Suffolk Show 2019: Essex dairy farmers follow up on last year’s success with another win for Ayrshire cow

Ayrshire cow Wigboro Wick Evolution Peggy took the title in the category, which combined Jerseys, Ayrshires, British Friesians and Guernseys in one competition.

Dairy farmer John Smith, of Smith Farms Clacton Ltd, at St Osyth, expressed delight at winning with a home-bred cow, which he said was "great". He was "very pleased", he added.

MORE - Excitement builds ahead of county's biggest day out"She's a third calver. She calved last month," he said.

The same animal had won at the Suffolk and the Royal Norfolk last year, and was reserve supreme beast at both, he said.

"I'm really glad she's coming along and doing her job," he said. "It's nice to win with a home-bred.

His sister, Louise Lawrence, said: "To be fair, I'm a bit numb at the minute. We are very happy."

Judge Matthew Pye said he had admired the "overall power through the cow, with great front end, openess through the ribs, great attachedness to the udder and her overall showiness in the ring."

The Holstein champion was Onco Art Mandy, owned by Holly Dyer of Dartford in Kent, while Essex farmer John Smith also enjoyed success with the reserve place with Wigboro Altarush Durose.

Judge Jane Arrell said the winning cow was a second calver which had only calved seven weeks ago.

"She's a really, really good example of the breed, a great young cow, correct all the way through and very balanced and just the cow we want to breed really".

The runner-up was a fifth calver, and she had been impressed with her breed traits as well, she said, and her ability to calve. "She had twin calves in December. She's a great example of the breed," she said. "Tremendous for her age. She's not seven years old and she's had five calves so it's pretty impressive."

The Smiths, who run a dairy farm near Clacton-on-Sea, have had Ayrshires for seven years, and Wigboro Wick Evolution Peggy became their first home-bred champion at last year's Suffolk Show.