Enthusiasm of Youngest Generation Takes Staffordshire Family
to Lily Hill Cup Triumph 10/09/2010

Three generations of the Wright family are involved in running the Fourcrosses pedigree Jersey herd, along with beef and sheep enterprises on 500 acres spread across two farms in Staffordshire. The family have been rewarded by winning the Lily Hill Cup at this year’s Dairy Event & Livestock Show.

From nineteen year old Isobel to grandmother, Mary, the Wrights are all committed to improving and expanding the family farming business. For Andrew it has seen his dream grow over the past forty two years. As a teenager he started with two Jersey calves on seven acres. Persistence and attention to detail are hallmarks of the whole family.

The Fourcrosses herd was established near Cannock on land spanning the A5 to Shrewsbury. This is the route of Watling Street which was built straight as a gun barrel by the Romans to speed troop movement. However, nowadays traffic thunders past, adding hours, literally, to farming operations.

At the turn of the century Andrew and wife, Helen, moved, with the dairy herd, to the tranquil parkland setting of Kennels Farm, Tixall near Stafford. Cows and family have blossomed, although their roots at Four Crosses have been retained for son Matthew’s pedigree Limousin herd, and it is still home for Mary.

Milk is sold to Longley Farm for branded speciality Jersey product manufacture. Yields of 6215 kg per cow complements milk quality at 5.69% butterfat and 3.85% protein for the 175 cow milking herd. This leads to an impressive £1291 per cow MOC.

Type has not been ignored and considerable success has been achieved in the showrings of the West Midlands this summer. Topping it all, Fourcrosses Centurion Pine, jointly owned with S&S Murray, has won the Breed Championship at The Royal Welsh. Showing is used as an active means of adding value to sales of surplus heifers.

The family take their commitment to the Jersey breed beyond their own herd. Mary raised funds for the Youth Weekend in lieu of presents for her eightieth birthday, and Isobel went on to win the trophy for Leading Member at the weekend. Matthew has represented Staffordshire YFC in National Stockjudging competitions and Andrew joined the UKJ Board in August. All of which leaves Helen to make sure everything is buzzing on the farm.

“All round this is a family which is putting a lot into the Jersey breed and it is a delight to see their Fourcrosses herd recognised for its performance,” commented Ian Macalpine, fellow Jersey breeder and Lily Hill Cup judge.