SEVENTEEN herds of pedigree Jersey cattle were entered in the 2003 Regional Breeders Competitions and three herds scooped most of the prizes.

They were the Sowden herd of the Huxtable family, Stockleigh Pomeroy, Crediton, Devon; the Orchard herd of Messrs Montgomery Ltd, North Cadbury, Yeovil, Somerset; and the Whitenhill herd of Mr and Mrs Ravenhill, Umberleigh, Devon.

From the total of 12 classes, each of these herds won three and were runners-up in seven classes between them.

Bruce and Jenny Ravenhill won the "Sowden" cup for the best herd of 85 or more cows; the "Day" cup for whole herd milk production; and the "Gosling" cup for the "Family Cow Line" with progeny of Whitenhill Juno's Winnipeg. They also picked up second prizes in the "Chillaton" cup for Junior Cows with Whitenhill Sambo's Winsford and in the BOCM cup for senior cows with Whitenhill Stylemaster's Sissoo.

Malcolm, Ann and Ian Huxtable were winners of the BOCM cup with Sowden Garth Miranda; the "Badcock and Everard" cup for heifers in milk with Sowden Juno Dream 2; and the "Canonteign" cup for a group of three females with progeny of Potterswall Lord Juno. The Huxtables claimed second prizes in the Sowden Cup; the "Dalena" trophy for a Dam and Daughter pair with Sowden Zeb's Miranda and

Sowden Garth Miranda; the "Montgomery" cup for Lifetime Production plus inspection with Sowden Dante's Countess 2.

The Montgomery family, renowned for the manufacture of unpasteurised cheddar cheese, won the "JIP" trophy for progeny from the young bull scheme with Orchard Hede's Delilah and Orchard Delilah's Parachute; and both the "Montgomery" trophy and the "Eldon" trophy with Orchard Highland Tribute. Their herd was also second in the "Day" cup.

Other trophy winners were Mr and Mrs T Selway of the Riggiston herd, Street, Somerset, herd who claimed the "Kerr" cup for herds of less than 85 cows; plus the "Morrish" trophy for heifers in calf with Riggiston Cosmos Grateful.

Simon Bray form Kentisbury, Barnstaple, Devon won the "Chillaton" cup with Cockerills Cherry Leonne.

Jenny and Mike Colwell, Redruth, Cornwall, won the "'Dalena" trophy with Quintrell Adonis Shauna and her daughter Quintrell Sambo's Maeve. They were also reserve champions in the "Kerr" cup for smaller herds and in the "Gosling" cup with progeny form Quintrell Pals Soibhan.