LARKHILL BULL WINS NI LIMOUSIN YOUNG BREEDERS CALF SPECTACULAR

Wilodge Tonka-sired Commercial Champion stands Reserve Overall

 The Northern Ireland Young Limousin Breeders’ Club Annual Calf Spectacular, held at Ballymena Market on Saturday 11^th January 2014, saw the May 2013-born bull calf, Larkhill Istabraq, take the Supreme Overall Championship.

Bred and exhibited by the McAuley Family, Seven Mile Straight, Antrim he had earlier taken the Pedigree Championship under Judge Mr Chris Pennie of the Sarkley Herd, Gwern Yr Ychain, Llandyssil, Montgomery, Powys who described the show as “a tremendous line-up of calves reflecting the dedication and passion that Northern Ireland breeders  have for producing quality cattle. There will undoubtedly be several of these animals feature heavily in some of the forthcoming major sales.”

Larkhill Istabraq comes with an impressive pedigree. He is sired by the 2011 All-Ireland Bull Derby Champion, Millgate Fame, who was sold for 32,000gns in October 2011 at Carlisle.  His dam, Larkhill Countess, is out of the top brood cow Carmorn Penny who currently has over 12 sons being used in pedigree herds one of which being Carmorn Copilot who is a full brother to Countess.  Countess’s first calf, Larkhill Firmount, was sold in Carlisle in October 2011 for 22,000gns to the Haltcliffe Herd.

The Commercial Champion and Reserve Overall was the January 2013-born Mojo owned by S & J Smyth. A three-quarter bred Limousin heifer sired by Wilodge Tonka, the judge described her as “a very stylish heifer who oozed class and will be one to look out for in this year’s show circuit.”

Reserve Pedigree Champion from MJ Conway, Meenagorp Road, Plumbridge was the heifer calf, Craigatoke Irishcoffee, sired by the 35,000gns Plumtree Deus and out of the Goldies Oswald daughter Craigatoke Ultrabright who also bred Craigatoke Butch who is producing prize-winning commercial calves in Scotland. Martin Conway won a further class with the similarly bred Craigatoke Irishlass and the two heifers later teamed up to win the Pairs. The final heifer class was won by the Ampertaine Foreman daughter, Spage Ivy, owned by Liam Campbell, Ballyvaddy Road, Carnlough.

H & D McFarland, Tonnagh Road, Trillick also had a successful day winning two out of the three pedigree bull classes.  A Haltcliffe Dancer son, Rahoney Isaac, won the first bull class, with their Wilodge Cerberus son, Rahoney Immanuel, taking the third.

The Reserve Commercial Champion was Mya, a crossbred heifer by Hightown Dalglish, a Shire Apollo grandson, owned by Gareth Small and bred by James Alexander. Swarland Eddie featured heavily in the commercial classes siring over half the calves on show. In the commercial steer classes, Messrs Corrie & Neill won the first class with the Swarland Eddie-sired Candycrush with the second steer class going to Wee Man, a Swarland Eddie calf from Gareth Small. In the youngest class of commercial calves, James Alexander came first with Total Tease – another by Eddie.

This show was made a success by the financial support of sponsors.  The Northern Ireland Young Limousin Breeders would like to thank Bank of Ireland, MSD, British Limousin Cattle Society, Brian McComb Contracts, Greenmount Country Stores, Semenstore, Minprint, Crumlin Ulster Farmers Union, Firmount Veterinary Clinic, Corries on the Farm, NI Limousin Club, Commercial Cattle Club NI, Fane Valley, AI Services, Dovea Genetics, TL Biolabs, Cogent, McKinstry Skip Hire.

Results

Class of Bulls born between 1^st January and 31^st March

1^st Rohoney Isaac by Haltcliffe Dancer (H McFarland)

2^nd  Culnagechan Istanbull by Ampertaine Commander (Derek Hume Randalstown)

3^rd  Millgate Ignatius by Millgate Fame (Micheal Loughran)

 

Pedigree heifers born between 1^st January and 31^st March

1^st Craigatoke Irishcoffee by Plumtree Dues (Martin Conway)

2^nd Robineed Indie by Procters Cavalier (Dale Robinson)

3^rd Chinauley Iris by Mas Du Clo (Albert Finney)

 

Bull born between 1^st April  and 30^th June

1^st Larkhill Istabraq by Millgate Fame (Brian McAuley)

2^nd Jalex Itsallgood by Swarland Eddie (James Alexander)

3^rd Bernish Igor by Wilodge Vantastic (Kieran McCrorry)

 

Heifer between 1^st April and 30^th June

1^st Craigatoke Irishlas by Plumtree Dues (Martin Conway)

2^nd Hawthorne Ingrid by Ulm (Peadar Hughes)

3^rd Hawthorne Ivy by Fedneyhouse Excellance (Peadar Hughes)

 

Bulls born after July 1^st

1^st Rahoney Immanuel by Wilodge Cerberus (H McFarland)

2^nd Millgate Icon by Condor (Michael Loughran)

3^rd Robineed Ibor by Frewstown Breakdance (Dale Robinson)

 

Heifers born after 1^st July

1^st Spage Ivy by Ampertaine Foreman (William Campbell)

 

Pedigree Champion

Larkhill Istabraq by Millgate Fame (Brian McAuley)

Reserve Pedigree Champion

Craigatoke Irishcoffee by Plumtree Deus (Martin Conway)

 

Class of Pedigree Pairs

1^st Martin Conway

2^nd JI&SJ McGeehan

3^rd H.McFarland

 

Steer born between 1^st January and 31st March

1^st Candycrush by Swarland Eddie (Corrie & Neill)

2^nd Bartley Finnegan

 

Commercial heifer born between 1^st January and 31^st March

1^st Mojo (Jack Smyth)

2^nd By Atilla (D McKenna)

3^rd By Swarland Eddie (ACrawfrod&co &Richard Beattie)

 

Steer born between 1^st April and 30^th June

1^st Wee Man (Garreth Small)

2^nd The Joker by Swarland Eddie (James Alexander)

3^rd Alister Crawford&Co & Richard Beattie

 

Commercial Heifer born between 1^st April and 30^th June

1^st Mya by Hightown Dalglish (Gareth Small)

2^nd Galway Girl (Corrie and Neill)

3^rd Jack Smyth

 

Commercial born after 1^st July

1^st Total Tease by Swarland Eddie (James Alexander)

2^nd Bad Influence by Swarland Eddie (James Alexander)

 

Commercial Champion Mojo (Jack Smyth)

Reserve Commercial Champion Mya by Hightown Dalglish (Gareth Small)

Overall Champion Larkhill Istabraq by Millgate Fame (Brian McAuley)