On Friday 31^st October Borderway Agri- Expo, held at Carlisle, attracted the crème de la crème of livestock from across the UK, with more entries, special breeds, trade stands than ever, and in the region of well in excess of 12,000 spectators – including one very special visitor - His Grace, the Duke of Westminster.

This is an event that during the last eight years has continually grown from strength to strength. The event attracted 880 livestock entries, 165 trade stands and exhibitors from the length and breadth of the United Kingdom and was also the platform for 6 Breed Society Shows. The measure of success is reflected in the increasing numbers who flock to the event – requiring an even larger overspill car park in 2014.

Organised by Harrison & Hetherington and sponsored by Carrs Billington Agriculture, Cogent Breeding, Farmers Guardian, Lloyds Bank, W M Morrison’s PLC, and Norbrook Laboratories this is undoubtedly one of the leading, and one of the largest of the UK's winter livestock shows. His Grace the Duke of Westminster is one of the UK’s leading farmers and was delighted to be invited to attend the Expo and spent some hours visiting the show rings and stands of the exhibitors.

Commenting afterwards Operations Director David Pritchard said: “We’re very grateful to the Duke for his support of today’s event, and his role in promoting our industry. The success of this event really is down to the support that we have received from the sponsors, the trade stands, the exhibitors and the thousands of people who attended, and we are tremendously grateful to them and everyone who has helped make the show a success. We have received tremendous feedback and are absolutely delighted that Borderway Agri-Expo has strengthened its position year on year and provides a positive benchmark for the livestock industry.”

In the National Suckled Calf and Primestock Show there were 26 classes and 20 continental and traditional classes in the The National Prime Sheep Show. In the sheep section, this year a new class has been introduced: for "A Single Lamb, from any breed not shown in any other class”, sponsored by Galloway and McLeod.

The supreme champion in the National Suckled Calf and Primestock Show was the heifer champion, Khaleesi, owned by Dermot Small from Northern Ireland and shown by Stephanie Dick. Born August 2013, she was sired by the Limousin, Swarland Eddie out of a British Blue cow, and bred by James Alexander. Gareth Small said afterwards; “It is unbelievable and we are delighted that we have cattle good enough to win this show. This is our 20^th year of showing in the UK, and our first at Borderway Agri –Expo and our first major Championship win.

Reserve champion was the reserve heifer, More of That, from Phil and Sharon Sellers, Lincolnshire. Sired by Limousin Fieldson Alfy out of a Limousin cross cow she was bred by Andrew Harrison, Great Asby, at Penrith.

Judge, Colin Phillips, from Herefordshire, said, “this was the best show in the country, and to see every part of the UK so well represented in the exhibitors was tremendous. The calibre of stock was second to none.” Commenting on the Grand Champion, he said: “It was a tremendous show heifer, full of meat, great style and squareness, and clearly, all round, the best in show.“

Taking the supreme sheep championship was Andrew Morton, Denny, Stirling with the champion of continental/down lambs, a pair of Beltex ewe lambs. They are by Whitehill Too Hot To Handle (purchased for 2,500gns last year at Borderway in partnership with Jim Kennedy) out of a home-bred ewe.

The reserve, also a pair of Texel lambs in the same section were from R Hall & Son, of Dalston. They were bred from Beltex ewes by a Dutch Texel ram bred by Robin Slade.

The judge, Jimmy Mulholland, of Great Orton, was impressed by the winners: “Two outstanding lambs which are ideal for the butcher’s market. They have hindquarters as good as you will get and it was their gigots which just gave them the edge of over runners up.’

The champion lambs bred from a Hill ewe were a pair out of South Country Cheviot ewes by a Texel, and were from Neil and Elliot Cavers, Langholm, Dumfriesshire, who also took the Hill bred lamb championship. Reserves were Keith Porteous, Richmond, with his pair of Mules, and Andy and Hugh Hamilton, Thornhill, were reserve with their Blackface pair.

The Baby Beef Championship was won by Mr & Mrs M Alford from Devon with a heifer Limousin cross Pokerlicious. In reserve was R Miller and L Wilkinson, Leyburn with a British Blue cross, Dashing Lady.

The Special Breed Society Show Classes included:

• The Border British Blue Calf Show won by R & M Paterson, Dunblane, Perthshire with Auchenlay 10 Et Et
• The Hereford National Calf Show champion was won by T D and W T Livesey, Leicester with Normanton 1 Laertes.
• The Aberdeen Angus Winter National Show incorporating The Walkers Shortbread Aberdeen-Angus Show Herd of the Year Competition and - the male award was won by Neil A Wattie, Alford, Aberdeenshire with Tonley Jose Ebanks-Blake, and the female award was won by Bryan S Ronan, Appleby, Cumbria with Jerusalem Duchess.
• The Beef Shorthorn Show overall champion was Highland Wagyu, Dunblane, Perthshire, with Mohmar Heathermaid Irania.
• The Simmental Society & North West Club Show was won by Gt Van Der Gucht, Gloucester with a heifer Deerhurst Fern.

As always the next generation were well represented and encouraged to participate in competitions. In the “Young Farmers and Open Competition Agri Expo Stocksman of the Year” was won by Rachel Harrison of Harrop Hall near Clitheroe. The juniors, sixteen and under was won by Holly Bowness Threaplandlees, Aspatria. The Young Farmers’ heifer class was won by Jennifer Hyslop of Girvan, Ayrshire. The Young Farmers Steer class was won by Tecwyn Jones Junior of Llanrwst, North Wales

With 165 trade stands, Borderway Agri Expo is, this year, full to capacity. The trade stands included breed societies, the latest in on-farm machinery and technology, livestock genetics and feed and supplement providers. G Shepherd Animal Health chose the Expo to launch a new sheep for health system; W E Jameson and Son Ltd used it for the National launch of their range of Milk Replacers; Paul Chuter Agricultural Services Ltd launched new Can-Am and Polaris products on their stand. David Hayton Ltd displayed the new Peugeot 308, which is European Car of the Year.

The “Best Trade Stand” was won by Shaw Renewables Ltd and the “Best Breed Society Stand” was won by the Herdwick Sheep Breeders Association.

During the Show, The Cumberland Agricultural Society presented its first long service award to Edward Twentyman, of Wiggonby near Wigton. Edward has given his life to Cumbrian Agriculture and in particular to Sid Bowe and his family at Midtown Farm, Wiggonby, where he has spent his entire career, of 50 years, leaving school at aged 16.

A newly designed certificate was awarded to Edward and on receiving this from Cumberland Show Chairman, Gillian Potts, he said: “It is a great honour to be recognised in this way by both the Bowe family and the Cumberland Agricultural Society. During my entire working career at Midtown Farm I have been treated like one of the family.”

Without a doubt, with record entries, exhibitors and spectators The 2014 Borderway Agri Expo was certainly another great highlight in the History of both Borderway and Harrison and Hetherington.