Thrilled Suffolk farmers are celebrating competition glory at the county show after scooping the Red Poll supreme champion title.

The native breed is one of Suffolk’s “trinity” of home-grown breeds but at one stage was on the brink of extinction as more commercial cattle types were adopted by farmers.

However, the dual-purpose breed has keen supporters. Among them is Rolf Marschalek, of Stowmarket, who with son, Jim, brought his four-year-old bull, Hopeham Iron Ore, to the show after returning for the first time in 14 years.

It proved an inspired decision, as the beast took the top title on the first day of the show (May 31). “It’s pretty mega,” he said. “We also had a cow we wanted to bring but she was in such poor condition we couldn’t bring her.”

They previously showed their cattle in 2006, 2007 and 2008 at the county event but only have a small herd of 20 and were struggling for time to take part. But retired special needs teacher Rolf, who has a small 60-acre farm, decided to come back.

He describes his own enterprise as a “hobby” farm but his great grandfather made a living on just six acres with one sow, he said. He and his family bought the bull two years ago from the Hopeham Herd in Norfolk, he said.

Son Jim is studying for a PhD in climate change. But the impact of grazing animals such as cattle belonged on a spectrum, he said, and the farm itself aims to be carbon neutral.

Mark Martin, new chairman of the Red Poll Cattle Society, came from Rugby to be at the show, and other members had come from Enfield, Norfolk and Bedfordshire to take part. “We are part of the Suffolk trinity and it’s the heart of Red Poll country,” he said.

“We are slowly building the numbers and farmers are finding a lot more commercial use for Red Polls now because of their good forage eating capabilities.". As result, the breed is doing well, he explained.

The quality of stock at the show this year was “very good”, he added, although numbers were lower. “That’s the effect of Covid and the economic conditions at the moment,” he said.

In the commercial beef pen, Emma Bishop of Bishop and Ketley scooped the championship Best Butcher’s Beef prize with Poppy, a Limousin cross. Although based in Milton Keynes, the operation is linked to that of the Ketley family of Colchester, having been long-time friends. She was “over the moon”, she said. “We have been here for many years - ever since my father started and Will (Ketley) started so we are second generation,” she said.

The Long Horn Cattle Society held its national show at the event, with the supreme champion title and reserve going to John and Pat Stanley of Leicestershire with Blackbrook Zither and Blackbrook Endeavour.