JUDGES for a prestigious autumn showcase have now been announced - and one is from Cumbria.

Harrison & Hetherington has announced details of the judges for the five breed society shows being hosted at this year’s Borderway Agri Expo.

Judging the Aberdeen Angus Winter National Show is Fraser Cormack of Jedburgh, Scottish Borders. Fraser farms on a small scale alongside his foot-trimming business which he runs with his son. Having been a long-time breeder of Aberdeen Angus, until recently Fraser has been a regular face on the showing circuit with his cattle, including at Agri Expo.

Pedigree breeder and farmer Chall Parsons of Longtown, Cumbria, will kickstart his judging career by judging the Border British Blue Club Calf Show. Chall, who farms together with his partner Kate, took on the tenancy of their 175-acre farm four years ago and runs a small herd of pedigree British Blue alongside a mixed flock of around 650 commercial and pedigree sheep.

The Hereford Calf Show will be judged by third-generation breeder William McMordie. William continues a 70-year family heritage of breeding pedigree Hereford cattle at his family farm near Ballydown, County Down in Northern Ireland.

The Beef Shorthorn National Calf Show will be judged by Pamela Nicol who manages Doldy Farms in Angus, Glenisla. Following the purchase of its first pedigree Beef Shorthorn back in 2008, the 2500-acre estate is now home to 24 pedigree Shorthorn cows, as well as 100 commercial cows and 1,000 Blackface ewes.

Judging the Simmental Regional Calf Show is Varrie Loggie from East Merkland farm near Strathaven, Lanarkshire, who helps out on the family farm around her full-time work for a local graphics company. The 600-acre farm welcomed its first four pedigree Simmentals when Varrie was just 16, and today numbers are up to 60 head, which run alongside 700 ewes. A member of the Scottish Simmental Club, Varrie previously held a committee role for the young members, with one highlight being her travels to Australia on congress in 2010 where she represented British Simmentals.

H&H's managing director, Scott Donaldson, said: “We are proud to be hosting five major breed society national shows at this year’s Agri Expo. It really is testament to the event and with the highest calibre of stock passing through the rings, judging these shows is certainly a challenging job.”