Tatton Park scooped a prestigious award when its Red Poll cattle herd was
announced as the ‘Best Small Herd in the UK’ at the Red Poll Cattle Society’s annual
awards.
Tatton Park beat three other farms from all over the UK in the final to take the title
of Best Small Herd. Over 35 small herds competed across the regional rounds earlier
this year, with four herds making it through to the grand final.
Every year, the society select one large and one small herd from all over the UK –
based on the quality, uniformity and overall health and condition of all the cows in
the herd.
Native to the UK, Red Poll cattle are on the Rare Breed Survival Trust watch list. They
are a dual purpose breed – meaning they are bred for both milk and beef. The
Tatton Red Poll herd has been on the park for over 100 years and currently includes
11 adults and five calves.
Farm team members Ben Edwards and Sam Walton attended the event and
collected the Award.
Sam said: “The cows at the Farm look incredible – we’ve worked extremely hard to
ensure they are as healthy and well looked after as possible. We’re so proud to be
collecting this prestigious award.”
Councillor Don Stockton, Cheshire East Council cabinet member with responsibility
for cultural economy and tourism, said: “This award is super news and without
doubt, the result of years of hard effort. A huge well done to everyone involved.
Tatton Park is a fabulous place to visit and I hope that this award will provide a
further boost to the number of people that come to see what this great place has to
offer.”
Judge Denis Jenkins, Society Judge for the Northern Region and Vice Chairman of the
Red Poll Cattle Society said: “I was particularly impressed by the shape, size and
colour of this herd, and how enthusiastically they are managed by Sam Walton. It is
clearly a herd which is moving forward with ambitious plans for the future.”
Tatton Elfin and Tatton Elderflower, this year’s calves, can be viewed at the Farm on
weekends between 11am and 4pm during low season, and will be included in the
Farm’s nativity scene as part of Tatton’s annual Christmas celebrations.
Next year, Tatton Park will showcase its farming practices further with the launch of
the unique Field to Fork project – telling the story of the park’s agricultural heritage,
how farming and food production has evolved and how it can help improve our lives
today and in the future.
