Stock Judging

Well done to everyone who took part in the Stock Judging final at the Morris farm on Sunday 13th April. Starting at 9am and continuing till 6 meant it was a long day for the members taking part, especially for those who had travelled from the other side of the county but this didn’t affect the turn out. With Stock Judging in the morning – Beef, Lambs and Pigs at the Morris’ whist the diary was hosted up the road, the afternoon gave time for the I’m a Celebrity… Get me out of here challenge and then the Tug of War prelims.

For those who do not understand what stock judging is we will try to explain it here; the purpose of this event is to place 4 animals in the order that you think they are most presentable. Considering items like wool, body shape, size, meat cuts etc depending on whether the animal is for the farmer or the butcher. That is only the first part of the competition; the second involves giving reasons for your decision to a judge, this counts for half of your points.

Here are some useful hints:


Preparation

It’s always best to wear your white coat, looking smart is a big part of the event and may earn you points

Before you start

Decided what you’re judging, is the animal for breeding or the butcher

Stand back

Take a good look at the group as a whole; you may need to wait for all the animals to stand together for the best view of all 4.







Giving Reasons

You’ll normally get about 2 minutes for this, make good notes as you move around the animals and try to memorize your reasons. Remember to speak slowly and clearly so the judge can understand you and at the end don’t forget to thank them.

The results from the day will not be made available till the rally but the winners of the Parry cup were announced. All three team cups (Junior, Intermediate and Senior) went to Leighton Buzzard along with the overall team cup.