By Isle of Wight Observer
Every year during the first week of December, an age-old ceremony takes place that is unique to the Isle of Wight.
The High Sheriff adorns the horns of a steer or heifer with gold paint, shortly after it has been acclaimed as the Gilten Beast.
Nobody knows the true origins of the strange custom, and the Island is the only place that holds an annual Gilten Market, but the competition probably evolved to encourage Island farmers to produce high-quality meat ready for the Christmas table and to save butchers travelling to the mainland.
The Gilten Market Committee is made up of farmers and organises the livestock auction with Southern Counties Auctioneers, and the Gilten Beast is chosen after careful examination and judging. The cattle are divided into handled and unhandled classes, with the handled cattle being trained with a halter to be properly shown. This year there were 19 handled entries, as many as anyone can remember for many years.
Former High Sheriff, Caroline Peel, performed the gilding ceremony on Monday, as the current High Sheriff, Dawn Haig-Thomas, was attending another shrieval event in Cornwall. The winner of the coveted title was a heifer owned by Matt Legge, of Duxmore Barns Farm, and was home-bred from a young Belgian Blue heifer by a Limousin bull. Matt also owned the reserve champion and the Champion Lambs. The prize for the Best Steer went to Barry Isaacson. The judge was Stuart Clatworthy.
Sam Biles of the Gilten Market Committee said: “We were very pleased with the number of entries overall this year, with new farmers exhibiting and a large number of young people having a go. As young exhibitors we had Alfie Howe, winning the Junior Lamb Class, Leo Brett, winning the Best Young Cattle Handler, and Ralph Rickard, the Best Native Breed to name but three. This reflects the involvement of the revitalised IW Young Farmers, to whom we are indebted for helping set up and clear away the pens.
“The Gilten Beast was purchased on behalf of the Heron Restaurant in Ryde. It is good to see a local business supporting the Island’s farming community and ensuring that we operate in a more sustainable local and cyclical rural economy.”
Matt said his family was delighted at winning the title. He added: “It was a team effort to get the heifers ready for the market and I am delighted to say that we hope to have another from the same mother to show next year.
“We are heavily indebted to the Turney family, for the use of Tapnell Farm, and to Southern Counties Auctioneers whose support, together with that of our sponsors and supporters makes it possible for this centuries-old tradition to continue.”
The Gilten Market dinner, when the prizes will be presented, will be held on January 27 at The Cow Restaurant, Tapnell Farm.
Tickets at £40 are available from Matt Legge via mjlfarming@gmail.com.