Welcome New Members
Robert McConnell of Ballymena, Co Antrim, has waded straight into the world of Riggits with purchases from the Hatherland and Sherberton herds. Notably, he has secured ownership of Clifton Hawthorns last calf, a marked yearling bull by Craig Dougal. We wish you all the best of luck with them Robert.
And the Society congratulates long-time Associate member Gemma Bounds on her upgrade, now she owns Riggit heifer, Hatherland Juno. Gemma has had 6 first place tickets through the summer showing Juno, who is going to continue living at Hatherland due to Gemma’s lawn not being big enough.
News from the USA
The fate of Riggits around the world has been varied since long before the inception of the RGCS. And so it continues. While we started our own herdbook, and then began keeping a register for our colleagues in New Zealand, breeders in Germany carried on without hindrance, and one or two in Canada have been building numbers. There are moves there under consideration to formally register Riggits as such.
Lately, some animals have been appearing- and retained- in Australia, although where they’ll be registered remained a matter of some discussion. This is all good and moving forward.
But in the US there have been hardly any Riggit Galloways reported. A handful of cattle keepers are wanting to head in a Riggity direction, registering them as ‘overmarked’ Whites under the AGBA (American Galloway Breeders Association) rules. But to the dismay of those concerned, these rules have instead lately been
tightened to exclude Riggit animals, leaving breeders with an interest wondering what to do. Whether there is impetus to start their own herdbook as a stand-alone group, or ask their Northern neighbours to add them to a future register remains to be seen.
We are feeling for you folks, having trodden similar paths.
Hatherland Finlay led by Jeremy at Royal Norfolk Show
Showing
Riggit Galloways have once again been showing their shaggy heads in public across the country.
In the Southwest, The Mid Devon show in August saw several Riggits in the AONB classes. Alison Bunning and Alison Geen lead Hatherland Hestia and Sherberton Dory to take 2nd and 3rd respectively behind Colin Hutchings imported black Galloway, in the cow/heifer class. Then Mrs Bunning took top honours in both junior heifer and pairs classes, and your secretary led Sherberton Erik to a first in the bull class, and subsequently reserve champion.
Other successes for Hatherland included heifer Hestia and her calf taking Rare Breed champion at Dorset County, and winning pairs classes at both Dorset with Juno and Jovian (heifer and young bull).
In the East, Jeremy Perkins had a very successful outing for the Two Mills herd, at the Royal Norfolk Show. TwoMills Mary (White Galloway) took Supreme Champion in Any Other Native Breed Class, while Jeremy’s
Riggit stock bull ‘Hatherland Finlay’ took Best Male and Reserve Champion. They went on to take a Special Prize as best pair.
In the North, September saw the estimable Westmorland show include Riggit classes, alongside the National Belted Galloway classes. The Keiley’s ‘Croft’ and Robbie Galloway’s ‘Cardona’ herds both ventured down from North of the border. While the rain streamed incessantly the show went ahead. The Keileys put in a creditable
show, but were pipped in both male and female classes. Cardona’s stockman Ewen McRobert lead out ‘Barfil Bill’ to take top honours and champion Riggit. This topped their first summer showing Riggit Galloways, where they’ve created quite a splash showing beasts across Scotland.
Barfil Bill led by Ewan McRobert at Westmorland Show
A Riggity Farmshop
Late news, we have just learned that Dorset breeders Patrick and Darlene Ford have been granted planning permission for their farm shop. No doubt Riggit and Belted beef will feature in this venture, and we wish them every success. Within hours of the news leaking out, rumblings had started that a future summer outing for the Society might have to be a return trip to Dorset, including a visit to this fine establishment.
Summer Jamboree
This summer, we were invited to visit Ashdown Forest in Sussex. Caroline Fitzgerald and her team – notably the ever affable Dan- made members very welcome, showing us their conservation grazing programme cross this unexpected home counties gem. Using Hebridean sheep, Exmoor ponies, as well as their growing herd of Riggits, the team are opening up a glorious mix of lowland heath vegetation, which would otherwise be losing in under thickets of birch. While many members think they have got problems with the public tramping everywhere and walking their dogs, this was an eye opener. The Ashdown Forest Centre was our base, and where we were generously fed and watered.
Further excursions over 2 days took us to the outstanding ‘Black Venn’ herd of Sussex cattle nearby, owned
by Elizabeth Buchanan, a nuclear bunker on top of Ashdown Forest currently being used for police training, and Wakehurst Place Botanical Garden, home to the ‘Millennium Seed Bank Kew’. The following day saw us motor a little way east, to visit the Surrey Wildlife Trust, and their cattle on Boxhill. Hosted by James Stoyles,
we were shown a very good – and growing- herd of Belted Galloways, along with one or two Riggits. We learned more about managing cattle in areas with widespread public access. Several members couldn’t resist the walk down from a viewpoint high on Boxhill, down to the pasture where several cattle were running with the bull, and yet more provender awaited delegates.
Taken altogether, it was yet another outstanding trip, and the Society is profoundly grateful to all of our kind hosts, assistants, and everyone who made it happen.