Bella, a homebred Limousin X heifer from Welsh showman Tecwyn Jones stole the show at the 2025 Borderway Agri Expo in Carlisle taking home the prestigious Supreme Cattle Championship title.
Hosted by Harrison & Hetherington, the 18th annual Agri Expo brought together breeders, farmers, politicians, and rural businesses from across the UK for a day celebrating British livestock farming. Since its inception, the livestock competition has remained the main feature of this key autumn event, and this year’s show rings were filled with some of the finest commercial and pedigree cattle and sheep from across the country.
In the cattle section, the Overall Supreme Champion title went to Tecwyn Jones’s Limousin X heifer ‘Bella’, who was presented with the Royal Smithfield Club James Stobo Perpetual Trophy and the Robert L Scott Memorial Trophy along with a state of the art set of clippers donated by Showtime Supplies, York. The Reserve Supreme title went to the Steer Champion, Limousin X ‘Spiced Rump’, from the Edwards Brothers of Penrhos Farm, Corwen.
The Baby Beef Champion title was awarded to the Limousin heifer ‘Annabelle’ from E H Pennie & Son, with Reserve going to the Charolais X steer ‘The Crofter’ from Ayrshire’s Andrew Ireland.
“I won the Baby Beef here last year with the same animal, so it feels fantastic to take the Supreme title,” Supreme Champion exhibitor Tecwyn Jones said. “She’s homebred as well, which makes it even more special. It was a tremendous class with an outstanding line-up of heifers. Agri Expo is the best show I come to every year, Agri Expo it’s my favourite show.”
With over 300 entries in the sheep section the Overall Champion Pair of Lambs was awarded to R Hall & Son of Inglewood Edge, Dalston, Carlisle, for his Dutch Texels while the Reserve title went to J J Frame & Co of Strathaven for a pair of Blackface.
Commenting on the standard of entries, Sheep Judge Andrew Mutch said: “Today exceeded all expectations by far. I wasn’t expecting it to be so professionally run and with such quality stock. I’ve judged Smithfield before, and this is up there with it and beyond, it’s just brilliant. Tremendous calibre of stock, and when it came to the champion pair, I could not fault them.”
In the Mule Gimmer Lamb class, judged by Graham Loughrey, first prize went to James Robinson of Carnforth, Lancashire’s pair of Mule lambs of exceptional quality.
The pedigree cattle rings also saw outstanding success across all five breed shows, with each section showcasing the depth of quality and breeding excellence that defines Borderway Agri Expo.
In the Aberdeen Angus section, A W Neish’s heifer calf Rodmead Edwina B267 took the Overall Championship, with Caroline Morton’s bull calf Keirsbeath Prescott in Reserve. Tracy Severn’s Highlee Wallace claimed the Beef Shorthorn title, while Wellbeck William from Natalie Hynd stood Reserve. The British Blue Championship went to Kevin Watret’s Solway View Ultraviolet, with Harelaw Vanessa from Jean Mackay Reserve. In the Herefords, the Jones family triumphed with Dendor 1 Lilac Wine 46th, and Heather Whittaker’s RM 1 Starlet took Reserve. Finally, in the Simmental section, Denzies Melody 62nd from J & C Hodge won the Overall title, with Fishpool Spartan from T & J Hasall named Reserve.
The Young Handlers competition celebrated the enthusiasm and skill of the next generation, with overall winner 11-year-old Luke Bell-Percy from North Yorkshire.
Agri Expo once again proved a vital meeting place for discussion and debate on the future of farming with The Big Debate, hosted and sponsored by H&H Land & Estates, explored the motion “This house believes that farm subsidies do more harm than good.”
The Westmorland Lonsdale MP Tim Farron and Northumbrian farmer Pip Robson presenting opposing views while the seminar ‘Land Hungry, People Hungry: Can We Feed the Future?’, chaired by Scott Donaldson, featured Robbie Moore MP, Daniel Zeichner MP, regenerative farmer Nicola Renison, Julia Aglionby of the Foundation for Common Land, and Sion Williams of Buccleuch Estate.
Both sessions concluded that the next generation of farmers must receive greater support and recognition to safeguard the future of food production, while acknowledging that British farmers care deeply about the environment and countryside management alongside their vital role in feeding the nation.
With over 120 exhibitors highlighting innovation and practical farming support, the Best Indoor Trade Stand was awarded to Agrimin Ltd, the Best Outdoor Stand to Dedito Boots, and the Best Breed Stand to the Charolais Cattle Society.
Attending his first Agri Expo as managing director of Harrison & Hetherington, Robin Anderson said afterwards, “What a fantastic event with probably one of the best shows of cattle I have ever seen. The support, the team spirit, and the professionalism have been incredible. This is my first Agri Expo as Managing Director, and it has been way beyond what I expected.”
In line with its commitment to supporting the wider farming community, Borderway Agri Expo 2025 raised hundreds of pounds for the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI), RSABI, and Cumbria-based mental health charity Growing Well.
