The agricultural show ring isn’t just for experienced stockmen and women. Every year, dozens of young handlers spend months preparing calves, sheep and other livestock for competition, learning patience, responsibility and no small amount of determination along the way.
As the countdown begins to this year’s Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show, we caught up with sisters Olive (12), and Evie (9) Tuffin, from Bagber, whose healthy sibling rivalry has already earned them shelves full of rosettes – and whose ambitions stretch well beyond this year’s judging ring:
Tell us about the calves you’ll be showing this year.
Olive: I’ll be showing Petal. I’ve known her since she was born. She loves attention and gets very cross if I’m working with the other calves and leave her behind!
Evie: My calf is called Alice and she’s seven months old. She’s got such a sweet personality and she walks along behind me like a dog.
How did you get into showing?
Olive: In Covid when we had nothing to do. I was about six and I was watching Tractor Ted which taught me about showing animals. I was helping my dad feed our calves and I asked him if I could start showing some and he said yes!
Evie: Tractor Ted too! I watched it with Olive and we thought ‘how about we get into some showing?’ That’s how it took off.
What do you love most about showing cattle?
Olive: Meeting up with all the friends who I’ve made at the shows, and the competitiveness.
Evie: The competition. I love competing against other young handlers from all over the country. I’ve also made lots of friends.
Do you get nervous before judging?
Olive: It depends what class. In the Young Handlers I do because they’re judging me. In the calf classes it’s about the animal, so I’m not so nervous.
Evie: I try to stay calm because I think if I stay calm, my calf will stay calm. I try to stay nice and relaxed so Alice doesn’t fidget.
What’s your least favourite job?
Olive: Scrubbing their feet. Yuk!
Evie: Standing on poo watch with a bucket. I don’t have the patience!
What’s the best advice a judge has ever given you?
Olive: Make sure you smile. You have good potential
Evie: The same — smile!
Favourite part when in the ring?
Olive: When the judges do the individual inspection and ask you lots of questions, like how old is your calf, what’s its name?
Evie: The bond with your calf. It starts with you halter training them and getting to know them and they turn into a friendly calf who isn’t nervous.
Do you talk to your calves in the ring?
Olive: I encourage them and tell them they are doing really well. ‘Good girl’ – that kind of thing.
Evie: When we’re waiting for the judges, I talk to her and tell her she is a good girl and to be patient.
Your grandad Les calls show calves ‘prima donnas’. Is he right?
Olive: Oh yes! They are like princesses. They get all the best treatment.
Evie: I do agree! They are very much princesses!
How competitive are you with each other?
Olive: Evie’s definitely more competitive than I am!
Evie: Very! Let’s just say that…
What are your ambitions?
Olive: I’d love to take over our family farm one day. And eventually I would like to show a dairy cow when I am older – a milker.
Evie: I want to compete at the All Breeds All Britain Calf Show and win Handler of the Year.
I’d also like to show some sheep or a Jersey cow. My soft spot is for Highland cows.
Look out for the sisters at this year’s Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show on 19th & 20th August
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