HYSLOP & RICHARDSON WIN COMMERCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP AT 2011 NATIONAL LIMOUSIN SHOW

 

• Tecwyn Jones wins Reserve Overall with Jager Bomb
• Welsh exhibitors feature strongly in Championship prizes
• Judge praises ‘best ever show of commercial cattle’

 

The much anticipated Commercial Cattle Championships lived up to all expectations at the 2011 National Limousin Show with a show of the highest quality put on for the large crowds in attendance.  At the close of the day, ringside opinion at the Exhibition Hall, Borderway Mart, Carlisle, suggested that this was perhaps the finest show of commercial cattle seen within a United Kingdom show ring.  Dubbed as ‘the one to win in 2011’, the show saw many of the year’s top commercial animals pitted against each other and in front of the judge, Alistair Graham from Tandragee, Co. Armagh, Northern Ireland.

At the end of an intense day’s competition the Supreme Overall Championship went to the Heifer Champion, Mysticque, shown by 18-year-old Jennifer Hyslop, Balluskie, Girvan in partnership with Andrew Richardson, Low Bank End, Appleby.   Weighing in at 427kgs, Mysticque had come through the lightweight heifers before taking the Overall Heifer Championship followed by the Supreme Championship.    Commenting on his Champion the judge Alistair Graham said; “What an outstanding animal this is, she just has everything.  She is tremendously balanced all round and has a lovely covering of flesh for her size and is well proportioned right through.  I loved the balance of shape she had with great mobility and she is an out and out Limousin in type and characteristic.  She was very flashy with a great head and caught your eye immediately with just that little bit of sparkle,” he said.  May 2010 born, Mysticque is 15/16^th Limousin bred being by Brontemoor Andover and out of a Limousin cross cow sired by the noted Shire Apollo.  Bred by the noted show calf producer John Smith-Jackson, Hightown Farm, Haltwhistle, Mysticque was purchased by the Hyslop and Richardson team in March this year at Borderway Mart,Carlisle for £2700.  Recouping some of that outlay, the Champion animal secured £1250 in prizemoney from the £20,000 total prize fund.

The ‘Hyslop and Richardson’ partnership came around with the purchase of the heifer Mamma Mia out of Leyburn Market for £6100.  Mamma Mia went on to win numerous titles including the last ever commercial championship at the Royal Show at Stoneleigh in 2009 and the exhibitor partnership has continued since then.  Commenting on a win described as ‘by far their biggest to date’, Jennifer Hyslop said; “I am absolutely over the moon to win such a big title.  The National Limousin Show has not been held since 2004 and to win the Supreme Championship against this level of competition is just fantastic.” For Mysticque this was only the second time that she had been show with the other outing seeing her as Champion of Champions at a ‘wee’ local show in Ayrshire.  She will now take aim at Wigtown Show and Dumfries Show before being brought on for the national Winter Fairs in the back end of the year.

The breeder, Mr Smith-Jackson, has previously bred Rooney the Reserve Champion at Smithfield, Earls Court, for Harry Emslie Snr, and the Great Yorkshire Show Commercial Champion, both in 2004.

In a competition of fine lines, the Overall Reserve Champion went to the steer Jager Bomb from the prolific show calf exhibitor Tecwyn Jones, Ty Newydd, Nebo, Llanwrst, Conwy.  July 2010 born, Jager Bomb was bred by MW Jones and was purchased at Ruthin in February.  He is by the French bull Saphir and weighed in here at 574 kilos.  En route to the Steer Championship and Overall Reserve spot, Jager Bomb had won the Intermediate Steer Championship.   One of the noted animals of this year’s commercial show circuit, Jager Bomb arrived at Carlisle having won the National Spring Spectacular Show at the NBA’s Beef Expo 2011 at Newark; the Champion Steer title at the Royal Welsh Show; and the Supreme Champion of Champions at Shropshire & West Midlands Show.  Later in the day, Jager Bomb teamed up with Black Beauty, the Commercial Champion at the Royal Welsh and a class winner here, to form a formidable partnership and win the Best Pair title.

Separating the Champion and Reserve had proved a difficult job for the judge Alistair Graham and he was generous in his comments regarding Jager Bomb; “There was very little to choose between the Champion and Reserve such was the quality of the steer.  He’s as good as you could wish to see and extremely difficult to beat as a steer.  Again he had tremendous balance and probably handled the best throughout the show.  Right from his shoulder to the tip of his tail he was perfect with tremendous loin and plates, and top line.  Both the Champion and Reserve were mighty butchers’ animals and also show animals, and were very relevant to the modern industry,” he said.

Of the overall show, Alistair Graham was full of praise and said; “This is the best show of commercial cattle I have ever seen in terms of quality, carcase characteristics, balance, style, and of Limousin breed type.  Many of the animals were three quarter or more Limousin bred.  The carcase characteristics of the animals were perfect for today’s market in terms of covering of flesh, growth and weight for age and there was a consistency in type.  This was evident right through to the heavy sections.”  In 2011, Alistair Graham has also judged the pedigree Limousin classes and championship at the Royal Ulster Show in what he described as a ‘memorable year’.  “It has been a great honour to judge the Commercial Championships within the British Limousin Cattle Society’s National Limousin Show.  I have been so impressed with the quality in depth of the commercial cattle before me and I think it will be a struggle to find a show as good in quality this year.  I would heartily congratulate all the exhibitors who have shown here,” he said.

Mr. Graham also noted that it was nice to see a major prize winner being exhibitor bred.  The animal in question was Minnie M from M Howatson & Son, Ty Newydd, Nantglyn, Denbigh who took the Reserve Heifer Championship behind the Champion and the title of Best Animal Bred by Exhibitor.  A June 2010 born heifer weighing 432kgs, Minnie M is by the bull Hartsideanew Crackerjack, a Greenwell Ronick son.  Minnie M came to the National Limousin Show hot on the heels of having won the Baby Beef Championship and the Overall Supreme Reserve within the Commercial Championships at the Royal Welsh Show.

Welsh exhibitors were out in force at the show and featuring heavily in the Championship prizes.  Picking up the Reserve Steer Championship was Oh Boy from TC Edwards, Pen-Y-Bryniau, Betws Gwerfilgoch, Corwen, Denbighshire.  Bred by Messrs Powell, this steer has keenly followed the Reserve Champion, Jager Bomb, through the 2011 show season and has won Reserve Champion at NBA Beef Expo, Reserve Champion at Shropshire County Show and Reserve Steer Champion at the Royal Welsh Show.  Oh Boy is by the AI sire Killerton Travis.  May 2010 born he weighed 566kgs.

 

COMMERCIAL CLASSES

CLASS 16a Lightweight Heifer

1^st 50, Minimoo  BE Williams, Stoneycroft Farm, Luston, Leominster

2^nd 72 Cracker Girl  B Kingston, Crown Inn, Catcott, Bridgewater

3^rd 63 Duffy  Messrs C & A Owens, Glantre Pontsian, Llandysul

 

CLASS 16b Lightweight Heifer

1^st 45 Mysticque  Hyslop & Richardson,  Balluskie, Barrhill, Girvan

2^nd 51 Minnie M  M Howatson, Ty Newydd, Nantglyn, Denbigh

3^rd 46 Lady Gaga  TWH Farming, The Reddings, Strathaven

 

CLASS 17a Intermediate Heifer

1^st 64 Trolley Dolly  B Kingston, Crown Inn, Catcott,Bridgewater

2^nd 26 Ali-Kat  M Dickens, Parkhill Farm, Little Horwood, Milton Keynes

3^rd 32 Eyecatcher  TC Edwards & Sons, Pen-Y-Bryniau, Betws Gwerfilgoch, Corwen

 

CLASS 17b Intermediate Heifer

1^st 54 Black Beauty  T Jones, Ty Newydd, Nebo, Llanrwst

2^nd 17 Bang Tidy  A & E Vance, Bridgehouse Farm, Whithorn,Newton Stewart

3^rd 27 Cher  TA & LC Lyon & Son, Lintre House, Thurlby, Bourne

 

CLASS 18a Heavyweight Heifer

1^st 41 Just 4 Play Sedgewick & Slack, Ricknall Grange, Aycliffe, CoDurham

2^nd 15 Shakira IT Edwards & Sons, Bronddwyryd, Betws GG, Corwen

3^rd 13 Look At Me R & L Roberts, Mathafarn Bach, Bodffordd, Llangefni, Ynys Mon

 

CLASS 18b Heavyweight Heifer

1^st 3 Pampers  H Roberts, Mathafarn Bach, Bodffordd, Llangefni, Ynys Mon

2^nd 22 Dance With Me  J Nisbet, Sorns Main Farm, Mauchline, Ayshire

3^rd 4 Sassay  Hyslop & Richardson, Balluskie, Barrhill, Girvan

 

Special 11 Champion Heifer and Reserve

Champion 45 Mysticque  Hyslop & Richardson, Balluskie, Barrhill, Girvan

Reserve 51 Minnie M  M Howatson, Ty Newydd, Nantglyn, Denbigh

 

CLASS 19 Lightweight Steer

1^st 112 Black Jack P & EB Robson, Middle Horsleyhope Farm, Waskerley, Consett

2^nd 86 Just William  D Thomas, Dolcoed, Llanwnnen, Lampeter

3^rd 108 Buster  Lawson & Wilkinson, Ivy Farm Cottages, Leyburn

 

CLASS 20 Intermediate Steer

1^st 106 Jager Bomb  T Jones, Ty Newydd, Nebo, Llanrwst

2^nd 97 Oh Boy  T C Edwards & Sons, Pen-Y-Bryniau, Betws Gwerfilgoch, Corwen

3^rd 103 The Real Deal  Sedgewick & Slack, Ricknall Grange, Aycliffe, CoDurham

 

CLASS 21 Heavyweight Steer

1^st 80 Alfie NE Slack, Plumtree, Newby, Penrith

2^nd 93 Billy Bob  M Paul, Greigsland Farm, Johnstonebridge, Lockerbie

3^rd 75 Mr Spark  TWH Farming, The Reddings, Strathaven

 

Special 12 Champion Steer and Reserve

Champion 106 Jager Bomb  T Jones, Ty Newydd, Nebo, Llanrwst

Reserve 97 Oh Boy  T C Edwards & Sons, Pen-Y-Bryniau, Betws Gwerfilgoch, Corwen

 

Special 13 Supreme Champion Animal and Reserve

Champion 45 Mysticque Hyslop & Richardson, Balluskie, Barrhill, Girvan

Reserve 106 Jager Bomb  T Jones, Ty Newydd, Nebo, Llanrwst

 

Special 14 Best Commercial Animal Bred by Exhibitor and Reserve

Champion 51 Minnie M  M Howatson, Ty Newydd, Nantglyn, Denbigh

Reserve 54 Black Beauty  T Jones, Ty Newydd, Nebo, Llanrwst

 

Special 15 Best Pair of Commercial Cattle and Reserve

Champion 106/54 Jager Bomb/Black Beauty  T Jones, Ty Newydd, Nebo, Llanrwst

Reserve 1/14 Tip Top/For Q  TWH Farming, The Reddings, Strathaven