This particular event held at the Carmarthen showground, with milking sections and divisions for calves and the showmanship skills of young handlers, was considered to be the only show of its kind in the UK dedicated solely to the Jersey breed.
The winning cow was the home-bred third calver Nicel Dion Tare shown by Huw and Jennifer Evans, with the June 2011 born Frosty Blackstone Owl, entered by Hollybush Farms, of Dingestow, in reserve.
Heading the impressive heifer line up was another exhibitor bred entry, the junior cow in milk Glanmor Tequilla Sweetie from Dafydd and Helen Cox, Laugharne, placed above another Hollybush Farms entry, Starlet Mysterious Girl.
The champion heifer calf, shown by young Elan Thomas, Meidrim, was the 15-month-old Salfach LC Daisybelle-bred by Rhys and Ffiona Jones and the winning handler was Ioan Harries, of the Felin herd, with Elan Thomas in reserve.
The Jersey is one of our oldest dairy breeds and, since as early as 1771, has always been regarded very favourably because of its milk and butterfat production.
Adaptable to a wide range of climatic and geographical conditions, outstanding Jersey herds are found from Denmark to Australia and New Zealand, from Canada to South America, and from South Africa to Japan. They are considered excellent grazers and perform well in intensive grazing programme and live economically - probably two Jerseys cows may be kept on the same amount of fodder as one cow of the larger breeds and, during their lifespan, may produce far in excess of 13 times her bodyweight in milk each lactation.
Many breeders now feel the modern Jersey to be unexcelled in dairy type. There is no more appealing dairy animal than the well-balanced Jersey cow, and although usually somewhat more nervous in disposition than others, she is usually docile and rather easy to manage.
Mature Jersey cows usually have an extreme weight range of between 600 and 800 kilos and the colours of a modern Jersey may be of a wide range varying from a very light grey or mousey colour to a very dark fawn or a shade that is almost black.
The Jersey cow is numerically the second largest breed of dairy cattle in the world and is again in great demand. It is represented in most countries around the world and, with an estimate of more than five million pure bred Jerseys across the globe, of particular interest to many will be the World Jersey Cattle Bureau’s UK tour which takes place from June 8-18 involving a range of farm visits.