• Whinfellpark Glittered takes the Supreme Reserve
  • Harryman and Warriner win Commercial Supreme with Black Beauty
  • Grahams Lorenzo sells for 40,000gns

The sun shone on the National Limousin Show at Carlisle today and the shining stars of the breed came to the fore as an outstanding entry of quality cattle paraded before judge, Bruce Goldie, of Towfoot, Mouswald, Dumfries.

This was the first National Show since 2011 and neatly coincides with the 45th anniversary of the breed in the UK. Since the first import in the early 1970s it was clear to the numerous people who came to watch the spectacle that the Limousin breed was stronger than ever and breed chairman, John Phillips, covered that point in his opening welcome to the show.

He congratulated breeders on the consistent development of the breed to make it the leading sire in the UK for 20 consecutive years. “The British Limousin Cattle Society is here to assist breeders to move forward,” he said, “and to support our young breeders, who are our future.”

Bruce Goldie wasted no time in judging more than 30 classes and championships put in front of him and an impressive final line-up saw the current world record holder, Trueman Jagger, take the top honours.

Trueman Jagger - Male and Overall Champion
Trueman Jagger – Male and Overall Champion

The £147,000, two-year-old bull literally stood head and shoulders above his rivals and was brought out by Mike and Melanie Alford and their show team on behalf of The Jagger Syndicate – based at Foxhillfarm, in Devon – including the Dinmore, Whinfellpark and Swalesmoor herds. Sold at Carlisle in October, 2015, by Northern Irelands, breeder Henry Savage and Sons, he is by Ampertaine Gigolo and out of Trueman Grazia.

Standing reserve to Jagger in the male championship was the Alfords’ own Foxhillfarm Lordofthering, a May, 2015-born bull by Guards Boomer.

Foxhillfarm Lordof the ring - Junior Champion and Res Overall Male
Foxhillfarm Lordof the ring – Junior Champion and Res Overall Male

The senior male champion, Gritstone General, was in fine fettle as he took the title. Now a four year old bull and exhibited by his breeders David and Emma Armstrong, of Chorley, Lancashire, he made an impressive addition to the final line up in the male championship.

Gritstone General - 1st Class 13 and Senior Male Champion. Limousin National Show 2016. Wayne Hutchinson / www.farm-images.co.uk
Gritstone General – 1st Class 13 and Senior Male Champion

The female championship was dominated by the winners from the cow classes, which were made up of extremely good quality working animals with calves at foot and they were rewarded by Mr Goldie for their efforts.

The female champion, Whinfellpark Glittered, also went on to stand reserve to Trueman Jagger for the overall title making an impressive pair at the head of the line.

Whinfellpark Glittered - Female and Overall Res Champion
Whinfellpark Glittered – Female and Overall Res Champion

She had previously won the Royal Highland and was champion of champion at the more local shows at Cumberland and Penrith. She also won the best bred by exhibitor and best udder titles.

The reserve female champion was second to Glittered in the class. Brockhurst Heavenly, which was brought out by Dougie McBeath on behalf of Messrs WJ and M Mash and had previously been inter-breed champion at the Great Yorkshire Show.

In the commercial ring the honours were taken by what chief executive, Iain Kerr, described as “a meat machine”, Black Beauty, a showy heifer from Mark Harryman and Sarah Warriner is by a bull bred by Mark, Keskadale Apollo, and was bought from breeders JC and J White, at a Middleton in Teasdale show and sale where she was champion

Black Beauty - Female and Overall Champion Commercial
Black Beauty – Female and Overall Champion Commercial

The girls were in good form when the reserve also went to a heifer. This time the Balmoral and Highland Show commercial champion, J-Lo, from JCB Commercials, from Northern Ireland, had to settle for the reserve overall title. She was bred by P Fagan, in Northern Ireland.

J-Lo - Res Female and Res Overall Champion Commercial.
J-Lo – Res Female and Res Overall Champion Commercial.

Commercial Judge Frank Page from Lodge Farm, Elkington, Northampton said “I had before me vast quality and a great advert for the Limousin breed and the Champion was full of muscle with a tremendous loin.”

The day was tied up in a ribbon when Robert and Jean Graham, Airthey Kerse, Bridge of Allan, sold their reserve junior male champion, Grahams Lorenzo, complete with 100 straws of semen to Wilodge, for 40,000gns. Earlier the same herd had sold one of its star show heifers, Grahams Lizzie, for 16,000gns to Jonathon Watson, of Bowsden Moor, Northumberland.

Full Report & Class Results to Follow