A PASSION for home-breeding paid off at this year's Dairy Show.

Several of the championship winners came from long and beloved family bloodlines at the 2023 show, held at the Bath & West Showground last Wednesday (October 4). 

A home-bred Jersey cow, Rivermead Minx Candy VG89, won the interbreed championship. Exhibited by Emily Davis, the cow had her calf just three weeks ago and is already yielding 33 litres per day. 

Sired by Stonyrun Aus Tbone Minx, she was riding on a tide of success, having won her class at UK Dairy Day in 2022 and been placed as champion Jersey at Dairy Expo earlier this year.  

Emily, who was celebrating her birthday on the day of the Dairy Show, also had success with the family's other home-bred entrants - winning the National Jersey Championship, reserve champion and reserve honourable mention.

She said: “Jerseys are our passion, and to reach the top is amazing. It’s the first time we’ve won at this show, and it’s just fantastic.”

The Davis family milk 230 cows near Tiverton, Devon, and all share the Jersey passion, including Emily, her brothers, sisters and parents.

Thuborough Farms’ Holstein senior cow, shown by Roland Ley, took the reserve interbeed title. Another homebred, by Stantons Adorable, Thuborough Freda 610 is rated EX95 and is yielding 48 litres after having her fourth calf in March.

The family milk 270 Holsteins near Holsworthy, Devon, with an average yield of 11,000 litres. Before her success at the Dairy Show, Freda won the breed and interbreed championship at the Devon County Show and was breed champion and reserve interbreed champion at the Royal Cornwall Show.

Roland added: "To get breed champion and reserve interbreed is a great result. She’s got a really good udder and is very youthful despite being a fourth-calver. She has a lovely balance and moves really well.”

The Dairy Show was also host to the Guernsey National Show. This was won by the Greenslade family's Greensfield Dandy Dan Butterfly. 

Exhibitor, Emma Greenslade, said the win 'means a lot' to the family. 

“We work quite hard with our breeding, and we bred both her and the sire behind her – Greensfield Dandy Dan," she said.

"His dam won at UK Dairy Day and here, and now we’ve done the double again. She’d never been shown before – I dragged her out of the shed a week before Dairy Day. She’s just so quiet.

“She’s small but mighty, and very correct. You can’t fault her, and she’s very clean through the rump.”

The family milk 100 cows near Cullompton, Devon, and this second-calver; who calved in August, is giving 25 litres/day.

The other breed champions were: Ayrshire Rosehill Madison Jelly VG87, Dairy Shorthorn Churchroyd Bronte Wildeyes 63, and British Friesian Greenway Solo Billie Jo.