24/08/2026
Goodbye Ulysses x
An ode to the Longhorn who put my herd on the map and taught me so much about showing.
In Winter 2020 I had just lost my job and was meeting my friend Kit at Cholmondeley Castle.
Originally I'd set my heart on a friendly calf called Una, but then I clocked Ulysses. She was remarkable.
I only planned on buying one, but I ended up spending my last paycheck on both Una and Ulysses.
I hoped I wasn't making a stupid mistake. Little did I know that decision would be the beginning of Sycamore Longhorns.
Summer 2021 and my first ever time showing my own animals in my own name. Tango was fine but Ulysses was a nightmare. She was a good animal and I owed it to her to work harder.
I worked damn hard with Ulysses.
I walked her every day after work. It was the first time I'd trained an animal who didn't seek my affection.
Little did I know how much this would pay off... at that point I was still a novice, learning as I went along. But Ulysses was such an incredible animal that she was unbeaten, even in the hands of a rookie like me.
I was so proud when she won the Cholmondeley Salver at the Royal Cheshire show, beating very experienced Longhorn breeders and showmen.
We learned to walk in tune with each other. I remember walking her around the ring not even holding the ropes, just draping them over my hand. Her legs walked in time with mine and she would stop and stand perfectly square, head raised proud in the air.
Her final 2 shows she won both Champion and Interbreed titles. I was so utterly proud of her. Ulysses even let me give her a hug on her last ever show.
Ulysses retired & became a productive herd cow. She's given me 4 cracking calves, her only daughter following her footsteps in the showring, even winning the Cholmondeley salver just like her mum.
She has always been a one-woman-cow and last calving she reminded Mr Whitepeak so. We have a zero tolerance policy on aggression so she wrote her card.
Ulysses had a wonderful last summer rearing her calf away from the bull.
She's my Reluctant Champion and my friend & I owe it to her to give her a dignified ending.
Goodbye Ulysses x
