Hi All
Apologies for the radio silence but I've been v busy snce Wednesday!!
Anyway, Devon was a pretty good show for us again this year - the weather was shite taking them in on Wednesday and on Thurday am but by the time our classes came around at 2pm, it was blazing hot. Phil was first in with NewPole Bouncer and as he was the only one in his class, we won that one (although judges can and do withold places if they don't consider the exhibit good enough - v embarrasing) ! Next in was me with NewPole Asset and Phil with N Ab Fab (had to have both in same class this year). To my horror, we had to go around in age order, youngest animal leading and that, of course, just had to be Asset.
Dims will tell you that Asset was pretty naughty last year and I'm handling her now but, probably because I feed her and look after her, she's pretty good with me and we were very proud to be called in first! Especially as Ab Fab came fourth handled by The Pro!
Phil and I already had a needle match going on with regard to our two calves - he's been prepping up NewPole Belt 'N Braces while I've been prepping Tamhorn Blossom and much has been riding on who was going to beat who! First blood to me...
I was not looking forward to the calf class, because Bloss has been a hell hound to halter break and lead and in our practice run in the morning had pronked round the ring and I nearly lost her twice. Anyway, luckily she was third youngest in her class, so had animals in front and behind her in the actual show, and went very well for me and we got called in first again!! Phil was fourth again ! Ha!
So I was in the rather nice position of having two animals forward for the female championship. The judge selected a senior cow with calf at foot for Female Champion but Asset picked up Reserve, making it her turn this year, as Ab Fab got Reserve last year. Bouncer picked up Reserve Ch Male and Best Junior Bull, so we went home very well pleased with the day.
Pip was second this year in Intermediate Young Leaders with her crossbred calf.
However, I missed all that as I went off very, very early Friday morning to go to Carlisle with a neighbouring farmer who was looking to buy a heifer at the BB Sale and he was taking his young cousin to0, plus the cattle trailer in case he bought anything. It's a fecking long way to Carlisle towing!
They had a Show on the Friday afternoon and the Sale the next day and it's very funny listening to all the ringside comments... News had travelled of our wins, which was nice and we're being taken quite seriously now !
My neighbour bought a very nice heifer and someone else who lives not too far from us bouht a young bull, so we brought them straight home after the sale and I got into bed at about 2.30am this morning - hence why I have not been available. I forgot to take my phone charger so couldn't use my mob much.
On the way back home, Phil rang me to say another neighbour of ours who has a very well-known herd of Pedigree Ruby Red Devons had been badly injured at the show and he was going to go into hospital with him. Devon is a big three day event and the cattle are down there all the time for the public to see and they are paraded in the main ring each afternoon. Two Devon bulls alongside Malc and his bull, Centurion, decided to have a nasty fight and Malc's bull, who is very sweet-tempered, decided to leg it out the way! He must weigh in excess of 1000kg, so there's not a lot you can do to stop them and Malc got dragged and badly kicked. He's got several bust ribs, ruptured spleen, bruising to his kidneys but, more worryingly, an irregular hearbeat, so he's in hospital for quite a while, I reckon. The news was good this morning, so hopefully all will be well but in the meantime, it means more work for Phil as he will of course deal with Malc's haymaking as well as our own and silaging too.
Bloody dangerous, these Shows!!
Thanks anyway Merl.
