January saw the traditional annual dinner and awards presentation for the North Eastern Holstein Club with members, friends and guests gathering at Allerton Court, Northallerton on Friday 20th.

 

There were over 30 awards presented  on the night from the previous year's competition. The main event is always the summer herds competition, and the winner of Top herd on Inspection were the Miles family from Ellerbeck, Northallerton. This well known North East herd went forward to represent the region in the Premier Pedigree herd. In the Production and then subsequent Production and Inspection class at herd level winners of the medium herds was the Clarkson family of the Lowthorpe herd from East Witton, Leyburn. Husband and wife team Denis and Eileen farm with sons Kevin and Mark and have 100 cows with a herd average for the qualifying year October 2015 to September 2016 of 10,368kg at 4.29% fat and 3.20% protein which gave them the advantage over fellow breeders Matt Bell and Son of the Semmerdale herd who were 2nd overall. The other main herd award of the night was scooped by the Scrivin family of the Southbelle herd from Bellerby, Leyburn who took top slot in the Management Class, winning the Bishopton Trophy presented by the main 2016 herds competition sponsor Bishopton vets. This relatively new award was also won last year by the husband and wife team Steve and Sue and son David, who had enviably low  annual averages for bactoscan, somatic cell count and calving interval, all considered key management efficiency indicators. The herd has grown over recent years, and the family have secured their future in milk production buying the previously county council farm and continually improving the farm infrastructure. In total 13 leading herds from the North East region secured prizes on the night as well as a number of Young Breeders who have excelled in judging, handling and showing competitions during the year. The Littlebridge and Studdah herds of the Mile's and Pratt families respectively took numerically the largest amount of silverware. 

 

The North Eastern Holstein Club 2016 Herds Competition Results:

 

Judge - Mr J. Garnett (Milnthorpe) (Competition kindly sponsored by Bishopton Vets)

 

 

J Pratt & Son - Studdah Bradnick Dream (x Regancrest GVS Bradnick)

 

 

J L Miles & Sons - Littlebridge R J Honey (x Roylane Jordan)

 

T D Goldie & Son - Wiskemanor Shottle Iris 2 (x Picston Shottle)

 

 

M Bell & Son - Semerdale Leroy Liesje 27 (x Ballycairn Garrett Leroy)

 

 

J L Miles & Sons – Group sired by Picston Shottle

 

 

M Bell & Son - Semerdale Vaakje’s

 

 

Metcalfe Farms - Washfold Shottle Beth (x Picston Shottle)

 

 

JD & E Clarkson & Son - Lowthorpe Tempting Dawn Total 3157kg

 

The Edmich Trophy for the Highest Yield Per Day of Life  (7 entries)  

 

H S Petch & Sons Ltd - Aytonian Annie 436 Total 28.89kg

 

 

S, S & D Scrivin – Southbelle Herd

 

 

J L Miles & Sons - Littlebridge Herd

 

 

Large Herds 2 x Milking (No entries)

 

Medium Herds 2 x Milking (2 entries)

 

J D & E Clarkson & Son – Lowthorpe Herd

 

Best Overall Large Herd (No Entries)

 

JD & E Clarkson & Son – Lowthorpe Herd

 

 

Judge - Miss Jennie Booth (Shawdale) 

The Semex Cup for the Best Individual Heifer In Youngstock (7 Entries)  

 

J L Miles & Sons – Littlebridge Windbrook Sonya (x Gillette Windbrook)

 

J Pratt & Son - Studdah Herd

 

 

Judge Mr Bernard Liddle (Dalesend)

 

 

H S Petch & Sons - Aytonian Signet 623 (x Ensenada Taboo Planet ET)

 

 

H S Petch &Sons - Aytonian Everus 141 (x Picston Shottle)

 

 

J Pratt & Son - Studdah Bambam Anna (x Braedale Bambam)

NEHBC Winter Classic Farm Organisation Trophy for the Best Group (7 entries)  

 

J Pratt & Son – Studdah Herd

 

 

Judging Competition Trophies:

 

The Kenneth Wilson Trophy for Senior Judging Stephen Crozier

 

The Roseberry View Cup for Intermediate Judging Anna Goldie

 

The Aconley Cup for Junior Judging Gayle Robinson

 

The N.E.B.F.B Cup for Senior Linear Robert Crozier

 

The Altapon Cup for Intermediate Linear Anna Goldie

 

The N.E.B.F.B Cup for Junior Linear Robert Metcalfe

 

 

The Adanholme Cup for Champion Calf J L Miles & Sons

 

The Hemble Cup for points at Club Calf Show Metcalfe Farms

The 75TH Anniversary Cup for the Novice Handler Matthew Bradley

The Farmway Cup for The Best Exhibitor Bred J L Miles & Sons

 

The Wooden Shield for Champion Handler Anna Goldie

 

Winners of the young members point’s competition set up in memory of Willie Greenhow were as follows:-

 

 

Lizzie James      

 

 

 Anna Goldie

 

 

On February 7th at Allerton Court the club converged again for one of the highlights of its Winter programme the annual Panel Meeting. This year we had the best turnout for many years , perhaps drawn by a panel billed as 'vibrant and exciting' and who certainly didn't disappoint. They included Shaun Sowry who runs a 450 cow flying herd alongside his brothers and nephew at Bishop Thornton and is well known for his prize winning and high priced calves sold regularly through Leyburn and Skipton mart, as well as regularly having purchased stock from club members over the years. He was joined by Angus Gaudie, a club member from West Rounton, Northallerton who is a strong advocate of grazing and organic milk production and has some cross bred cattle as well as having diversified the business into clotted cream with wife Susan - Stamfrey Organics, and rather than a rose between two thorns we had a Cumbrian between two Yorkshiremen with Len Wilson of the Stowbeck herd near Penrith. The herd was established in the 1940's by Len's grandfather and now covers 740 acres with Len in partnership with his mother and brother Chris, milking 380 cows and followers. The meeting was chaired by Sarah Liddle, with each panellist giving overview of their farm and business before lively question and answers and debate from the floor. As usual it proved a thought provoking and informative evening and the speakers were frank and open on many topics, as well as their own businesses and visions and direction for the future - all embraced the variation in farming systems but felt survival was an option for them all as long as they continued to farm systems that suited their own farms, environments and interests/ abilities. 

We now look forward to an interesting and diverse Summer Programme, which is promoted elsewhere in our club advert.