A familiar face was in the spotlight at Agrifest South West 2023 when winning the supreme primestock championship for a second consecutive year. Following up on his success in 2022 with Dizzy, Michael Kirby from Milton Damerel near Holsworthy was back at Westpoint Exeter on the halter of his homebred British Blue cross, Handsfree, to claim the top honours once again.
Placing this striking April 2022-born and 556kg black heifer at the top of the line was judge Katrina Donaldson, who travelled down from Carlisle for the event on Wednesday, November 8. Organised by the Devon County Agricultural Association (DCAA) since 2016, Agrifest has cemented itself as a leading competition in the region’s winter livestock showing calendar.
Reserve primestock supreme went to Richard Wright from Somerton, Somerset with his June 2022-born and 674kg Limousin cross heifer, Gothi Tiktok.
Paul and Lin Calcraft, from Payhembury near Honiton, took the bred and fed championship with their June 2022-born Limousin cross steer, Under Pressure; whilst Welsh raiders J M & S M Rowlands from Newtown, Powys won the baby beef championship with their April 2023-born and 332kg Limousin cross steer, Fist Full Of Dollars.
A delighted Will Glover from Yeovil, Somerset headed the continental and overall supreme pedigree calf championship with his February 2023-born Charolais bull, Starlight Uppercut - the choice of judge Millie Birch from Stafford - ahead of Ulverston-based Arradfoot & Newland Pedigree Livestock’s January-born Limousin heifer, Arradfoot Udine, in reserve.
Tapped out as the pedigree native calf champion was the March 2023-born Hereford bull, Allwood 1 Acrobat, exhibited by F J Wood & Sons from Moreleigh, South Devon.
Agrifest also hosts the prestigious Young Bull of the Year championship and having been presented with a first-rate selection of junior males, Mrs Birch gave her top prize to the Neale family’s Limousin, Nealford Twister.
Born and raised at Wilkie Down near Launceston, this April 2022-born son of Loosebeare Nelson went on to stand reserve champion and sell for a trade-topping price of 6,800 guineas at the British Limousin Cattle Society’s autumn show and sale in Brecon last Saturday.
Standing reserve to Twister was the native winner, May 2022-born Hereford Lanscombe 1 Dude from R A & V A Mitchell of Buckland Newton near Dorchester, Dorset.
In the prime lamb classes, Caryl Howells from Carmarten was tasked with judging and awarded her overall supreme to the pure bred continental champions, a pair of Beltex lambs exhibited by Robert Garth and Sarah Priestly from Bentham in North Yorkshire - with their butchers’ weight section winners taking overall reserve.
This Garth and Priestly domination continued as their pair of pure bred Kerry Hills won the native championship. Reserve went to a pair of Hampshire Downs exhibited by Adrian Rundle from Newquay. Away from the livestock, Agrifest also hosts the annual steak and burger awards - with this year’s renewal seeing the introduction of sausage classes.
Following a rigorous tasting process and an appearance from Michelin-starred chef Michael Caines, M C Kelly in Crediton claimed the supreme championship for their sirloin steak; with Exe Valley Farm Shop’s speciality lamb kofta burger taking reserve.
