Beef Supreme Champion Coley 1 Centurion, bred and exhibited by Miss Heather Whittaker
Bringing home prestigious wins for the Hereford breed at the Royal Norfolk Show on 24 & 25 June was the December 2024-born bull Coley 1 Centurion, bred and exhibited by Miss Heather Whittaker, Halifax. Having first risen to the top of the Hereford section under breed judge Mrs Diane Harrison, Northumberland, Centurion went on to win both the native and overall titles in the Beef Supreme Championship judged by Mr John Elliott Sr., Berwickshire.
Breed Championship Presentation
This success marked the second set of interbreed honours for Coley 1 Centurion so far this year and was not only hotly contested due to high temperatures at the show, but also the number and quality forward across several breeds, with national shows held at the event having brought together plenty of serious competition. Breed class judge Mrs Diane Harrison of Moralee Herefords, Stocksfield, summarised her choice for the breed championship by saying of the bull: “when he came into the ring he walked well, is well put together and very correct with a lovely rear end, good on the plates with a lovely colour and head. It was a tough decision for champion, but at the end of the day in the final seconds before the tap, he stood there like a king.”
Reserve Breed Champion Pepperstock 1 Molly V715 from Mr Jim Speirs
The reserve breed championship went to the winner of a particularly strong class of cows, the 2020-born Pepperstock 1 Molly V715 from Jim Speirs, Luton, selected by the judge for the correctness through her top line and for her calf at foot, which just gave her the advantage at the top of the cow class, which Diane described as being tough to judge with so many outstanding entries down the line. The entirely homebred Molly V715 is sired by Pepperstock 1 Rebellious EX95 and out of Pepperstock 1 Molly S511 and was shown with her 9-month-old heifer calf Pepperstock 1 Molly D1200 at foot, the calf also picking up a second prize in her own right in the youngest heifer class.
Reserve Female Champion Pulham 1 Tiara 14th from PRJ & LR Vincent
Picking up a string of prizes were local breeders PRJ & LR Vincent, Diss, whose homebred heifer Pulham 1 Tiara 14th was pulled forward as both the junior champion and reserve female champion, having won a hugely competitive class of ten heifers all born between January and March 2025. This heifer – sired by Solitude 1 Vantastic EX95 and out of Pulham Tiara 6th EX93 – also picked up the Norfolk Special for the best animal bred and exhibited by a breeder within the county of Norfolk.
Reserve Male Champion Benacre 3 Cassius Clay from the Benacre Company
The reserve junior and reserve male championships went to the Benacre Company’s Benacre 3 Cassius Clay, a March 2025-born son of Coley 1 Ariel and out of Ashdale 3 Queen 799, this result adding to a successful show season so far for this young bull.
Following the judging, the Midlands and East Anglia Hereford Breeders’ Association hosted a reception on their stand featuring drinks sponsored by the Vincent family, and Hereford beef rolls supplied by Tony Perkins Butchers based in Attleborough, whose beef is sourced direct from MEAHBA members Clive and Paula Bidmead of Rockland Herefords near Norwich. Thanks go to HCS General Manager Seth Wareing, HCS President Caroline Davies, MEAHBA member Julie Reid, and MEAHBA Secretary Peter Moyes for operating the breed stand across the two days of the show, and to the many members who attended and brought forward a superb lineup of cattle.
Words: Sarah Cook
Photography: Sam Hutchinson
Results
Class 346 Heifer, born on or after 1st April 2025
1st Pulham 1 Olive 10th, PRJ & LR Vincent
2nd Pepperstock 1 Molly D1200, Jim Speirs
3rd Mockingjay 1 Cici 2nd, Hollie Storey
Class 347 Heifer, born on or between 1st January and 31st March 2025
1st Pulham 1 Tiara 14th, PRJ & LR Vincent
2nd Coley 1 Mink 751, Heather Whittaker
3rd JC 1 Marrigold 2nd, Liam Jackson-Carr
4th Cathedral 1 Valerie, HM Scarterfields Ltd
5th Ernford Scarlet, Jonathan McInnes Skinner
6th Hoghton View 1 New Dawn 3rd, The Benacre Company
7th Pulham 1 Olive 9th, Granger Harrison
8th Ernford Lobelia, Jonathan McInnes Skinner
9th Benacre 1 Harriet, The Benacre Company
10th Mockingjay 1 Flo 2nd, Hollie Storey
Class 348 Heifer, born on or between 1st January and 31st December 2024
1st Pulham Pansy 36th, PRJ & LR Vincent
2nd Pepperstock 1 Jade C1099, Jim Spiers
3rd Rockland Tiara B5, Josh Matthews
Class 349 Cow, in milk, in calf or with calf at foot, born before 1st January 2024
1st Pepperstock 1 Molly V715, Jim Spiers
2nd Coley 1 Malan 697, Abbie Jackson-Carr
3rd Glenvale 1 Polly 847, The Benacre Company
4th Spartan 1 Victoria’s Secret, SC & GL Hartwright
5th Anroch Lollipop 4th, Newtoncroft Farms Ltd
6th Rockland Tiara V3, Josh Matthews
7th Clayton 1 Taifa, Robert Martin
Class 351 Bull, born on or after 1st March 2025
1st Benacre 3 Cassius Clay, The Benacre Company
2nd West Caister 1 Duke Ewan, Josh Matthews
Class 352 Bull, born prior to 1st January 2025
1st Coley 1 Centurion, Heather Whittaker
2nd Adzor Curiosity, DJ Makin
Female Champion Pepperstock 1 Molly V715, Jim Spiers
Reserve Female Champion Pulham 1 Tiara 14th, PRJ & LR Vincent
Male Champion Coley 1 Centurion, Heather Whittaker
Reserve Male Champion Benacre 3 Cassius Clay, The Benacre Company
Junior Champion Pulham 1 Tiara 14th, PRJ & LR Vincent
Reserve Junior Champion Benacre 3 Cassius Clay, The Benacre Company
Breed Champion Coley 1 Centurion, Heather Whittaker
Reserve Breed Champion Pepperstock 1 Molly V715, Jim Spiers
Best Pair under 2 years
1st Pulham, PRJ & LR Vincent
2nd Ernford, Jonathan McInnes Skinner
Best Group of Three, by the same sire or out of the same dam
1st Pulham, PRJ & LR Vincent
Norfolk Special
Pulham 1 Tiara 14th, PRJ & LR Vincent
Best Group of Three, owned and bred by the exhibitor
1st Pulham, PRJ & LR Vincent
Native and Overall Interbreed Champion
Coley 1 Centurion, Heather Whittaker