Livestock exhibits and trade stands added to the attractions at this year’s South Eastern Prime Stock Winter Fayre, sponsored by AW Jenkinson and held at the South of England Showground.
Visitors from a wide area flocked to support this growing event, which, for the 14th successive year, also featured the South Eastern Charolais Calf Show. The success of this relationship has proved contagious, with the society this year also welcoming back the Southern Beef Shorthorn Club Calf Show for the second time.
Young farmers were again at the heart of the show. There were craft classes for all ages, young cattle and pig handling classes and the well-supported sheep ring, where more than 60 entries saw young people from one to 16 competing in their respective classes for red rosettes.
Meanwhile the fat cattle classes, sponsored by the Gallagher Group, saw this year’s Supreme Champion award going to J & S Wareham with a Galloway cross heifer which caught the eye of judge Michael Kirby, who travelled from Devon. Reserve Champion went to Sean Marsh with a Limousin cross heifer.
This year’s main calf show sponsor was FGS Agri. Taking the top spot was regular supporter Rhys Grenham’s Simmental heifer, which was named Continental and Supreme Calf Champion. Reserve Supreme Champion was Long Park Farm’s Hereford heifer calf, this year’s native calf champion.
Other highlights included Champion and Reserve Champion lambs from Joshua Jack with his Beltex, while the Best Pen of Three Butcher’s Lambs went to Debbie Barr’s Texel crosses that were sold in the pen for £170 each by honorary auctioneers South East Marts.
The show’s charity butchers lamb class, a first this year, saw livestock judged and then sold for the Farming Community Network (FCN), which saw £ 700 raised by the sale of four lambs donated by CE Holt and Partners, Nick Page, South Brockwells Farm and Poynings Pumpkin Patch.
The Pig Show Supreme Champion went to show regular Wakeham-Dawson and Harmer with a Welsh, while Reserve Champion went to Will and Janet Murphy’s Large White.
Following 2022’s record breaking carcass show, this year’s event, sponsored by Downlands Traditional Meats, had much to live up to. While the prices didn’t quite match last year’s, the display of entries did not disappoint.
Judge Steve Conisbee from F Conisbee & Son awarded the Supreme Champion Lamb Carcass to a Southdown produced by Wakeham-Dawson and Harmer which sold for an impressive £16/kg, while the Champion Pig Carcass prize went to CG & AA Brooker.
A fine display of turkeys judged by Blade and Bone Butchery, Horsham, saw the trussed turkey first prize awarded to F Conisbee & Son.
Photos: Lucy Carnaghan Photography
