Cattle fans were treated to the rare sight of a cow with triplet calves at foot. The Barlow Brothers’ Simmental Denizes Trixie-Bell 16 has three heifer calves in a one in 800,000 chance. She went on to take the breed championship.
Rachel Coates, Show Director, said:
Today’s Show underlined just how varied our programme is, from traditional livestock classes, where we were honoured to host two national championships, to the School Veg Box competition which we run as part of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s charitable activities programme to educate primary school children about how our food is grown.
We also learned about the best practices in farm conservation and environmental initiatives through the Tye Trophy and saw how forestry and agricultural work together to enhance the environment with the John Boddy Trophy.
The School Veg Box competition, which challenges primary schools across Yorkshire to grow healthy British produce from scratch every year, had Wonderful Worms as its theme this year. The winning school was Marsden Junior School in Huddersfield.
Teacher Sam Brian said:
The children are absolutely thrilled to win. We have been taking part for five or six years and this is our first win.
The children who take part are part of our climate carers group which takes place out of school hours so the veg boxes fit very well into this.
There was a 200-strong audience for the Future Farmers of Yorkshire Breakfast Meeting, sponsored by Krone UK. An industry panel discussed how farmers can drive profitability amid industry changes. Baroness Minette Batters, the former NFU president and tenant farmer leading a DEFRA report on farming profitability, was among the high-profile speakers. She said the report’s recommendations needed to be “politically bullet proof” if the report is to truly deliver for farmers.
Farmer, MP and Shadow Farming and Rural Affairs Minister Robbie Moore, also on the panel, said food security must be “installed at the heart of government”, Tom Richardson, Commercial Director of Warrendale Wagyu said retailers were having more conversations around sustainable supply chains which was good news for farmers, and Marcus Oliver, MD of Krone UK advised farmers to scrutinise how they are farming for the 21st century before investing in new machinery. Elsewhere at the Show, political visitors included West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin, York Council leader Councillor Claire Douglas and East Riding of Yorkshire Council Leader Councillor Anne Handley, who met farmers and food businesses during a tour of the Showground.
In the livestock rings, two more National Championships were decided for the Charolais cattle and Kerry Hill sheep. The Charolais title went to Miss E Pendlebury’s heifer, Jessops Ugogirl, with Mrs M Alfords bull, Hollywell Unclebob, in reserve. The Kerry Hill champion was Mr W Awan’s ram, with Mrs A Wilson’s ewe shearling in reserve.
The best goat in the show, a British Saanan goat named Wensleydale Silver and owned by Emily Turner, of Wensleydale, took the Supreme Champion.
In the Cheese and Dairy section, the Judy Bell Memorial Trophy for the Supreme Champion Cheese went to Roger Longman’s Shilling goats’ cheese. Roger, of White Lake Cheese Ltd, Somerset, claimed a GYS first by also being named Reserve Supreme Champion Cheese. The tractor engineer-turned goat farmer picked up two further accolades, for Best Raw Milk Cheese and Best Specialist Cheesemakers Cheese, and said: “To win both Supreme Champion and Reserve… I’m a bit lost for words.”
The David Hartley Memorial Trophy for the Supreme Champion Dairy entry went to farmer owned dairy co-operative South Caernarfon Creameries (SCC) and their Welsh Salted Butter.
Meinir Parry, SCC’s Sales and Marketing Coordinator, said:
We’ve entered for many years but this is the first time we’ve won Supreme. It’s come as a surprise. It’s a great achievement.
Some of the best farms across the north of England competed for the Tye Trophy, which recognises the contribution of farmers to conservation and environmental improvement. There were seven regional winners from across the north before the overall winners were announced, with the honours going to Colin and Alan Price of Long Bank Farm, Keasden, near Clapham, North Yorkshire who received the award from Yorkshire Agricultural Society President Geoff Brown.
Colin, whose father Alan was unable to attend, said the family had always tried to work in tune with nature and the elements on the mixed farm which runs 40 dairy Holsteins and 200 sheep:
I am absolutely ecstatic to win and a bit over-awed. When I heard about the other shortlisted farms during the ceremony, I knew we were up against some stiff competition.
Forestry was covered with the presentation of the John Boddy trophy, with the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, Royal Forestry Society and Forestry Commission joining forces to seek out the best examples of woodland management in Yorkshire. The Award is organised and judged by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, Royal Forestry Society and Forestry Commission and this year’s theme was Agroforestry. The 2025 title went to RegenFarmCo of Timble, North Yorkshire.
Dr Vincent Walsh of RegenFarmCo said he was delighted to win the award for the work he had done over his four years at Timble, which had been born of a vision to collaborate with traditional pasture and livestock, working with food companies and the landowner to provide integrated systems for producing food through agroforestry.
The Royal Yorkshire Regiment’s Best Soldier of 2023 was also recognised. This year’s honours went to a soldier described as a true trailblazer and an inspiring role model for future generations of female soldiers, Private Jadyn-Olivya Hanson, who has made a significant and lasting impact on Corunna Company and the 1st Battalion The Royal Yorkshire Regiment (1 R YORKS) over the previous 12 months.
A special salute was afforded by the Yorkshire Volunteers Band in the Main Ring to the Show’s Operations Manager, Nigel Morgan who is retiring from his role after 20 years’ distinguished service, working behind the scenes to ensure the smooth running of the Show.
