Moralee Curly commands top spot at 40th National Hereford Show

With the highest number of Hereford entries forward at the event since before the pandemic, exhibitors put on an exceptional display of cattle to celebrate the 40th National Hereford Show in style. Held at Tenbury Wells on Saturday 1 August, the breed classes were judged by Mr Nigel Heatrick of the Glaslough herd, Co. Monaghan, Ireland, who awarded the Clive Parker Memorial Trophy for Supreme Champion Hereford to Messrs T & D Harrison, Northumberland, for their homebred 2022-born cow Moralee Curly CI288.

Described by the judge as “a very well-balanced cow that caught my eye as soon as she entered the ring”, Moralee Curly CI288 advances her already esteemed show career, having previously been crowned the HCS Horned Female of the Year as a heifer in both 2023 and 2024. Mr Heatrick went on to say of his champion: “She had a lovely udder and was doing her job well rearing her calf. She showed a lot of breed character which is something that I like in my cattle and is a worthy champion in my eyes.” This cow’s dam Auckvale Curly 1831S was originally purchased from breeders W & R Kemp & Sons, topping the 2020 Designer Genes Sale at 10,000gns and breaking the European record price for a horned Hereford female.

The heifer calf shown at foot to the Supreme Champion was Moralee Curly FF422, born in January 2026 and also winning the class for heifer calves born on or after 1 December 2025 in her own right, this smart young heifer is sired by the Harrisons’ 2025 National Hereford Show Male Champion and HCS Horned Bull of the Year, Bawnlea Fighter Fury.

The Pulham herd of PRJ & LR Vincent, Norfolk, collected a number of significant wins throughout the day, topped off with the Reserve Supreme Championship and the T E Smart Perpetual Challenge Cup for Grand Male Champion with their homebred September-born bull calf Pulham Dynamo. Sired by Irish import Gageboro Alfred EX92 and out of Pulham Blossom 29th VG88, this calf captured the judge’s attention as “a promising young bull that should have a great future in front of him. He had great power, bone, and presence in the ring. A well-muscled bull with breed character, and a well-deserved Male Champion.”

Further wins for the Pulham herd’s team of homebred calves came in both the group of three and pairs classes, as well as winning the Junior Male Champion and Reserve, and the Reserve Junior Female Championship, but a great day was made even more special when the farm’s stockperson Trish Stokes won the Dendor Award for Champion Young Handler. Judged by Miss Emma Dexter, Leicestershire, Trish took first place in the section for handlers aged 19 to 26, whilst Jemima R. won the class for 14- to 18-year-olds, and Oscar M. took the top prize for handlers under 14 years of age.

Back in the breed classes, the Reserve Grand Male Champion and winner of the Morris Corfield Yarwood Perpetual Cup for Intermediate Male Champion was Dieulacresse Chester, bred and exhibited by Messrs Spooner, Staffordshire. Mr Heatrick said: “This bull stood top of one of the strongest classes of the day for his correctness throughout, freedom of movement and natural muscle.” Born in May 2025, this impressive young bull is sired by the jointly owned Knockmountagh Rebel 2 bred by E & J McKiernan, property of the Spooner family and EL Lewis & Son.

Reserve Intermediate Male Champion went to Boycefield Casper, an April 2025-born son of previous National Hereford Show Junior Male Champion Boycefield Wrangler, bred and exhibited by JW Lewis, Dilwyn.

Winning the Reserve Grand Female Championship and the Morris Powell Memorial Trophy for Junior Female Champion was the September-born heifer calf Free Town Bequest 4th, bred and exhibited by RA Bradstock & Partners, Tarrington. Sired by Boycefield Stormzy, the two-time winner of the HCBA award for the Best Stock Bull & Progeny, this calf was lauded by judge Mr Heatrick as “a very promising young heifer that carried herself well around the ring. She showed good bone and power, yet retained her feminine look, and should develop into a great breeding cow in the future.”

The Bradstock family also took home the Charles Mackaness Perpetual Cup for the Senior Male Champion with another Boycefield Stormzy-sired animal, the October 2023-born bull Free Town Broadside. Standing in reserve was Deanery Flowrider from RP & NH Birchall, Staffordshire, a February 2024-born bull by Free Town Tiger and out of Free Town Peace 45th.

There was superb competition at the top of the tremendous class of ten heifers born January to August 2025, with the eventual winner being HighHouse Amy C30 from JR & HM Whitlow, Worcester. Sired by Haven Voltage and out of Drumatee Amy 523, the Whitlows’ heifer pipped the second-placed Haven Skylark 13th from EL Lewis & Son, Dilwyn, before the two were tapped forward again as Intermediate Female Champion and Reserve respectively.

Commenting on his day’s judging, Nigel Heatrick said: “I would like to thank the National Hereford Club for asking me to judge the 2026 National Hereford Show. It was a real honour for me to be asked and a job I thoroughly enjoyed. It was a fantastic turnout of quality Hereford cattle which were a real credit to the exhibitors, and thank you to everyone for your hospitality.”

The Club owes a great deal to its team of organisers who, alongside the Tenbury Agricultural Society, bring this event together every year as an excellent showcase of horned Hereford cattle. In its 40th year, the National Hereford Show celebrated those cattle, their breeders and exhibitors, judges and stewards, spectators and international visitors, who all contributed to making the show a success! Next year’s show will be held on Saturday 7 August 2027.

Photography: Sam Hutchinson

Words: Sarah Cook

 

Results

 

Tithebarn Perpetual Cup for the best group of three animals, bred by the exhibitor

1st Pulham Group, PRJ & LR Vincent

2nd Free Town Group, RA Bradstock & Partners

3rd Albany Group, F W Cook & Son

4th Caebach Group, N & R Johnson

 

Exhibitor-bred pair, any age/sex

1st Pulham Pair, PRJ & LR Vincent

2nd Free Town Pair, RA Bradstock & Partners

3rd Borovere Pair, J & E Lake

4th Laxfield Pair, DC Smith & Son (Talog)

5th Brynside Pair, J Lawrence & Sons

6th Adzor Pair, D J Makin

7th Albany Pair, F W Cook & Son

 

Geoff Thomas Cup for best pair of calves born on or after 1 September

Pulham Pair, PRJ & LR Vincent

 

Cow or heifer in calf or in milk with her own calf at foot, born on or before 31 August 2024

1st Moralee Curly CI288, T & D Harrison

2nd Haven Splendour 51st, E L Lewis & Son

3rd HighHouse Oyster Gem B8, J R & H M Whitlow

4th Pulham Hazel 19th, J & E Lake

5th Brynside Roulette, J Lawrence & Sons

6th OldWest Carol Singer B8, Mrs K Froud

7th Eutierria Regina 1st [*], Mrs S A Cowle

8th Caebach Unity Amorous [*], N & R Johnson

9th Rhydri Jasmine Laura [*], A & G Crow

 

Sid Wright Memorial Cup for the best exhibitor-bred cow

Moralee Curly CI288, T & D Harrison

 

Gwyneth Davies Memorial Cup

Senior Female Champion Moralee Curly CI288, T & D Harrison

Reserve Senior Female Champion Haven Splendour 51st, E L Lewis & Son

 

Heifer born on or between 1 September 2024 and 31 December 2025

1st Borovere Tiara 4th, J & E Lake

2nd OldWest Prunella C3, Mrs K Froud

 

Heifer born on or between 1 January 2025 and 31 August 2025

1st HighHouse Amy C30, J R & H M Whitlow

2nd Haven Skylark 13th, E L Lewis & Son

3rd Auckvale Peach 2436C, W & R Kemp & Sons

4th Brynside Electric Lady 4th, J Lawrence & Sons

5th HighHouse Dowager C36, J R & H M Whitlow

6th Heath House Curly 18th, R & E Lywood

7th Lowergrove Dowager 03-25, P Snell & L Ferguson

8th Brynside Pansy 8th, J Lawrence & Sons

9th HighHedges Blossom 37-25, P Snell & L Ferguson

10th Aber-Llia Lottie Laura [*], G Pritchard

 

Haven Perpetual Trophy

Intermediate Female Champion HighHouse Amy C30, J R & H M Whitlow

Reserve Intermediate Female Champion Haven Skylark 13th, E L Lewis & Son

 

Heifer calf born in September 2025

1st Free Town Bequest 4th, RA Bradstock & Partners

2nd Pulham Hazel 24th, PRJ & LR Vincent

3rd Adzor Dolly, D J Makin

4th New House Thrush 3rd, A McHarg

5th HighHedges Diadem 13-25, Mrs S A Cowle

 

Heifer calf born on or between 1 October 2025 and 30 November 2025

1st Moralee Curly D1418, T & D Harrison

2nd Free Town Plum 138th, RA Bradstock & Partners

3rd Langridge Snowy [*], Miss F Cook

4th Borovere Lady Lynda 1st, J & E Lake

5th Albany Libra [*], F W Cook & Son

6th Free Town Beni, RA Bradstock & Partners

7th Albany Oyster Girl 27th [*], F W Cook & Son

8th Albany Oyster Girl 28th [*], F W Cook & Son

 

Heifer calf born on or after 1 December 2025

1st Moralee Curly FF422, T & D Harrison

2nd Borovere Hazel 1st, J & E Lake

3rd Haven Splendour 61st, E L Lewis & Son

4th Caebach Zoe Amorous [*], N & R Johnson

 

Morris Powell Memorial Trophy

Junior Female Champion Free Town Bequest 4th, RA Bradstock & Partners

Reserve Junior Female Champion Pulham Hazel 24th, PRJ & LR Vincent

 

Sir Archer Baldwin Perpetual Cup

Grand Female Champion Moralee Curly CI288, T & D Harrison

Reserve Grand Female Champion Free Town Bequest 4th, RA Bradstock & Partners

 

Bull born on or before 31 August 2024

1st Free Town Broadside, RA Bradstock & Partners

2nd Deanery Flowrider, RP & NH Birchall

3rd Laxfield Jeroboam, DC Smith & Son

 

Charles Mackaness Perpetual Cup

Senior Male Champion Free Town Broadside, RA Bradstock & Partners

Reserve Senior Male Champion Deanery Flowrider, RP & NH Birchall

 

Bull born on or between 1 September 2024 and 31 December 2024

1st Free Town Chinook, Mr P D Williams

2nd Moralee Convoy GR385, T & D Harrison

3rd Adzor Curiosity, D J Makin

 

Bull born on or between 1 January 2025 and 31 August 2025

1st Dieulacresse Chester, Messrs Spooner

2nd Boycefield Casper, J W Lewis

3rd Sancler Cymro, R L Morgan

4th Boycefield Ceesay, J W Lewis

5th Haven Churchill, E L Lewis & Son

6th Deanery Hugo, RP & NH Birchall

7th Haven Cam, E L Lewis & Son

8th Laxfield Salah, DC Smith & Son

9th Laxfield Don, DC Smith & Son

10th Caebach Yukon [*], N & R Johnson

 

Morris Corfield Yarwood Perpetual Cup

Intermediate Male Champion Dieulacresse Chester, Messrs Spooner

Reserve Intermediate Male Champion Boycefield Casper, J W Lewis

 

Bull calf born in September 2025

1st Pulham Dynamo, PRJ & LR Vincent

2nd Pulham Denver, PRJ & LR Vincent

3rd Adzor Dakota, D J Makin

4th Adzor Denver, D J Makin

 

Glyn Robinson Memorial Cup for the best exhibitor-bred September born bull calf

Pulham Dynamo, PRJ & LR Vincent

 

Bull calf born on or after 1 October 2025

1st Pulham Dallas, PRJ & LR Vincent

2nd Haven Dallas, E L Lewis & Son

3rd Free Town Dr Dre, RA Bradstock & Partners

4th Borovere Dynamite, J & E Lake

 

Mabel Sinnett Memorial Perpetual Cup

Junior Male Champion Pulham Dynamo, PRJ & LR Vincent

Reserve Junior Male Champion Pulham Denver, PRJ & LR Vincent

 

T E Smart Perpetual Cup

Grand Male Champion Pulham Dynamo, PRJ & LR Vincent

Reserve Grand Male Champion Dieulacresse Chester, Messrs Spooner

 

Badlingham Bull Trophy for the best bull under 2 years of age

Pulham Dynamo, PRJ & LR Vincent

 

Clive Parker Memorial Trophy

Supreme Champion Hereford Moralee Curly CI288, T & D Harrison

Reserve Supreme Champion Hereford Pulham Dynamo, PRJ & LR Vincent

 

Trevor L Parker Memorial Trophy for best exhibitor-bred Hereford

Moralee Curly CI288, T & D Harrison

 

Further Awards

 

Champion Traditional Hereford Exhibit

Champion Langridge Snowy, Miss F Cook

Reserve Eutierria Regina 1st, Mrs S Cowle

 

Doris M Dancer Perpetual Cup for the best animal bred by the exhibitor from a herd with 12 or less horned breeding cows

Moralee Curly CI288, T & D Harrison

 

Betty Lane Memorial Trophy for the most successful exhibitor in the bull calf and heifer calf classes

PRJ & LR Vincent, Pulham Herefords

 

George Davies Memorial Trophy for the owner of the herd gaining most points

PRJ & LR Vincent, Pulham Herefords

 

Ted Hewitson Perpetual Cup awarded to the stockman in charge of the herd gaining most points

PRJ & LR Vincent, Pulham Herefords

 

Welford Perpetual Trophy for the owner of the herd gaining most points, but which is not a winner of any championship or group trophies

EL Lewis & Son, Haven Herefords

 

Ray Egan (‘John Bull’) Award for the exhibitor with the best presented cattle lines

T & D Harrison, Moralee Herefords

 

Young Handler under 14 years of age

1st Oscar Moore

2nd Hugh Roberts

3rd Annabelle Johnson

 

Young Handler between 14 and 18 years of age

1st Jemima Roberts

2nd Charlie Lake

3rd Bobby Morton

 

Young Handler between 19 and 26 years of age

1st Trish Stokes

2nd Lucy Wheelhouse

3rd Richard Birchall

4th George Williams

 

Dendor Show Stick for Champion Young Handler

Champion Young Handler Trish Stokes