A COW bred at Raby Castle has emerged as the Northern Longhorn Breeders’ Club champion for 2020.
Raby Nour, a seven-year-old sired by Fishwick Instigator to dam Raby Georgina, was judged by Clive Davies, from Wales, as the top longhorn in the North of England and Scotland.
Raby Nour made her way to the championship after being classed the best senior cow and the best homebred cow respectively.
The animal also took the dam and daughter honour alongside Raby Petula.
The judge visited breeders across the country before publishing the results on the Longhorn Cattle Society’s website earlier this month.
The judge said was impressed with the entire Raby herd of 25 cows.
Mr Davies said of his visit Raby: “Virtually the whole herd occupied one field, or to be more precise, The Deer Park. Indeed, the longhorns share their accommodation with two herds of deer, red and fallow. Closer inspection of the cattle soon revealed the quality of the breeding females. Cow after cow impressed.
“They stood out because of the excellent construction, the strength of spine and hind leg make-up. But more than that these females had great character and were rearing strong calves.”
Raby Estate farm manager Robert Sullivan said it was the first time the herd, which was started in the 1970s, had produced a breed champion.
He said: “It is a great accolade. A cow we bred is the best in the North of England and Scotland – that is from Nottingham all the way to Inverness.”
Regarding the herd sharing the park with the deer Mr Sullivan said: “The cows keep to themselves and the deer keep to themselves.”
The animals spend their lives in the open at the castle, feeding purely off the grass, and meat from the herd supplies the tea rooms at Raby Castle and High Force Hotel.
