THERE'S been huge interest in the show aspects of the forthcoming beef industry showcase, the NBA Beef Expo 2019, which is taking place in Cumbria on May 23.

Two key competitions will be held as part of the event – the NBA commercial cattle show and the South Devon Herd Book Society's performance championships. They have both attracted encouraging entry numbers for the event which this year takes place at North West Auctions’ J36 Rural Auction Centre, in Crooklands, Cumbria.

Julie Sedgewick, organiser of the cattle show competition – which is sponsored by Caltech Crystalyx – said there would be more than £6000 of prize money up for grabs for the national competition.

“It has been really encouraging and we are really happy with the excellent level of support,” she added. “It is particularly pleasing to see new entrants coming in and the central location in a low-risk TB area has certainly helped.”

Entries have been recorded from across the UK, with many heading down from Scotland, as well as from as far afield as Somerset and Lincolnshire, plus a reasonable level from competitors in Wales.

“We will have four classes of Limousin heifers, split into weights, with 35 entries anticipated,” she added. "There are no more than 10 animals in any one class."

Experienced judge at many national shows and a seasoned award-winner himself, Gavin Scott, of Gateside Farm, Linlithgow, will be judging the native and continental classes, as well as the supreme championships.

Another well-known name, Tudor Edwards, of Corwen, will be judging the baby beef classes, baby championship and young handlers competitions. Mr Edwards has a wealth of experience, being the 2015 winner of the Agri-Expo supreme beef championship.

For the fourth year, the South Devon Herd Book Society is also holding its performance championships, in which performance breeders from across the country are invited to compete.

Caroline Poultney, breed secretary at the South Devon Herd Book Society, said: “We are aiming for 20-25 animals to be forward and are excited to be bringing this event to a different part of the country to show off the breed and its fabulous attributes.”

There is £500 prize money up for grabs from the society, plus money back on animals forward. Caroline added: “It’s the fourth such annual event, aimed at pushing the use of genetic and performance information as a breeding tool.”