GYS26 Margaret Chapman BEEF PAIRS – Native Herefords, L. to R. Avril Aitken, Winning Cow Spartan 1 Victorias Secret, with handler Emma Hodge, Bull RM1 Blade with handler Luke Murphy with Asda’s Joe Proshow
Closing out the Great Yorkshire Show in style on Friday 17 July, the Hereford breed was awarded one of the most prestigious prizes on the UK show circuit. Recently renamed to honour the late Margaret Chapman, a highly respected former chief cattle steward and Yorkshire Agricultural Society president, the Margaret Chapman Beef Pairs competition – formerly the Blythewood Pairs – was won by the Hereford team of RM 1 Blade from Miss E Hodge, Berwickshire, and Spartan 1 Victoria’s Secret from SC & GL Hartwright, Oxfordshire, as judged by Mr David Benson, Kelso.
Breed Champion Coley 1 Malan 697 from Miss A Jackson-Carr
In the breed classes on Tuesday, a superb morning’s Hereford competition was summed up by the judge Mr James Ludgate, Thame, as “a show of tremendous cattle, full of quality classes, and plenty of them as well”, as he commented after making his final championship decisions. Rising to the very top was the calved heifer Coley 1 Malan 697 from Miss A Jackson-Carr, Sheffield, shown with her February 2025-born bull calf JC 1 Del Boy at foot. Praised by the judge for outstanding milkiness and depth of body as a first-calved heifer, Coley 1 Malan 697 is sired by Romany 1 Distiller and out of Danish import Kammerherre Malan.
Harriet Cowan presents Miss A. Jackson-Carr with young handler’s prize
13-year-old Miss A. Jackson-Carr achieved even more success on the final day of the show, first winning a tremendously competitive class of young handlers in her age group, followed by the overall young handlers’ championship, with prizes presented by Clarkson’s Farm star Harriet Cowan.
Reserve Breed Champion RM 1 Starlet from Miss E Hodge
The Reserve Breed Championship went to RM 1 Starlet from Miss E Hodge, Berwickshire, having won the biggest class of the day of ten heifers born between 1 January and 31 March 2025, and the overall Junior Championship. Shown in 2025 as a calf at foot to that year’s National Poll Show Breed Champion Pulham 1 Starlet 11th and sired by Gouldingpoll 1 Duncan, this heifer continues to prove the quality of her line as a champion in her own right.
Male Champion Maxwell 1 Crack-A-Lackin’ from Miss C Doggett
In the male section, it was the October 2024-born bull Maxwell 1 Crack-a-Lackin’ from Cara Doggett, Lanarkshire, which claimed the Male Championship having first won a highly competitive class of young bulls. Sired by Coley 1 Weidermann and out of Coley 1 Mink 634, a previous class winner herself at the Great Yorkshire Show back in 2024, this young bull displayed the traits Mr Ludgate was looking for: “Structure, soundness, and balance, with that added power and muscle to be able to produce those proper pedigree calves, and meat calves going on throughout the journey.”
Reserve Male Champion Coley 1 Centurion from Miss H Whittaker
The Reserve Male Championship went to Coley 1 Centurion from Yorkshire-based breeder Miss H Whittaker, Halifax, adding another prize to a string of recent good results for this bull at the Shropshire, Royal Highland, Royal Norfolk, and Royal Lancashire shows. Coley 1 Centurion is sired by Gouldingpoll 1 Gold Spice, and out of Gouldingpoll 1 Duchess 916.
Further successes on the day came for Tom & Diane Harrison, Northumberland, whose young team of homebred cattle took wins in both the exhibitor-owned pairs and group of three classes, and their January 2025-born heifer Moralee 1 Ishbel PR396 – sired by Moralee 1 RHS Prince – also won the Reserve Junior Championship.
Congratulations go to all of the exhibitors on putting forward such an impressive display of cattle at the show, to the judge Mr James Ludgate for his assessment of the classes, and to all of the supporters and spectators behind the scenes who helped to make another successful event for the North of England Hereford Breeders’ Association
Photography: Yorkshire Agricultural Society and Sam Hutchinson
Words: Sarah Cook
Results
Class 94 Bull born on or before 31 August 2024
1st RM 1 Blade, Miss E Hodge
2nd Auckvale 1 Blueprint 2391B, Mr W R Kemp & Sons
Class 95 Bull born on or between 1 September 2024 and 31 March 2025
1st Maxwell 1 Crack-A-Lackin’, Miss C Doggett
2nd Coley 1 Centurion, Miss H Whittaker
3rd Keadyview 1 Casino, Mr S O’Kane
4th Bethanfield 1 Captain, Miss B Hutchinson
5th Midford 1 Crackerjack, Mr W Awan
6th Hollyvale 1 Casper, Messrs A & P Massey
7th Spartan 1 Caretaker, Mr S Hartwright
8th Spartan 1 Cowboy, Mr B Boulton
9th Auckvale 1 Cascade 2440C, Mr W R Kemp & Sons
Class 96 Bull born on or after 1 April 2025
1st JC 1 Casino, Mr L Jackson-Carr
2nd Hallwood 1 Duke-of-Destiny, Mr R Shaw
3rd Spartan 1 Double Or Nothing, Mr S Hartwright
Male Champion Maxwell 1 Crack-A-Lackin’, Miss C Doggett
Reserve Male Champion Coley 1 Centurion, Miss H Whittaker
Class 97 Cow born before 1 January 2024
1st Coley 1 Malan 697, Miss A Jackson-Carr
2nd Pepperstock 1 Molly V715, Mr J Speirs
3rd Anroch 1 Lollipop 4th, Newtoncroft Farms Ltd
4th Spartan 1 Victoria’s Secret, Mr S Hartwright
5th Hallwood 1 Lady Jewel, Mr R Shaw
6th Creuddyn 1 Barbie, Mr G Davies
7th Spartan 1 Jen 4th, Miss R Moore
Class 98 Heifer born in 2024
1st Hean 1 Eira 402, Ms B R Wear
2nd Pepperstock 1 Jade C1099, Mr J Speirs
3rd Mairwen 1 Oyster Lass 4th, Mr N Owens
4th Ings 1 Emma Jane 24A, Mr G Redmayne
5th Bethanfield Lisette 136, Miss B Hutchinson
6th Hoghton View 1 Beth 1st, Messrs A & P Massey
7th Kingshaugh 1 Betty, Miss K Wall
8th Spartan 1 True Love, Miss R Moore
Class 99 Heifer born in 2025, on or between 1 January and 31 March
1st RM 1 Starlet, Miss E Hodge
2nd Moralee 1 Ishbel PR396, T & D Harrison
3rd Moralee 1 Pippa TE401, T & D Harrison
4th JC 1 Marrigold 2nd, Mr L Jackson-Carr
5th Coley 1 Mink 751, Miss H Whittaker
6th Sky High 1 Louis-Vuitton Lucy, Mrs S Baxter
7th Hallwood 1 Grace, Mr R Shaw
8th Eveter 1 Rhubarb Gin 2nd, Mrs E Jackson
9th Eveter 1 Gin 7th, Mrs E Jackson
10th Wells Head 1 Valentina Rose, Mrs R Culpan
Class 100 Heifer born in 2025, on or after 1 April
1st Garnet 1 Eira 008, Ms B R Wear
2nd Hollyvale 1 Anna Mary 8th, Messrs A & P Massey
3rd Moralee 1 Kylie BZ414, T & D Harrison
4th Wells Head 1 Seraphina Belle, Mrs R Culpan
5th Pepperstock 1 Molly D1200, Mr J Speirs
6th Ings 1 Lucinda 6th, Mr G Redmayne
Female Champion Coley 1 Malan 697, Miss A Jackson-Carr
Reserve Female Champion RM 1 Starlet, Miss E Hodge
Junior Champion RM 1 Starlet, Miss E Hodge
Reserve Junior Champion Moralee 1 Ishbel PR396, T & D Harrison
Breed Champion Coley 1 Malan 697, Miss A Jackson-Carr
Reserve Breed Champion RM 1 Starlet, Miss E Hodge
Class 101 Group of three animals
1st T & D Harrison
2nd Messrs A & P Massey
Class 102 Pair of animals
1st T & D Harrison
2nd Miss B Hutchinson
3rd Mr L Jackson-Carr
4th Ms B R Wear
5th Mrs E Jackson
6th Messrs A & P Massey