CRACKING SPECTACLE OF SMITHFIELD RIBS & SADDLES AT 2019 ENGLISH WINTER FAIR
Jones Bros secure Beef Ribs Championship
Perrys of Eccleshall takes the Saddle of Lamb Trophy
Messrs LA Jones take Reserve Rib award
Reserve Saddle to M & A Hadfield & Sons
L-R Stephen Hill (Perrys of Eccleshall), Phil Henshaw (RSC), Dave Bennett (Kepak), Toby & Brian Lawton (producer).
The Royal Smithfield Club Beef Ribs & Saddle of Lamb competitions, sponsored by Kepak St Merryn, were held at the Staffordshire County Showground 16th-17th November 2019, and Judge Mr Lee Machin, was extremely impressed with the high standard from all the entrants from a very strong field of more than 30 entries.
Champion Rib, Jones Bros
The champion Beef Rib came from Jones Bros of Hendrefor, Menai Bridge, with their August 2018-born Limousin-cross heifer entry with a carcase weight of 333kg grading R4L. The Reserve Beef Ribs from LA Jones, Tygwyn Farm Ltd, Ferwig, Cardigan was a 29-month-old British Blue-cross heifer grading R4H. Third Place went to Belcher Farms, Nelsons Lane, Hurst, Berkshire, with their 28-month O+4H Aberdeen Angus-cross heifer. All three winning ribs came from Kepak producers.
L-R Richard Saunders (RSC), Dave Bennett (Kepak), Phil Henshaw (RSC)
The Perpetual Lamb Saddle Trophy was awarded to Perrys of Eccleshall, Staffordshire, for their entry by a Texel-Beltex ram and out of a Texel-cross ewe from producer B Lawton & Son, New House Farm, Newport, Shrops – the first time this farm had entered the competition where father-and-son Brian & Toby run 900 commercial ewes crossed with Charollais and Texel-Beltex rams. Reserve went to M & A Hadfield & Sons, Derbys with third place awarded to Michael Wynne/EW Coates Butchers, with their Blue Texel cross ewe.
The Royal Smithfield Club extends its thanks to Leighton Jones & Dave Bennett of Kepak St Merryn, Judge Lee Machin, Club Steward Phil Henshaw, to all exhibitors, and all the hard-working team from the Staffordshire & Birmingham Agricultural Society.