Brennand Candy scores sweet success throughout the 2008 North of England shows

Travel out of the Village of Dunsop Bridge via a three-mile track, alongside the River Brennand, and to greet you at the end is Brennand Farm, home to the Walker family. With land rising to 1700 feet (a patch of heather moorland on the farm has been calculated by Ordnance Survey to be the 'true' centre of Britain) and with anticipated annual rainfall of 90 inches (over 2 metres), it is little wonder that the Brennand British Blues have had no trouble in coping with this year’s ground conditions that many of us have found almost unmanageable.

Perhaps better known for their award winning and much sought after commercial cattle in the Gisburn and Skipton areas Geoff Walker and his family had their farm ‘lucky’ enough to be designated in the ‘clean area’ and have enjoyed a very successful show season in and around the North of England shows.

Their June 2007 born heifer, Brennand Candy, by Colibri Du Coin out of Bringlee Sandy, competed in May at the Great Harwood Show, in July at both The Goosnargh and Longridge Show and The Great Eccleston Show and at the three shows she took the Overall Breed and Interbreed Championships.

In August at the Garstang Show Brennand Candy achieved the remarkable result of being judged Champion British Blue, Supreme Champion Pedigree Beef Animal and Interbreed Exhibitor Bred Champion this was the first time a heifer had managed to achieve the ‘clean sweep’. Along with two herd companions, one her full sister Brennand Cindy, they went on to be awarded Interbreed Best Group of Three.

At the Westmorland Show in September Candy was placed second and Cindy third in a class of eleven heifers which judge, Graham Brindley, Shropshire, described as the best class of heifers he had seen in many years of judging. Candy and Cindy then joined forces and won the Best Pair of Animals owned by the exhibitor. A few days later at the Hodder Valley Show Candy returned to her winning ways with the Breed Championship and went on to take the Supreme Beef Animal Championship.

Brennand Candy with Robert Walker
photo courtesy of John Eveson

After such an outstanding show season it has not yet been decided whether Candy will be joining the herd’s breeding females or if she will compete in what is hoped will be a wider show circuit in 2009.

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