There were rosettes and great prices at the Truro Christmas and Primestock Show, on December 3 at Truro Cattle Market.

Gail Ellis of Lelant took home an armful of trophies in the beef categories, including the 2025 Supreme Beef Champion for a British Blue heifer weighing 682kg and selling for £560ppkg to RJ Trevarthen Ltd of Roskrow.

Mrs Ellis and her son, Matthew, triumphed at Liskeard, Wadebridge and Helston with the same heifer. “I was very proud and happy today,” said Matthew. “We come to Truro because it’s sociable and we get to show off our stock – and it’s tradition.”

The Reserve Supreme Beef Champion went to Limousin steer Knight Rider, exhibited by Paul and Lin Calcraft of Payhembury, East Devon, weighing 709kg and selling for £550ppkg to Dale's Family Butchers of Helston.

The Local Beef Champion rosette was taken by Tim Eustice of Crantock, with a homebred pedigree South Devon heifer weighing 720kg. It sold for £490ppkg to RJ Trevarthen Ltd.

Reserve Local Beef Champion was Limousin heifer Cupcake, exhibited by O&C Penellum and Sons of Trispen. It weighed 683kg and sold for £530ppkg to Dale's Family Butchers.

An emotional Oliver Penellum said: “We didn’t enter to win – that’s a bonus. When I was a kid, my dad exported cattle and I’d watch the shows thinking, ‘I’d love to be in the ring one day.’

“Seven years ago, I bought a little bit of land and a few cattle here and there. My brother Craig joined me, and while our herd is small, we do really well everywhere we go.”

In the sheep categories, Paul and Lin Calcraft took the championship with their pair of 41.70kg Beltex lambs, which sold for £405 (970p/kg) to Mr J Gregory of Chacewater.

“We show all over the country and have been coming to Truro for 12 years,” said Mrs Calcraft. “We really enjoy it – they look after us down here, and the butchers really support the show.”

Reserve champion was handed to Mr A Lockyer of Highbridge, Somerset; his pair of 42.7kg lambs sold for £250 (585p/kg) to RJ Trevarthen Ltd. The best local pen of sheep went to RA Rundle of Newquay.

Champion and reserve carcass were awarded for the third year running to Gwen Renfree of Altarnun for her Beltex lamb. Mrs Renfree and her husband, Stephen, sold 14 lambs and two carcases on the day.

Truro was the latest in a round of fatstock shows for the couple, who achieved the same success at Kingsbridge the previous day and were due to attend Dartmouth on Tuesday, December 9.

“I’m delighted with the result - you never know how it will go, as every judge is different,” said Mrs Renfree. “We attend not only to make some good money and promote our flock, but also to keep the shows going.”

Show president Richard Tinney said it had been “a good day”, with an excellent number of domestic and children’s entries. Truro School Prep visited with 36 children, and events concluded with an illuminated tractor contest.