Christmas Calf Show is moo-vellous

Photos: Samantha Tolley

Organised by the College’s Level 2 Agriculture students, the event involved the usual parade of dairy heifers and beef cross calves, which were prepared for the show judging at our Lodge Farm site, at Myerscough’s new Livestock Innovation Centre.

Every year the students spend months planning and preparing for the event, with special guests invited along to take part and judge the animals and share their knowledge and industry experience, therefore contributing to the learning of the students.

There were the usual seven classes in total this year, with rosettes and small cash prizes awarded to the top three in each category. The categories included Best Beef Calf, Best Dairy Calf, Best Turned Out, Most Improved Handler, Best Beef Handler, Best Dairy Handler and the grand prize of Supreme Champion.

The Christmas Calf show has become an annual fixture in the Myerscough calendar and the student’s hard work and stockmanship shows how they have developed their skills and confidence in handling and showing the animals, as well as taking pride in both their own appearance and that of their animal.

Head of Agriculture, Craig Thompson, said: “All the students have done fantastically well and you could really see the effort they had gone to in preparation for the competition and it made a thoroughly entertaining spectacle for the crowd that came down to Lodge Farm to watch’’.

‘’The event was a huge success again this year. The students have been working hard in training the calves and preparing them for the show and it was nice to see some great animals on display’’.

‘’Many thanks to David Iveson (Level 2 Agriculture Programme Leader) for leading the organisation and delivery of the show this year and everyone that helped on the day. It was a great success yet again and the students did themselves proud – there were so many positive comments about the students and the livestock!

‘’Thanks also go to our livestock judges who were extremely supportive of the event and gave their time freely to help the students. The students be able to take the skills they have learnt into their future employment within the industry.’’

Dave Iveson said: ‘’We would like to thank everybody for attending. The students have worked extremely hard from the first week in September to halter train their animals and learn the art of showing. It’s their great commitment and enthusiasm that the calves presented today have been prepared so well.’’

 ‘’The students have dedicated a lot of time in training their animal to walk correctly on a halter, cleaning, washing and clipping them. The animals were commercial cattle and had not had any training prior to the students starting in September so were quite lively the first few weeks! Many students had never put a halter on a calf before and to see them so confident in handling these livestock now is extremely rewarding. They should be very proud of themselves.’

The photographs show the students with their calves on display during the show.

The 2017 winning students are:

Best Beef Calf - Scott Evans (sponsored by Bernard and Barbra Rimmer)

Best Dairy Heifer - Taylor Kershaw (sponsored by Shepherd Dairy services)

Best Turned Out - Scott Evans (sponsored by Lindsay Cleaning Equipment)

Most Improved Handler - Daniel Tyson (sponsored by Bennetts Distribution)

Best Beef Handler - Scott Evans (sponsored by For Farmers)

Best Dairy Handler - Maisie McGeever (sponsored by Blackpool Dog Show)

Champion Calf - Scott Evans (sponsored Westmorland Veterinary Group Farm Services) 

Thanks to the judges - James Garner (Beef) and Graham Kirby (Dairy).

The Christmas Calf Show also raised more than £500 through a raffle, with 50% of the money going to the Papyrus charity and the other 50% going towards the purchase of a show box that the students would like to buy.