AUCTIONEERS McCartneys are sponsoring the most prestigious event in the beef cattle industry at this year’s Three Counties Show.

The Burke Trophy was originally presented annually at the Royal Show at Stoneleigh (once the flagship of British farming) from 1951 to 2009 when the show closed. Since then it has been awarded at major shows around the country and this year it comes to the Three Counties Show.

The coveted award is for the Best Pair of Beef Cattle (a bull and a female) and is selected from each beef breed that has classes at the show.

Not only will there be some classy cattle on show but the judge who will have the ultimate selection also has plenty of class! Mrs Kay Adam from Forfar in Scotland comes from a very strong dynasty of cattle breeders north of the border.

McCartneys’ chairman John Uffold will be handing out the silverware along with the society’s president Dame Janet Trotter.

A McCartneys spokesman said: “As a firm are thrilled to have been invited to sponsor this fantastic award at what must be one of the most highly regarded shows in the country.

“The “hard yards” over many years to secure “Official Auctioneer” status for eight cattle breed societies (and 14 sheep breed societies) has been challenging but to be involved in this side of the industry and then be able to have a major involvement in the culmination of the competition of all competitions is truly exciting.”