It was a special week for the Beef Shorthorn breed at the Great Yorkshire Show, which celebrated 200 years in the making and a royal visit from the society's patron, HRH The Princess Royal.

The event was also a dream come true for Gloucs breeders, Fran Baird, Richard and Emma Edwards and Alan and Sue Timbrell, Tetbury, when their bull Charelsbury MacDonald, was given the winning slap.

The group of friends who run 25 cows in their herd and were exhibiting for the second time here, took the breed's bicentary year by storm to win the tri-colour with a March 2020 born bull, that has already won several local breed championships. Charelsbury MacDonald is now destined for the Royal Welsh Show.

"The champion is well balanced bull and looks like he is going to breed well and make a good job in any herd. He's just a youngster and still has his full life in front of him," said the judge, Major John Gibb of the Glenisla herd, Blairgowie, who selected the bull as supreme champion although it was Richard Bartle of the Dinmore herd, Hereford who selected the class winners.

The stand out bull is by Charlesbury Mr Mackai which sold at Stirling Bull Sales in 2018 for 5200gns – the same day the team bought in the dam, Gordon Millicent.

The blue and white sash was awarded to the female champion, a cow and calf outfit from the Evans and Price family from Aberystwyth, Ceredigion. The five-year-old cow, Castlemount Matrix Strawberry, was bought from Messrs McDowell and McKeown at Stirling in 2018. Strawberry is a daughter of Elliot Matrix, out of Castlemount Neptune Zabrina, and was paraded with her fourth calf at foot, Llwynhywel Strawberry Sunday, by Llwynhywel Power Point.

Coldrochie Leif made his place for Mark and Tracy Severn, Halifax, when landing the reserve male. This five-year-old bull was purchased at the Stirling Bull Sales for 7500gns, and stood second at the Highland Show last month. He is a son of Fearn Godfather, out of Coldrochie Catriona Rosebud, and was bred by Douglas McMillan.

Reserve among the females was another cow and calf outfit this time from Sally and Charles Horrell, and son, Harry, who run 60 cows in their Peterborough-based operation, along with stockman, Roy McDonald.

Podehole Irene Mimosa, which stood first in her class at the Royal Highland, is a daughter of Knockenjig Hercules – a bull that was junior champion at the Highland in 2015 where he sold privately to the Horrells – while the dam, Podehole Irene Bloom is a former show cow. Her bull calf at foot, Podehole Souvereing is a daughter of Podehole Magician.

Read more: 

LEADING awards

Bull born on or before Dec 2019 – 1 and reserve male, M and T Severn's Coldrochie Leif; 2, Marshall Graham Bailey's Podehole Lincoln; 3, A and C Ivinson's Warmington Chalky.

Bull born in 2020 – 1, male champion and overall, Messrs Baird, Edwards and Timbrell's Charlesbury MacDonald; 2, T and I Walling's Coxhill Panther; 3, A and V Ivinson's Sandwick Prefer-A-Bull.

Bull born after Jan 2021 class A – 1, T Russell and S Farmer's Renaissance Man of Longfield; 2, S and G Hunt's Sowerbyparks Rastus; 3, S and G Hunt's Sowerbyparks Reece.

Bull born after Jan 2021 class B – 1, GL Riby's Stonehills Regent Street; 2, JH Wilson and J Dunning's Runleymill Roderick; 3, G Turton's Regent of Upsall.

Female born before Dec 2017 – 1, female champion and reserve, Messrs Evans and Price's Castlemount Matrix Strawberry; 2, LEP Farms Ltd's Meonhill Secret Katie; 3, H Horrell's Podehole Gypsy Lulu.

Female born between Dec 2019 and Jan 2018 class A – 1 and reserve female, H Horrell's Podehole Irene Mimosa; 2, M Stoneham's Stanfordpark Miss Crocus; 3, SC Currie's Beautry Shuna Myrtle.

Female born between Dec 2019 and Jan 2018 class B – 1, CJ Ward's Kimrina Nena; 2, Messrs Baird, Edwards and Timbrell's Charlesbury Peony Duchess; 3, T Allan Jackson's Headlind Rosette Nelly.

Female born in 2020 class A – 1, C Nye's Mineshop Polly-Gina; 2, CJ Ward's Kimrina Peggy; 3, GL Riby's Stonehills Sally Broadhooks.

Female born in 2020 class B – Messrs Baird, Edwards and Timbrell's Charlesbury Highland Duchess; 2, Messrs Evans and Price's Llwynhywel Paris; 3, Messrs Baird, Edwards and Timbrell's Elliot Pure Class.

Female born in 2021 before April class A – 1, M Hendy's Highsky Ribeye; 2, A Thornber and daughters' Blackbrook Heathermaid Rosa; 3, J Wilson's Ribbleviewe Rita Janet.

Female born in 2021 before April class B – 1, G Turton's Ury Maid X1580 of Upsall; 2, LEP Farms Ltd's Meonhill Gemma; 3, JH Wilson and J Dunning's Runleymill Roxburgh Lass Rosa.

Female born in 2021 after April class A – 1, D and T Bradley Farmer's Meonside Catriona Rosebud Ray; 2, A Thornber and daughters' Blackbrook Lovely Rita; 3, D and T Bradley Farmer's Meonside Tessa Ruby.

Female born in 2021 after April class B – 1, D and T Bradley Farmer's Meonside Rothes Rebel; 2, R and C Rettie's Aberdona Rock Candy; JH Wilson and J Dunning's Runleymill Roxburgh Lass Ruthie.

Group of three animals class A – 1, H Horrell; 2, T Allan Jackson; 3, H Barker and J Gibson.

Group of thee animals class B – 1, M and T Severn; 2, T Russell and S Farmer; 3, GL Riby.

Pairs class A – 1, RS and G Johnson, York; 2, H Horrell; 3, T Allan Jackson.

Pairs class B – 1, GL Riby; 2, T Russell and S Farmer; 3, M and T Severn.