12 minute read
Hereford Cattle Breeders’ Association West Midlands
HCBA gets back to normality
Hereford Cattle Breeders’ Association ran some successful events in 2021 in a bid to get back to normality.
With 2020 being a year we would all very much like to forget, the Hereford Cattle Breeders Association (HCBA) looked forward to 2021 to try and return to some normality. However due to Covid-19 rules and restrictions the association’s AGM had to be held via Zoom, which is believed to be the first in the association’s history. Luckily, the association’s committee managed to conduct this without any hiccups. David Makin, Andrew Whitlow and Jenny Pudge were all re-elected into their positions as chairman, vicechairman and treasurer with Emma Davies enthusiastically taking on the secretary role from Maddy Roberts, who had kindly stepped in previously as honorary secretary. Richard Bradstock once again took up the role as association president. The Christmas Calf Show organising commitee. L-R Phil Williams, Hazel Timmis, Alison Allman, Melissa Roberts, Becky Davies, Caroline Davies, Emma Davies, Maddy Roberts and Andrew Whitlow
Making up for lack of events in the previous year, as soon as it was practical and safe to do so the association held its first social of the year. This was warmly hosted by Scott and Isabel Coates on their farm in Monmouthshire. After viewing the herd of Hereford cattle of which there was an excellent stock bull and quality cows, members got to the business end of the trip – a tour and tasting session of their new sheep’s cheese enterprise. This involved a look around at the milking parlour and cheese making facility, finishing off with an excellent sampling of the various cheeses they produce. It was great to see so many familiar faces and some new. Many thanks to the Coates for hosting.
As we progressed through the year, we saw the return of the area herd competition. This was judged by prominent Limousin breeder Richard Bartle who had the task of judging over 20 herds covering all corners of the HCBA area. The results evening was held at Eldersfield Herefords by Lorraine Hobson, with farm manager Daniel Goodman giving a great insight into the system they run which focusses on utilising grass in a rotational grazing system. This gave everyone on the tour food for thought on how to best manage cattle on a grazing platform and really gain the ‘white face advantage’ which Herefords have when it comes to performing well on grass-based systems. Richard Bartle was very encouraged by what he saw when judging and added some comments on how the
competition could be further advanced with the addition of more classes, which the association will consider for 2022.
Many members entered once again in the National Hereford Club’s virtual show in place of the National Show at Tenbury, which unfortunately could not take place again this year. Many notable herds in the HCBA did very well including Dieulacresse, Boycefield, FreeTown and Haven with John Whitlow's High House herd taking the male championship for stock bull Drumatee Rocket.
Making the most of the late summer evenings, the association held a social at Ray and Jenny Pudges’ farm in Herefordshire. Breedplan performance scanner and recorder Jim Barber came and gave a demonstration of how the scanning measurements for an animal’s carcase EBVs are recorded. He also did a brief run down on how the data is interpreted as well as some useful tips to members on how to get the most out of the whole Breedplan system. His main points were to keep recording consistent, honest and accurate. A huge thanks goes out to all exhibitors, sponsors, volunteers and spectators who supported the Christmas Calf Show in 2021. The HCBA is extremely grateful for the fantastic efforts made by all. It was a real credit to all people involved within the breed and a great representation of pedigree Hereford cattle. The show committee worked tremendously hard to ensure the event was a success, and are very much looking forward to welcoming everyone back to the Christmas Calf Show 2022.
The HCBA Facebook page was also relaunched this autumn to build up a following on social media to inform people of the association’s activities. So far feedback has been very positive and this is something we will continue to grow in the future as it is a simple, instant and free way of marketing. On a final note, the committee thanks all members, new and old for their involvement with the association and would like to encourage more Staffordshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire herds to get involved.
Herd competition results
Overall herd, Free Town, RA Bradstock and partners Small herd, 1st, Heath House, R and E Lywood; 2nd, Longridge, CFP and SH McCreath; 3rd, Buckenhill; 3rd, MF Gray and Miss L Crowther Medium herd, 1st, Boycefield, JW Lewis; 2nd, High House, JR Whitlow; 3rd, Rough Moor, T and M Goodwin and C Powell Large herd, 1st, Free Town, RA Bradstock and partners; 2nd, Hyde/Docklow, J Walker; 3rd, Eldersfield, AJ and LR Hobson Stock bull and progeny, 1st, Solpoll 1 Lawman, EL Lewis and son; 2nd, Romany 1 Redemption, G and R Watkins; 3rd, Drumatee Rocket, JR Whitlow Bull calf, 1st, Bosbury Vladimir V70, S Hawkins; 2nd, Hollybush Victory, G and R Watkins; 3rd, Heath House Voldermort, R and E Lywood Heifer calf, 1st, Havenfield 1 Lady Lynda 3rd, EL Lewis and son; 2nd, Rosemore 1 Blossom, GGE Holborow; 3rd, High House Dowager V22, JR Whitlow
Boycefield Herefords
Practical, Hard Working, Natural Cattle
Main Herd Sires: Lisrace Lumberjack (Pictured Above), Yarram Unique T160 & Boycefield Congo
Boycefield Pinky 33rd & Curly 33rd Sired By Lisrace Lumberjack
James & Billy Lewis, Boycefield Farm, Hereford HR4 8JF
136 | ASSOCIATIONS AND CLUBS Haven Herefords The Lewis Family celebrates 200 years of breeding Hereford Cattle in 2022
The Past, The Present and....
Haven Tarzan Havenfi eld 1 Tyson
Here come the girls -
EST.1822 Haven Kingpin Heifers to be offered in Bicentenary Sale 2022
Sire: GH Adams 144S Bulge 138W Dam: Haven Splendour 25 th Not forgetting the boys - Semen sold to Irish Hereford Society’s Breed Improvement Scheme.
Photo at 20 months, 910kg
Mawarra Infl uenti al Q162
UK Semen Available
Haven Hotspur
Sire : Mawarra Vice Admiral Dam: Haven Curly 72nd
Senior Male Champion National Horned Show Tenbury 2015
Owned jointly with P.R.J. & L.R. Vincent
Haven Kermit
Sire: Haven Cavalier Dam: Haven Thrush 64 th
Supreme Hereford Champion National Horned Show Tenbury 2014Yarram Unique P160
- Bought for $42,000 at Wodonga Nati onal with Graham Geneti cs & Pulham Herefords.
He is in the top 1% of the breed Self-‐ Replacing and Terminal Sire indices. - “Excepti onal depth and carcase att ributes bred out of OTHER SIRES INCLUDE:unquesti onably the best cow at Yarram Park” - Jeremy Upton
E. L. Lewis & Son
!Horned: Haven Cavalier (Semen for sale), Haven Lamborghini, Mawarra After Shock, Knockmountagh Marshall. !Polled: Romany 1 Lawbreaker, Days Calibre G74.
Thank you to all our customers this year. Visitors always welcome.
Edward, Carol and Ben Lewis, The Haven, Dilwyn, Hereford, HR4 8JB E.L.Lewis & Son Edward, Carol and Ben Lewis. The Haven, Dilwyn, Hereford, HR4 8JB Tel: 01544 318255 Mob: 07974744660 Tel: 01544 318255 Mob: 07974744660 Web: www.havenherefords.co.uk Email: edward@havenherefords.co.uk Web: www.havenherefords.co.uk
Email: edward@havenherefords.co.uk
Free Town in front in West Midlands
One of the oldest homes of the breed, RA Bradstock and partners’ Free Town herd won the West Midlands region’s herds competition in 2021.
Set in the fertile Frome Valley between rolling hills, Hereford cattle have grazed the pastures of Free Town Farm under the same family’s ownership for over 110 years.
Now run by father and son Richard and Tony, the 65 cow herd forms an integral part of the mixed 202 hectare (500 acre) farm, with permanent riverside pasture and rotational herbal leys running alongside arable, cider fruit, tack sheep and mixed woodland, all complimenting each other well.
A cornerstone of the breeding programme is to retain the Hereford breed’s strong maternal characteristics, including milk, docility and longevity, which have ensured the success of the breed in so many diverse conditions around the world. The Bradstocks use natural service predominantly, but this is complemented by semen from their own AI flask, including sires of their own breeding, allowing them to select suitable genetics for consistency.
The herd is founded on strong female lines, with only a handful of females L-R judge Pat Stanley, Richard and Tony Bradstock
having been introduced since Percy Bradstock purchased his original females from his uncle in 1906. Since then, the herd has won an unmatched nine English Royals as well as an unbeaten 11 National Hereford Show breed championships at Tenbury Wells, most recently with 10 month old heifer Free Town Decree, taking supreme in 2017.
Even more recently, the herd has continued to succeed in the show ring having taken supreme champion at Kington Show 2019 with Free Town Plenty, which, along with Decree, was by one of the herd’s recent sires Mara Humorous, which left a mark throughout the current herd, producing structurally very correct, smooth fleshing cattle with great breed character.
The current senior herd sire is Boycefield Stormzy which is a Lisrace Lumberjack son and was purchased after being judged bull calf champion at Kington Show in 2019. Moyclare Quinlan from
Ireland is still being used to provide progeny with great thickness and style, while its son Free Town Talent also ran with a small selection of females this summer. Free Town Truman, by Free Town Premier which won a strong class in the National Hereford Show 2021, was also used on a group of heifers this summer.
The current poll sire Weybrook 1 Director is a son of Romany 1 Kryptonite and has been used to add growth and muscling to the herd’s poll females.
Tony says: “The herd currently is split approximately 75 per cent horned and 25 per cent poll, having recently re-expanded their poll lines, predominantly by using poll bulls on selected horned females. In doing this, we are aiming to retain the important maternal qualities and breed traits of our established horned lines, yet providing a polled alternative”.
In addition, fifth generation family member Jinnie already has her own small sub-herd, started from the Dendor Lilac Wine female line. The Free Town herd is one of the oldest in the country
The herd calves equally in autumn and spring blocks to extend the availability of bulls for sale all year round and allowing them to calve heifers by 30 months of age. Richard says: “We believe calving at 30 months to be the ideal age, minimising the amount of concentrate feeding of the yearling to get her to a suitable bulling weight, but bringing her into production before she puts on too much body condition at calving”. Currently the herd sells around 10 to 15 pedigree bulls a year to local and international customers, along with a similar offering of females off-farm. With what is seen to be a continued resurgence of the Hereford breed in the UK beef market, it is hoped that the demand continues.
RISBURY HEREFORDS
Risbury Sailor
Sky High females hit 7,000gns at reduction sale
Making up part of the society spring parade and sale, the Sky High reduction sale with Will Medforth putting in a top bid of 7,000gns.
Sky High 1 Miss Staffordshire from Boomer Birch and Graham Brindley, Weston, Staffordshire lead the trade at the herd’s reduction sale, hosted at the society’s autumn sale, selling at 7,000gns to Will Medforth, Llanrug, Gwynedd. By the renowned Canadian sire Remitall Super Duty 42S, this November 2018born female is out of Dendor 1 Jennefer 15th, the twice female of the year title winner. Calving at two years old, Staffordshire carries robust performance figures with growth traits ranking in the top 1 percent of the breed, and has been running with Gouldingpoll 1 Stockman. Next to be sold was its daughter Sky High 1 Staffordshire Lass, which follows its dam with the same Gwynedd-based buyer. It is a Gouldingpoll 1 Stockman daughter and together with its mother, the outfit grossed 13,500gns. Forced to sell due to a loss of ground at home, the Sky High herd has experienced a good amount of success since its inception in 2010, and witnessed 100 per cent clearance of its seven lots forward, which averaged £6,315. Those involved in the Sky High reduction sale
old cow purchased by Steven O’Kane on behalf of a client. By Fabb 1 Northern Star, it was sold with its heifer calf Sky High 1 Lady Lambo at-foot which is a Gouldingpoll 1 Stockman daughter. Not far behind at 6,200gns and selling to G and A Redmayne, Kendal was Sky High 1 L’amour Lucy. Sired by Spurstow 1 Super Duty, it is paternal brother to the top price and out of Romany 1 Lucy RE L21, a daughter of another Spurstowbred sire. The June 2019-born daughter is a maternal sister to the record priced female and National Calf Show champion, Sky High 1 Lancome Lucy, and Agri Expo calf champion Sky High 1 Luscious Lucy.
Sky High 1 Lady Leshurr went at 5,800gns to A Newton, Antrobus, Cheshire. It is the first daughter to be offered for sale from Sky High 1 Shawshank Redemption and is a daughter of Gouldingpoll 1 Duchess 967 which also sold that day.
Eight year old Alderville 1 Diane and heifer calf Sky High 1 Demeter realised 5,400gns, bid by Steven O’Kane on behalf of a client. Diane is sired by Dorepoll 1 93N Transatlantic, which is bred from Remitall stock on either side of its pedigree. The calf is another Gouldingpoll 1 Stockman daughter.
Purchased by L Davies, Oswestry, Shropshire, Alderville 1 Lady Lynda and heifer calf Sky High 1 Lady Lush sold at 4,400gns and had been running with Grifford 1 True Player.
