Champions crowned at Melton's Christmas Fatstock Show and Sale

There was a great turnout at the Melton Livestock Market site for Saturday’s event, which brought together farmers and both amateur and professional food producers contesting a range of trophy categories.

Cattle, sheep, pigs and goats were judged in the sheds while cheese, pork pies, sausages, pastries, home baking, junior baking and preserves were entered in classes in the exhibition hall.

Nearly £9,000 was raised for local causes from sales at the show, which was once again organised by the Melton & Belvoir Agricultural Society (MBAS).

Charities supported included the Mayor of Melton’s charities, LOROS and Dove Cottage Hospices, as well as the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) and the Farming Community Network (FCN).

Champion Beast (sponsored by Shoby Priory Agricultural Ltd) was T Lyon, of Thurlby, with a Limousin Heifer which also won the Best Limousin prize, grossing £5,400 and selling to Owen Taylor Butchers.

Mr Lyon was presented with The Brownlow Challenge Cup and a £500 prize, along with The East Midlands Limousin Breeders Challenge Cup and a further £200 prize.

The Reserve Champion Beast (sponsored by Bentons) went to C&G Davies, of Gaddesby, with a British Blue Cross Steer.

It also won Best Presented Beast, so the Davies sisters were presented with both The Hempshall Challenge Cup and a £250 prize and The Joe Spencer Challenge Cup and a £50 prize.

The animal was then sold to The Plough, at North Kyne, grossing £3,000.

Champion Lambs in Show (sponsored by MBAS) went to JF Burbidge & Sons, of Stamford, who were presented with The Sharman & Ladbury Challenge Cup and a £250 prize.

They were sold for £260 a head to Ystum Collwyn Farms, of Powys.

Sheep sold for the benefit of the RABI totalled £469.

The Ewe Lamb Championship was won by D Burton, of Exton, who was presented with the Angela Tarry Smith Trophy and a £30 prize.

MBAS has a real focus on encouraging the next generation and held two classes for young handlers this year.

The Best Beast Shown by a Young Handler (sponsored by Agrii) was won by 11-year-old Isabel Stephen, of Stoke Ferry, with her home-bred Lincoln Red Heifer, grossing £2,066.

She was awarded the Hazard Challenge Cup and a £100 prize.

The new Sheep Young Handler class (Sponsored by Sharmans Agricultural Ltd) was also well attended, with six children aged under 16 competing.

Victory was claimed by 11-year-old Joe Trofer-Cook, of Billinghay, who was presented with the Ponton Farm Shop Trophy and a £20 prize.

Champion Goat (sponsored by MBAS) was won by J Webster, of Bishop’s Itchington, selling for £140 to Chris Widman of Brookes Butchers in Loughborough.

Winner of Champion Pigs (sponsored by MBAS) was M&L Fane Livestock, of Saxilby, selling to £340 to W Taylor & Son Ltd, of Bamberbridge.

Trophies were presented by the Mayor, Councillor Alan Hewson, and MBAS president, Stephen Hallam MBE.

The judges had a difficult task deciding on the winners of the produce categories, with some superb entries yet again.

The Best Single Stilton Cheese class was sponsored by The Stilton Cheese Makers Association and was won by Long Clawson Dairy, with their representative being presented with the prestigious Easom Bowl.

The highly coveted Best Three 454g Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Class (sponsored by Pollock Associates) was won again by Leesons Butchers, of Oakham, who took home the Lord King of Wartnaby Memorial Cup.

The produce was also auctioned after the presentation of trophies, and raised over £2,000, with proceeds split between the Mayor’s charities (LOROS and Dove Cottage Hospices) and MBAS.

A separate charity auction of Stilton and Pork Pie was held in the cattle ring, which raised over £2,700 for the Mayor’s charities and Farming Community Network (FCN).

Later in the day, 290 guests gathered for the traditional evening dinner and dance, held once again in the Banqueting Suite of The Stockyard at Melton Mowbray Market, where the championship cups were presented and guests enjoyed a delicious five-course dinner.

A charity auction was held, with prizes including a handmade quilt, a case of Prosecco, a cheeseboard, a model tractor and tickets for Glorious Goodwood Racecourse on Ladies Day.

This impressively raised over £2,000, with proceeds going to the Mayor’s charities.

Other fundraising on the night generated more than £1,500, to be split between the Mayor’s charities and MBAS.

It was the end of an era for two of the leading lights in the Melton & Belvoir Agricultural Society.

Stephen Hallam MBE ended his three-year tenure as president, with a speech about the society, the show, and producing quality.

Hugh Brown also ended his stint as chair of the societuy, and he now passes the baton on to the vice-chair, local farmer Jonathan Thompson.

After dinner and the auction, another 40 guests joined the party and very popular local band, The Souljers, filled the dancefloor late into the night.

The committee of MBAS would like to thank their sponsors, as well as the judges, entrants, market staff and volunteers for braving the very cold weather on the day to help make another successful show.

MAIN RESULTS:

Champion Beast (sponsored by Shoby Priory Agricultural Ltd) - T Lyon, of Thurlby (Limousin Heifer).

Reserve Champion Beast (sponsored by Bentons) - C&G Davies, of Gaddesby (British Blue Cross Steer).

Champion Lambs (sponsored by MBAS) - JF Burbidge & Sons, of Stamford.