For the first time in more than a decade, more than 100 cattle have been entered for the Galloway Spring Show and Sales.
101 pedigree Galloway cattle plus 6 Galloway x Beef Shorthorn heifers will enter the sale ring at Wallets Mart on 17th February, with a further 27 cattle due to be sold at Harrison & Hetherington in Carlisle on 3rd March.
The Galloway Cattle Society says there’s a noticeable growth in enquiries about the Galloway breed, driven by a combination of market demand for Galloway beef, plus surging interest in native breeds that suit low input, regenerative farming systems.
Breed Secretary Dorothy Goldie believes that the Galloway is the ideal choice for farmers seeking to take advantage of new market trends, she said:
“I think what’s happening is that people are seeing how well aligned Galloways are with environmentally friendly farming systems, which is only going to become more important over the next few years.
“The old image of a Galloway has been well and truly blown out of the water – this is a breed that’s perfectly matched with market demand for high quality beef and policy demands for positive environmental impact.
“I’m looking forward to meeting people who are new to the breed at the show and sale, and I’d encourage anyone with an interest in Galloways to come along, chat with some of our members and see some fantastic examples of the breed.”
To find out more information about the Galloway Spring Show and Sale and to download a catalogue, head to the Society’s website www.gallowaycattlesociety.co.uk
Or contact Dorothy Goldie on info@gallowaycattlesociety.co.uk
Jason and Sarah Wareham with their 2019 Great Yorkshire Show Galloway champion Welling of Kilnstown with judge John Teare from the Isle of Man
Judging the Castle Douglas Galloway Society pre-sale show on February 16-17 for the first time are Sarah and Jason Wareham who are making an almost 1,000 mile round trip from their East Sussex farm.
Sarah, the third generation to farm the 350-acre Little Tottingworth, Broadoak, Heathfield, overlooking the beautiful High Weald, has been running the farm with a successful farm shop and cafe for more than 25 years.
With 250 acres of pasture and around 100 acres of ancient woodland, the farm was bought by Sarah’s grandparents Dennis and Ruby Browning in 1957 and Sarah runs the farm with her brother Michael and husband Jason.
Jason moved from the West Country in 2004 bringing his own haulage business together with his own show cattle. What started as a few cross bred show cattle and some British Blues has grown into a successful showing partnership over the last decade.
Jason and Sarah bought their first Galloway in 2008 and their passion for the breed has now extended into a herd of 30 pedigree Galloways under the Wareham’s prefix which run alongside another 70 commercial cows at Tottingworth. The farm carries around 300 head of cattle as well as a flock of 280 breeding ewes.
Tottingworth Farms has diversified the business to cater for the growing demand for local produce, opening a small farm shop in 2011.
The venture proved so successful a decision was taken to expand, and in 2016 a much larger farm shop and adjoining cafe was opened. They now employ 22 people, including the part-time cafe staff.
Sarah has been heavily involved in the on-farm abattoir and she has great knowledge of the wholesale side of the the meat trade.
“We have been going to Carlisle mart for a long time to buy store cattle and the occasional show calf and it was there we bought our first Galloway cross stores which we finished and sold through the farm shop,” said Sarah.
“The quality was unreal and it was from there that we went into the pedigree Galloways and we use the Galloway bull on some of the commercial cows.
“We put nearly all the Galloway beef through the farm shop, selling an animal a week - during Covid it was one and a half animals - and our customers ask specifically for Galloway beef,” said Sarah, who is involved with all elements of the Tottingworth Farms business.
“We find the Galloway eats so well, which is why we are using more and more of the Galloway breeding for the farm shop,” she said.
“The smaller carcases of 300 to 350kg deadweight work so well for us. We find we can use the whole carcase through the farm shop. The steaks are the perfect size,” she added.
Foundation females for the Wareham’s Galloway herd were purchased from Barlaes, Troloss and Ballavair. Stock bulls have been bought from Troloss and Kilnstown.
By 2012 Jason and Sarah had introduced the Galloway bull Ballavair Black Jack, bought in Castle Douglas, to use on the pedigree and commercial cows.
Success with the Galloways has not only be proven with their home produced beef but also in the show sector.
Galloway crosses have had success in the native cross calf and overall calf champion at the Christmas primestock shows.
As well as success showing the pedigree Galloways at local shows, in 2017 they won the Galloway junior championship with the heifer Silverbell 12th of Gall-way. The heifer went on to receive the supreme interbreed Junior Championship - a first for the Galloway breed.
Silverbell 12th, a 20 month old Lochnagar of Gall-way daughter and out of the renowned Silverbell family was purchased privately from Dennis and Margaret Gall on their retirement.
The Warehams see a great future for the Galloways at Tottingworth Farm. “Our major aim is to expand the Galloways and to have this breed as the main herd at Tottingworth by putting a Galloway cross with pure Galloways,” said Sarah.
“With the expansion of our farm shop, we want to keep offering high quality homebred produced beef to our customers. By using a Galloway also with continental commercial cows, this produces a very tasty beef product.
“Together with our home produced lamb and locally sourced pork, this have proved to be popular bringing customers to the shop and dining in the café. We feel strongly in producing locally produced meat and are very proud that the Galloways are expanding here in Sussex”.
Sarah added: “We also find the hardy Galloways an effortless breed to calve and they tend to give us an easy time in the spring. We also dedicated a Belted Galloway in our new logo for the farm, as we feel very strongly in supporting this breed. We will continue to show them across the country highlighting what a super native herd of cattle they are.”