CAFRELimousin Club Stockjudging Event

Teams for 2009 chosen at Greenmount

The Annual Northern Ireland Limousin Club Stockjudging Event, held this year at Abbey Farm, Greenmount, courtesy of CAFRE and with enormous help from Farm Manager Victor Woods and his staff, was a hugely successful event with a large crowd of enthusiastic would-be judges – of all ages – but predominately of young people interested in the Limousin breed and willing to compete for a series of prestigious Team placings.

Ian Davidson and Kim Steele-Nicholson
2009 senior team Ian Davidson and Kim Steele-Nicholson.

The object of this Event is, first of all, to demonstrate to those interested what comprises a perfect beef animal and coach them as to how best to judge and compare individual cattle and, as well, to select Teams who will, during the year, represent the NI Club at various Stockjudging events, the highlight of this selection being a trip to the Royal Show in England where the competition with all BLCS regions is fierce. An added attraction to being chosen this year is the possibility of winning a further trip, this time to Canada, depending, of course, on how their judging skills have been “honed.”

Junior team Phelim Savage and Jonathan Wilson
Junior team Phelim Savage and Jonathan Wilson.

The Event started with Victor Woods taking the competitors through a visual demonstration of the elements to be taken into consideration in assessing an individual animal, and then in comparing animals when presented with a group in a judging ring. The judging of three rings, each with four cattle, then took place and following the judging, competitors individually gave their reasons for their placings to the Master Judge and from this the Team representatives were selected. The results were as follows:

Senior Team (18yrs – 28yrs) Kim Steele Nicholson and Ian Davidson Jnr selected
Junior Team (12yrs – 18yrs) Jonathan Wilson and Phelim Savage selected
Individual competition (all ages) Lynsey Lawrence selected
Travelling Reserve: Owen Carragher selected

Individual Lynsey Lawrence and Reserve Owen Carragher
Individual Lynsey Lawrence and Reserve Owen Carragher.

Following the announcement of the Teams chosen, all present enjoyed the burgers and sausages kindly supplied by Club and BLCS Council Member, Derek Frew, and prepared by Committee Member Joan Gilliland and her friends.

The thanks of the Club to all who contributed to the success of the Event, especially to Mr Victor Woods and theGreenmount Authorities, were expressed by the Event’s Chairman, Henry Savage, and Club Chairman Bryan McElroy.

Victor Woods coaching competitors on judging points
Victor Woods coaching competitors on judging points.