SMITHFIELD HIGHLIGHTS AT ENGLISH WINTER FAIR
· British Blue Team wins Duke of Norfolk Trophy
· Perrys of Eccleshall secure Beef Ribs Championship
· Joseph Morris take Saddle of Lamb Champion
· Coates & Wynne takes Reserve Rib award
· Reserve Saddle goes to Greenfields
· RABI Single Lamb trophy to The Goodwood Estate
The English Winter Fair, held on the weekend of 19-20 November 2022 at the Staffordshire County Showground, was once again a resounding success with many of its highlights involving competitions supported by the Royal Smithfield Club.
Phil Halhead and Duke of Norfolk line-up
The British Blue Team are Duke of Norfolk winners
In the much-anticipated Duke of Norfolk Trophy, for the best group of three purebred animals, a large crowd on the Sunday witnessed six breeds go head-to-head with the British Blues winning and the Herefords in reserve. Judge Phil Halhead praised the winning trio as ‘a very correct and consistent group, very uniform in size and shape.’ The winners comprised the bull calves Maes Sancho and Maes Supernova from IP Jones together with Kevin Watret’s heifer Solwayview Secret. Standing reserve was the Hereford team. Making the presentation was Geoff Burgess, Club President.
Duke of Norfolk Runners-up Team Hereford
Beef Ribs Championship Presentation l-r Stephen Hill (Perrys of Eccleshall), Steve Cartmell (Producer), Carl Norton (Butcher), Richard Saunders (Club Secretary), Dave Morland (judge), Geoff Burgess (RSC President)
The Club’s Beef Ribs & Saddle of Lamb competitions, with a record dozen entries in each section, was judged by Dave Morland of Tebay Farm Shop & Services, Cumbria. The Champion Beef Rib came from Perrys of Eccleshall with a 24-month Limousin-sired heifer weighing in at 560kg liveweight from producer Steve Cartmell and presented by butcher Carl Norton. The judge described the winner as ‘full of meat, with marbling and nice fat cover.’ Reserve Rib went to Messrs Coates & Wynne.
Beef Rib winner Perrys of Eccleshall
Reserve Beef Rib - Messrs Coates & Wynne
The Perpetual Lamb Saddle Trophy was awarded to Joseph Morris Butchers with their Beltex ewe lamb described as having ‘a full eye of meat and nice covering of fat’ by Mr Morland. The reserve title went to Greenfields. The winning entries made £320 and £200 respectively for charity in Bagshaws’ post-show auction.
Joseph Morris Butchers’ Champion Saddle of Lamb
Reserve Saddle from Greenfields Lamb
Earlier on the Sunday, the Royal Smithfield RABI Single Butchers Lamb trophy went to Nick Page of The Goodwood Estate, West Sussex with a Beltex x Texel with reserve a Texel-cross from G Bellfield, Cheshire. Presenting the award was Richard Saunders, RSC Secretary, and Kate Jones, RABI Regional Manager.
Judge Dave Morland (left) pictured with Club Trustee William Bedell
The Royal Smithfield Club extends its thanks to judges Dave Morland & Phil Halhead, to carcase hall Stewards John Bradshaw & Antony Key, to all exhibitors, and all the team from the Staffordshire & Birmingham Agricultural Society