IRONSTONE DUMANDY WINS GREAT YORKSHIRE SUPREME CHAMPIONSHIP

Limousins Dominate & Win: 

Interbreed Team of Four

Interbreed Pair

Junior Interbreed Team of Four

Individual Junior Interbreed

Commercial Champion & Reserve

Beef Ribs Champion & Reserve both Limousin-sired 

The inglorious summer weather of 2012 continued at the Great Yorkshire Show, Harrogate, but could not dampen another high-quality show of pedigree Limousin cattle dominating what turned out to be a foreshortened two-day event.  Coming through a strong line-up of 58 catalogued entries, the largest of any beef breed, to lift the Limousin Supreme Overall Championship on the opening day was the September 2008-born cow Ironstone Dumandy on behalf of Smiths of Bloxham, Newlands Farm, Milton Road, Bloxham, Oxfordshire.

The multi-title Ironstone Dumandy is sired by Messrs Smiths’ prolific stock bull, the 42,000gns Wilodge Vantastic, and is out of the 50,000gns Bailea Umandy. She was shown with her Teddy-sired November 2011-born bull calf at foot, Ironstone Guyfawkes.

In June, at this year’s Royal Highland Show, Dumandy had stood Female Champion and Overall Reserve Supreme, and had also featured in the winning Interbreed Team of Four. At the Great Yorkshire, the win continued her run of county, Royal and Interbreed titles, and she now heads to the Royal Welsh where she is the reigning Supreme Interbreed Champion.  For good measure, and replicating the Highland, Dumandy went on to feature in the winning Limousin team in the Interbreed Group of Four.

Limousin cattle dominated the beef competitions with a show of commercially-relevant pedigree cattle that saw them secure interbreed titles in the Junior Beef Championship, the Blythewood Beef Pairs, the Interbreed Beef Group of Four, and the Junior Beef Group Championship.  In addition, Limousin animals won the Champion and Reserve in the Commercial Beef Championship, and secured another Championship one-two in the Morrisons Beef Ribs Competition in association with the Royal Smithfield Club.

Speaking at Harrogate on Tuesday 10^th July, judge Mrs Mary Reynolds of the noted Miscombe Herd of Buriton Estates Ltd, Petersfield, Hants said: “It was a privilege to judge at the Great Yorkshire Show and to place such a high-quality show of Limousin cattle.  The standard of cattle, together with their turnout and presentation in such challenging conditions, was a credit to everyone involved.”

Of her Champion, Mrs Reynolds said: “Ironstone Dumandy is a wonderful example of a Limousin female.  She has presence and power and is doing her job rearing a calf. She also moved very well in the difficult and wet conditions.”

Also speaking after the judging, Ironstone Dumandy’s owner Peter Smith said: “The Great Yorkshire Show is now widely recognised as England’s premier livestock show.  As such I am absolutely delighted that we have been able to secure this prestigious title and against such strong competition.”

It was very much a ‘Limousin ladies day’ with the Reserve Female and Reserve Overall Championship going to Brockhurst Bolshoi from Messrs WJ & M Mash Ltd, Torrington Farm, Grove Lane, Chesham, Bucks. Overall Champion at last year’s Great Yorkshire, this in-calf six-year-old Limousin cow is by the 55,000gns Grahams Samson and is out of Ronick McAinsi. McAinsi, by Talent and out of Broadmeadows Ainsi, was bought as a heifer for 28,000gns and has herself been a prolific show winner including the Supreme Championship at the Royal Show in 2004.

Doug Mash also won the day’s Male Championship with Hafodlas Domino. October 2008 born, Domino was bred by AH & GW Roberts, Hafod Las, Ysbyty Ifan, Betws Y Coed, Gwynedd and was part of the Hafodlas herd of 30 head purchased privately by Doug earlier this year.  In June, Hafodlas Domino was crowned 2012 Royal Highland Show Limousin & Interbreed Champion. He is sired by the 22,500gns Bailea Spunkie and is out of Hafodlas Shona, a Hafodlas Llion daughter. Two strong teams on this year’s show circuit, the friendly rivalry between the Ironstone and Brockhurst Limousin teams will be continued at the forthcoming Royal Welsh Show.

Enjoying a fantastic debut at the Great Yorkshire was the Maraiscote team from the herd of Mr I Nimmo, Bogside Farm, Newmains, Wishaw, Lanarkshire. Prolific winners at the Royal Highland, the Maraiscote team, two years ago, entered the Royal Welsh Show and chose to do likewise at this year’s Great Yorkshire to ‘see and support these shows and to promote the herd along the way.’  In three years at these ‘Major’ shows the herd has won a remarkable five Junior Male Championships with five different bulls.  Enjoying a strong run at Harrogate, the herd won both Male, Female and Overall Junior Limousin titles as well as winning the Individual Junior Interbreed title and featuring in the winning Junior Interbreed group.

The Junior Male Champion, Reserve Junior Overall, and Reserve Male Overall was Maraiscote Graffiti. May 2011 born, Graffiti is by the 23,000gns stock bull Goldies Comet and is out of the homebred Maraiscote Betty, a Tyddyn Mei daughter.

The Overall Junior Limousin Championship, and then Junior Interbreed Championship, went to the January 2011-born heifer, Maraiscote Gucci. Gucci is another by the noted Goldies Comet and is out of the Virginia Andy daughter, Maraisote Davina. Handling Maraiscote Gucci in the ring, in what was his first ‘hands-on’ time at a major show, was Andrew Nimmo (13).

The award for Reserve Junior Female went to Ironstone Floribunda – once more from Smiths of Bloxham – who had secured the Limousin Junior title and Junior Overall Interbreed title at this year’s Highland.  November 2010 born, Floribunda is another heifer by Wilodge Vantastic and is out of the 12,000gns Jockey-sired Kendrom Betty.

Back in the bulls, the Reserve Junior Male Championship went to the powerful Tomschoice Gladstone exhibited by local breeders JM & SP Cooper, Hill Top Farm, Lane Foot Road, Dacre, N Yorks. Gladstone is a son of the 15,000gns Homebyres Drummie and is out of the Haltcliffe Novel daughter, Tomschoice Diamante.

A video of the judging can be viewed HERE

In the Interbreeds the winning Limousin pair in the Blythewood Beef Pairs competition judged by Mr R Needham, Louth, Lincolnshire, comprised of the formidable duo of Hafodlas Domino and Ironstone Dumandy.

These two animals were then joined by the first prizewinning Springsett Empress from Dougie McBeath and Sarah-Jane Jessop from Lower Greenyards Farm, Old Station Road, Bannockburn, Stirling.  July 2009 born and bred by exhibitor, Springsett Empress is by Newhouse Aristocrat and is out of the Ronick One-sired Springsett Treasure.  Making up the quartet was Ironstone Floribunda from Smiths of Bloxham.

A tremendously balanced and classy team of four Limousin heifers teamed up to win the Junior Interbreed Team in front of the same Interbreed judge, Mr Needham.  Joining Maraiscote Gucci and Ironstone Floribunda were Millington Gorgeous and Queenshead Freya respectively.

The January 2011 born, Millington Gorgeous was shown by Millington Grange Estate, Millington, York.  Sired by Mas Du Clo, this heifer is out of the Ronick Matador-sired Brockhurst Option.  Queenshead Freya was exhibited by breeder Mr JG Varley, Myrtle Grove Farm, Queensbury, Bradford. September 2010 born, Freya is by the noted Cloughhead Umpire and is out of Newstart Buddleia.

Taking the prestigious Supreme Commercial Cattle title was the increasingly prolific Jennifer Hyslop, Balluskie, Girvan and Andrew Richardson, Low Bank End, Appleby with their 630kg pedigree Limousin heifer Hightown Fantasy. This Brontemoor Andover daughter is out of Newsham Nina and was bred by John Smith-Jackson. Hightown Fantasy was bought for £2,100 at Hexham in August last year and featured in the winning Group of Three in the Duke of Norfolk Trophy at the East of England Smithfield Festival in December 2011.  Fantasy had also secured the Reserve Commercial title at the 2012 Royal Highland.

In Reserve position at the Great Yorkshire was the steer champion, Suarez, from Neil Slack & Julie Sedgewick, Newby, Penrith, Cumbria. Sired by Rossignol, this steer is out of a Limousin-cross dam and weighed in at 540kg.

Limousin-sired animals have so far secured the Supreme Championship at the year’s three ‘majors’, the Royal Ulster, Royal Highland, and Great Yorkshire shows.

Outside the ring, the Morrisons Beef Ribs Competition in association with the Royal Smithfield Club saw both Championship and Reserve going to Limousin-sired animals.

A selection of informal pictures can be viewed in the Limousin Gallery

Class Results

Bulls

Class 91 Bull born before 01.07.10

1^st Hafodlas Domino, 2^nd Ironstone Executive

Class 92 Bull born 01.07.10 – 01.03.11

1^st Tomschoice Galactic, 2^nd Maraiscote Gus, 3^rd Coachhouse Gerald

Class 93 Bull born on or after 01.03.11

1^st Maraiscote Graffiti, 2^nd Tomschoice Gladstone, 3^rd Garrowby Gizmo

Females

Class 94 Cow, in-calf or in-milk, born on or before 31 December 2008

1^st Ironstone Dumandy, 2^nd Brockhurst Bolshoi, 3^rd Newstart Buddleia

Class 95 Cow, in-calf or in-milk, or heifer in calf, born in 2009

1^st Springsett Empress

Class 96 Heifer, born on or between 1^st January and 30^th June 2010

1^st Fenrose Florence, 2^nd Springsett Faith

Class 97 Heifer, born on or between 1^st July and 30^st December 2010

1^st Ironstone Floribunda, 2^nd Queenshead Freya, 3^rd Bankdale Farrah

Class 98 Heifer, born on or between 1^st January and 30^st June 2011

1^st Maraiscote Gucci, 2^nd Hafodlas Gwenda, 3^rd Ridinghill Griselda

Class 99 Group of Three Animals

1^st WJ & M Mash, 2^nd Smiths of Bloxham, 3^rd I Nimmo

Class 100 Pair of Animals by the same sire

1^st Smiths of Bloxham, 2^nd I Nimmo, 3^rd Messrs JM & SP Cooper

Best Junior exhibitor-bred Female

Maraiscote Gucci

Best Junior exhibitor-bred Male

Maraiscote Graffiti

Best Animal exhibited by a North East Club member

Tomschoice Gladstone