Isle of Wight Gilten Market a success thanks to young farmers

It's an old farming tradition and the Isle of Wight Gilten Market again proved to be a special day for several farmers - including lots of younger enthusiasts.

Matt Legge took the supreme championship for the coveted Gilten Beast for the first time and was then awarded the reserve championship with his sweet homebred Limousin X heifers.

The Champion Steer went to Barry Isaacson for his British Blue X Steer, selling for '284 pence' to Bill Tuffrey, of Island Foods.

Mr Legge also took the lamb championship with his two Dutch Spotted X Lambs, also taking away second and third in the same class.

The IW Gilten Market at Tapnell Farm (Image: Young Farmers)

Alfie Howe presented two Blue Texel X lambs to take the first two prizes in the young handlers class.

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.  

"The cattle are divided into handled and unhandled classes with the handled cattle being trained with a halter to be properly shown. 

A big crowd at the market (Image: Young Farmers)

"This year we had 19 handled entries which is as many as anyone can remember for many years. 

"With the 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 Champion Beast was gilded with gold paint on its head by Caroline Peel, a former High Sheriff standing in for Dawn Haig Thomas who was representing the Island in Cornwall.

"The Champion A Heifer presented by Matt Legge of Duxmore Barns Farm and was home-bred from a young Belgian Blue Heifer by a Limousin Bull.  

"Purchased on behalf of the Heron Restaurant in Ryde it is good to see a local business supporting the local farming community and ensuing that we operate in a more sustainable local  and cyclical rural economy.”

Mr Legge said: “My family and I are delighted with the win. It was a team effort to get the heifer ready for the market and we hope to have another from the same mother to show next year."

The event was held at Tapnell Farm.