A MUCH bigger and better line-up of British Friesians was forward for the breed's National Show – staged for the first time at Borderway UK Dairy Expo.

In previous years, it has been the Lawson family's Lismulligan herd from Fife that has dominated the section here, but this time it was a brother and sister team all the way from Suffolk, that picked up the majority of awards.

David Burroughs and Margaret Vale together with Mr Burroughs' son and daughter, Jamie and Lindsay Miller, and Margaret's husband Andrew, run 320 British Friesians in their Oakalby herd and secured the championship with Oakalby Hilton S Ruth 82. This previously unshown third calver is a daughter of Morcourt Hilton and bred from six times Excellent-classified show cow, Oakalby Breadwinner Ruth 34. Calved in December and giving 42litres per day, she was shown by herdsman, Liam Banns.

Oakalby also picked up the reserve and honourable mention amongst the milkers with the former being a fourth calver that was champion at the Livestock Event in 2015. Oakalby Rebel Cherry 115 Ex90, is by Oakalby Rebel – a bull retained for breeding bred from the show cow, Oakalby Breadwinner Ruth 34 – and out of Oakalby Conrad Cherry 66. She is producing 30litres, having calved in October.

Leading the juniors was a red and white from Ava Barrell who runs just a handful of Friesians at Elm Farm, Norfolk. Her winner was Gemini Patrol Rosie Red 2, a 22-month-old home-bred heifer by Skyhigh Patrol that stood first at the All Britain All Breeds calf show. She is out of a previous home-bred Rosie and was paraded in calf to Dechmont Igniter.

Runner up in the juniors was the Scottish-bred Lismulligan Priscilla 54, bred by the Lawsons but shown by Sally Howarth, who runs 400 Friesians in her organic herd from Hollies Farm, Pickering, North Yorkshire. She was bought at the Black and White sale at Carlisle in December and is by Blackisle Garve.