.
“Our latest stock bull Vexour 1 Phantom has produced some great offspring and has matured into the bull we hoped he would be and we are looking forward to seeing his daughters come into the herd.”
Farmlay Herefords Farmlay Herefords Est. 1994 Est. 1994 Bywood Farmhouse, Honiton, Devon, EX14 4SS Bywood Farmhouse, Honiton, Devon, EX14 4SS
“Countess ”
Calves due this year by Severnvale Valentine, Clipston Krespian and Philip Action
Stock for sale and visitor’s welcome Stock for sale and visitor’s welcome @farmlayherefords @farmlayherefords
Ellen Layzell
T: 07713 465218 Colin Layzell
E: ellenklayzell@gmail.com
T: 07840 232270 E: colin@colinlayzell.co.uk
Colin Layzell T: 07840 232270 E: colin@colinlayzell.co.uk
SEVERNVALE HEREFORDS
Somerwood Rondo + Severnvale Countess 12 Many thanks to our 2021 customers including females to Hendra, Tibbs Cross & Twilight herds STOCK FOR SALE 2022
