Late June signals the largest get-together of Scotland's farmers and breeders at their very own Royal. This annual event relies heavily on the weather, and weather we got. It rained, rained and then some more. Just as the Show looked to be getting washed out, a little sunshine popped it's head out in time to greet our master judge, well-known breeder and Holstein UK board member Bryan Thomas, who runs the Gelliddu herd near Carmarthen with his son Gareth. Friday morning, the sun was shining gloriously, Portugal had triumphed in Europe and Bryan was about to get a taste of the quality of cattle Scotland had to offer. With similar numbers to 2003, we welcomed our sole southern exhibitor in Liz Wolfenden of Longfordhall Holsteins. Our judge started in a quick and decisive manner over a small offering of in-calf heifers, giving the Brewsters' Boclair Blitz Gypsy the edge over Almond Storm Avis for her strength of front end, topline and ring presence. The Rawcliffe's gained the upper hand in the next class with Almond Mandelin Briana nudging out a very sweet Overside Deluxe Beatexus with her superior stature and the judge cited angularity, style and bone quality as his preference.
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