A sunset red heifer lit up this year’s Anglesey Winter Show and brought a debut beef title for an exhibitor who literally jumped for joy on getting the judge’s tap.
Deiniol Hughes punched the air and leaped into the air after Lady In Red, his 13-month-old Limousin x heifer, was picked out by the judge, Bryn Lloyd.
The verdict was greeted almost as enthusiastically by the watching crowd at Anglesey showground, many of whom were keen to make a quick getaway to catch the Wales rugby team on TV.
Bought privately from Berwyn Hughes, Lampeter, and produced by Deiniol and his dad Arwel, of Plas Newydd, Llanbabo, Lady In Red had earlier led the YFC championship.
By going on to take the supreme title, Deiniol became the first YFC winner since Awel Jones almost 20 years ago.
“It means a lot to me because it’s my local show and I’ve been so close to winning it over the years,” he said.
On a good day for Plas Newydd, Deiniol also led a homebred calf, Blackberry, to the reserve Baby Beef title.
There were more celebrations in Llanbabo on Saturday night after Llyr Hughes and dad Peredur secured the reserve supreme title with Queen Bee.
Earlier the Limousin x heifer had replicated her Agi Expo win by lifting the Baby Beef title, thus capping a run of good results for Llyr and his Pabo herd – he also topped last month’s Carlisle Limousin sale with a 17,000gns bull.
“You never expect anything when you enter a show, so get a result like this is very pleasing, especially for an animal this young,” said Llyr.
Aged just six months, and by Irish bull by Derrygullinane Kingbull, Queen Bee will be joining Lady In Red on the Winter Fair sawdust in Builth Wells later this month.
An oddity of Anglesey's beef result was the absence of the steer and heifer leaders on the supreme podium.
Wyn Williams, of Penrhyn Farm, Llanfwrog, might have hoped for more after seeing two of his homebred entries dominate the steer championship.
The best of these was Dakota, a 17-month-old British Blue x Limousin bullock shown by Ieuan Evans that was second in its class at Agri Expo. Standing reserve was Wyn’s Torpedo, an October 2017-born Limousin x steer.
Topping the heifers was a Limousin x called Diva, bred and shown by Caernarfon butcher Robyn Jones, a former supreme winner here.
It was a good first outing for the 21-month-old, who was making her debut in the show ring.
Getting the nod as reserve heifer was Miss Bala, another Limousin x. Shown by Meleri Francis, the 21-month-old was reserve commercial champion at September’s Cerrig Show for owner Gwanwyn Rowlands, Llandderfel, Bala.
Live lambs
While cattle numbers on the day were slightly down on the 2017 show, entries in the lamb pens were slightly up.
Three pairs were supplied by show debutants Dafydd Lewis and fiance Caryl Howells, from Llanwrda, Carmarthenshire, and all three collected red cards.
They duly made up three-quarters of the supreme championship and to no one’s great surprise they dominated the silverware. His champions were a brace of pure Beltex, while his reserves were two Dutch Texels. All were April-born ewe lambs.
He was tempted to Anglesey after county pal Hywel Williams made a similar trek north last year, with similar results. His interest was also piqued after one of his steers, bought by Llyr Taylor at Ruthin, went on to win the show’s supreme beef title last year.
“Hywel came here last year and said it was a good show, so I thought I’d give it a go,” said Dafydd, who fielded the reserve supreme pair at this month’s Agri Expo, Carlisle.
Of the four pairs contesting Anglesey’s title, only one was from the island – a brace of a Blue Texel ewe lambs from Sally Myatt’s Two Saints flock, Llanddeusant.
With partner Paul Barnsley, she brought a total of nine lamb pairs to the show and the commitment paid off with victory for Paul in the native breeds championship.
His March-born Coloured Mule ewe lambs got the nod from judge Iwan Jones, Aberdaron.
Standing reserve were two Torwen ewe lambs bought privately by Brian Roberts, Corwen. At Builth later this month he will be hoping for modest returns after electing to rest his Black Welsh Mountain lambs – the breed that yielded the Royal Welsh reserve supreme title in 2017.
Pigs and ponies
Pig numbers at the show were on a par with last year – six pairs – and best of the lot were a duo of Welsh x Pietran gilts from perennial winner Gwenno Pugh, who runs a 24-sow Welsh pig herd at Tyn Llan, Penmynydd.
Best supported sections, as ever, were the produce, cookery and crafts sections, bringing an early splash of Christmas to an otherwise dreary November day.
The show’s second day put young horses and ponies and horses in the spotlight – and topping the pile was Melau Sky, a grey Section B yearling from Eirian Wyn Williams, Gaerwen.
After securing the Welsh championship, Sky went on to claim the supreme horse sash.
Show administrator Aled Hughes said it had been an encouraging day for all involved.
“There was plenty of quality on show,” he said.
“It was satisfying to see so many younger farmers competing alongside senior exhibitors and gaining invaluable experience.”
Dairy cattle
- HEIFER CALF: 1) WC & H Williams; 2) Mon Jersey; 3) JLC Jersey.
- YOUNG HANDLER: 1) Gwen Jones; 2) Ceri Ann Jones: 3) Ffion Davies.
Pedigree Calf Walk
- NATIVE MALES & FEMALES: Ch - DH Jones, Ceredigion; R - Lynn Foxwell, Harlech.
- NATIVE YFC: 1) Gwawr Griffiths, Anglesey.
- NATIVE SUPREME: Ch - Gwawr Griffiths, Anglesey.
- CONT FEMALE: Ch - IP Jones, Corwen; R - RG Jones, Anglesey.
- CONT MALE: G & E Jones, Llantrisant; R Peredur & Llyr Hughes, Llanbabo.
- CONT SUPREME: Ch - I P Jones: R - RG Jones.
- CHAMPION CALF: Ch - IP Jones, Corwen: R - DH Jones, Ceredigion.
Beef cattle
- NOVICE HANDLER: 1) Elliw Roberts; 2) Ieuan Evans; 3) Llyr Taylor.
- ANGLESEY-BRED STEER: 1) OW Williams; 2) GH & AH Roberts.
- ANGLESEY-BRED HEIFER: 1) R & L Roberts.
- YFC: Ch - Deiniol Hughes, Llanbabo; R - Elliw Roberts, Llantrisant.
- BABY BEEF: Ch - Peredur & Llyr Hughes, Llanbabo; R - Deiniol Hughes, Llanbabo.
- STEER: Ch & R - OW Williams, Llanfwrog.
- HEIFER: Ch - Robyn & Sioned Jones, Caernarfon; R - Peredur a Llyr Hughes, Llanbabo.
- SUPREME: Ch - Deiniol Hughes (YFC): R - Peredur & Llyr Hughes (BB).
Live lambs
SUPREME PAIRS: Ch & R - Dafydd Lewis, Carmarthen.
NATIVE PAIRS: Ch - Paul Barnsley, Anglesey; R - BJ Roberts, Corwen.
YFC LAMB: 1) Erin Wyn Tudor, Anglesey; 2) Leah Edwards, Anglesey; 3) Elin Haf Rowlands, Anglesey.
LAMB CARCASS: Ch - W P Evans, Anglesey; R - Deio Rowlands, Anglesey.
Pigs
- SUPREME: Ch & R - Gwenno Pugh, Penmynydd.
Cookery & crafts
- FARM PRODUCE (pts): Gareth Rowlands, Anglesey.
- OPEN COOKERY: Emma Cox, Anglesey.
- CHILDREN’S COOKERY: Tomos Ifor Hughes, Anglesey.
- OPEN CRAFTS: Jane Foulkes, Anglesey
- CHILDREN’S CRAFTS: Sian Eifion Rowlands, Anglesey.
- PHOTOGRAPHY: Susan Rowlands, Anglesey.
- EGGS: Ch - Guto Edwards, Anglesey; R - T & E Williams, Anglesey.
Horses
- COLOURED: Foal Ch - H Wyn Evans, Wrexham; R - Ann Holland, Anglesey. Yrlg Ch - Huw D Gruffydd, Bala; R - Leah Roberts, Anglesey.
- POTENTIAL SPORT HORSE: Foal Ch - Huw D Gruffydd, Bala; R - Miss G Jones, Corwen. Yrlg Ch - Huw D Gruffydd, Bala; R - Leah Roberts, Anglesey.
- WELSH PART-BRED: Foal Ch - EW Williams, Anglesey.
- SECTION A: Ch - CM Oldfield, Anglesey; R - Miss C Shone, Anglesey.
- SECTION B: Foal Ch - WA & LJ Owen, Anglesey; R - Mrs K Howarth, Manchester. Yrlg Ch - Miss EW Williams, Anglesey.
- SECTION C: Foal Ch - G Roberts, Wrexham; R - Mrs YM Roberts, Anglesey. Yrlg Ch - G Roberts, Wrexham.
- SECTION D: Foal Ch - G Howatson, Rhyl; R - JN & H Williams, Gwynedd. Yrlg Ch - G Howatson, Rhyl; R - Carl Owen, Gwynedd.
- BEST WELSH EXHIBIT: Ch - EW Williams, Anglesey; R - G Roberts, Wrexham.
- BEST NON-WELSH EXHIBIT: Ch - H Wyn Evans, Wrexham (Coloured); R - Huw D Gruffydd, Bala (Sports).
- SUPREME: Ch - EW Williams, Anglesey; R - H Wyn Evans, Gwynedd.
