We will be running again our popular showing course over the weekend of the 20th and 21st of April.
Whether you are thinking of showing, want to polish your show skills or just study in detail confirmation and locomotion of pigs to improve your breeding programme it is a really useful weekend.
With quality, show winning Saddlebacks, Hampshires and Oxford, Sandy and Blacks to evaluate we will cover both traditional and modern breeds of pig. There is a very informative section with Cheshire Show’s chief pig steward, Janice Wood, on show schedules and entries, which can be rather daunting task when you first get started.
As ever, we will have the expertise and knowledge of show judge Steve Richardson, who is also a breeder and exhibitor of Large Blacks, Middle Whites and Landrace breeds.
It hardly seems that winter is coming to end but already show schedules have begun to land on the doormat. Newark and Nottingham Show in mid May is one of the early ones. John has already started looking through his traditional and modern pigs; with grand children Harry and Imogen deliberating over their potential show winners for this season. Younger grandchild, Peggy, has already taken a quick look over John’s stock. I must say she doesn’t look too impressed!
Showing is a real family affair in the Sutcliffe household. The experience has taught Harry and Imogen a lot: having to have your kit ready, ring manners, confidence to show off your pig and answer the judges questions, learning to lose gracefully. Of course, it means John has a ready supply of helpers and he needn’t worry about his ageing legs keeping up in the ring! Young handlers are the future of our livestock shows.
We hope you are able to join our showing course and get out to the shows with your own pigs this season. Remember you can always come along and give us a hand at the shows.
