By Press Release
Members of the Island’s farming community returned to Tapnell Farm this week for the annual Gilten Market.
Despite the weather, a large crowd of Island farmers and friends gathered in good spirits. The prime-stock show had a large turnout of cattle and a high-quality but small entry of sheep, giving the judge, Kelly Smith, plenty of work in deciding the winners.
For the cattle, the championship and title of ‘Gilten’ beast was awarded to a top-quality Limousin heifer owned by Mick Denness. His strong team of cattle dominated the handled classes, with his best steer taking the reserve championship.
After being gilded with gold paint by the Island’s High Sheriff, Kay Marriott, the Gilten beast was subject to spirited bidding, finally bought for the Heron Restaurant in Ryde, through the head chef’s partnership with Island Foods.
Island Foods also purchased a number of cattle themselves, including the reserve champion and the exhibit entered by the highest-placed young farmer, Leo Brett.
The champion unhandled beast was a traditional breed Angus steer from Ralph Rickard, which sold to another Island wholesaler, Bill Tuffrey of W A Foods. Bill also bought another Angus steer, which fittingly won Ralph, the Mike Holliday Memorial Cup, presented in memory of his grandfather.
Mick Denness also came top in the sheep class with a pair of Texel X. The Denness family completed the hat-trick when a member of the younger Denness generation, Grace, took the single lamb class. Gilten Market chairman, Matt Legge, came top in the ewe class with his Suffolks.
Matt said: “It has been a great day, with one of the best line-ups we’ve seen for many
years. It was particularly encouraging to see many of the younger exhibitors in the show classes.
“The Gilten Market is a long-standing Island event, and it takes a lot of people to make it happen. I would like to thank our patron, the High Sheriff, all of the exhibitors, buyers, sponsors, the Young Farmers Club, Southern Counties Auctioneers and the Turney Family for allowing us to hold the event at Tapnell Farm. The event is only possible due to the real team effort that everyone puts in.”
