National Herd Competition

Podehole do the double at Beef Shorthorn Herd Awards 2023

It was two in a row for Charles and Sally Horrell’s Podehole herd as they were announced winners of the Beef Shorthorn Society’s National Herd Competition 2023.

Up against five other herds from across the UK who all respectively won their regional herds competitions in autumn 2022, judge for this year was former Shorthorn breeder, David Dickie from Dumfriesshire.

The presentation of the award was made at the recent October Striling Bull Sales where Mr Dickie announced his winner alongside Aimie Park who was presenting the award on behalf of the sponsor’s, Pedigree Sales Online Livestock Auctions.

Mr Dickie said: “I was looking for herd with strong breed characteristics, in particular cows that were milking well with good udders but still fleshy and making a job of their calves.

“I found the Podehole herd to be the most uniformed and credit must go to the Horrell family and stockman Roy for presenting a great herd of cattle for myself and Rosemary to judge.”

“Building a herd of top-quality animals is a skill that can take years of patience and careful management and the other finalists, Chapelton, Glebe Farm, Jodame, Meonhill and Holkin each set a great example for the breed. The standard within the breed is growing year on year and that hasn’t gone unnoticed when it comes to people investing, with numbers increasing each year at society sales and national and regional shows.”

Established in 2022 during the society’s bicentenary celebrations the award scheme will be run over an initial three-year period.

2023 National Beef Shorthorn herd competition now underway

The 2023 National Herd Award competition is now underway. The award was developed to recognise the 200 years of breeding excellence across the UK and Ireland by Beef Shorthorn farmers.

Taken from the 2022 Annual herd competitions, the six herds that were judged overall champions in their local regions are great examples of Beef Shorthorns at their best and judging will commence in the Summer to find the 2023 overall national winner.

Kindly sponsored by Pedigree Sales Online Livestock Auctions, the six herds will be assessed by this year’s Judge David Dickie of Thornhill, Dumfries. Once again the Society would like to thank Pedigree Sales Elite Auctions for sponsoring this exciting national competition.

The six herds judged overall champions in their local regions are: