- Milbrook Gingerspice Individual Interbreed Champion of Champions
- Commercial Limousin Heifer Reserve Individual Interbreed & Junior Interbreed Champion of Champions
- Limousins win Interbreed Group of Three
- Beef Bull Interbreed Performance Winner
- Reserve Interbreed Pairs for Limousin Duo
- Reserve Junior Interbreed Champion of Champions
- Commercial Champion & Reserve
The Royal Ulster Show held at Belfast 14-16 May 2014 saw the Limousin Champion, Milbrook Gingerspice, take an unprecedented third straight Interbreed Championship under judge Harry Emslie, Kinknockie, Mintlaw, Peterhead. On the first day of judging, this January 2011-born Limousin heifer brought out by William Smith, Oldcastle, Co Meath, Southern Ireland had been crowned Overall Limousin Champion for the third year running by judge Bruce Goldie, Townfoot, Mouswald Dumfries.
Milbrook Gingerspice is unbeaten in her show career. Following on from last year’s Balmoral Show, she was shown only once more when she won the National Show in Tullamore. William Smith brought her to Balmoral this year because of the potential of the history of what might be possible.
“It is humbling as a stockman to work with such a beast. The joy I get from it is the pride in the breeding of her and also in how she turns out in the show ring on the day. She’s just something special, a once-in-a-lifetime beast. To be Champion of such a show as a one, two, and now three-year-old is extra special and the highlight of my show career,” said Mr Smith who was accompanied on this historic occasion by his two children, Karen and Oliver, and his brother Mark.
Milbrook Gingerspice was described by judge Bruce Goldie as “an outstanding female with size, length and character doing a great job with her calf at foot.” She is by the prolific 42,000gns sire, Wilodge Vantastic, and is out of Milbrook Baby. Her January-born bull calf is by Brookmill Fearless, a Sympa son.
On the third and final day’s judging under Billy Robson, Maghera, Milbrook Gingerspice teamed up with her stablemate Milbrook Celine plus the Limousin Male & Reserve Overall Champion, Lynderg Hero, from Jim Quail, Banbridge to win the Interbreed Group of Three. In the Interbreed Pairs, Milbrook Gingerspice and Lynderg Hero also took the Reserve award.
Standing Overall Reserve in the Individual Interbreed Championship was the Commercial Champion, Mojo, a threequarter-bred Limousin heifer sired by a Wilodge Tonka son and out of a Limousin cow. She was shown by Jack & Stephen Smith, Newtonstewart, who had previously won the N Ireland Young Limousin Breeders’ Calf Spectacular held at Ballymena in January. As well as having picked up the Overall Commercial title plus the Individual Interbreed Reserve, Mojo was also put up as Junior Interbreed Champion of Champions.
Staying with the Junior Interbreed judging and Limousins were again to the fore taking the Reserve Junior Champion of Champions crown with Jalex Itsallgood brought out by James Alexander, Randalstown. Having come through from the youngest Limousin bull class to take the Limousin Junior Male, Overall Junior and Reserve Male titles on the way, the May 2013-born Jalex Itsallgood is by Swarland Eddie and out of Tyrone Dulani. Judge Bruce Goldie described him as “a bull with lots of muscle, early maturing, very correct and with a great future ahead of him.”
On the Wednesday, two really outstanding animals had gone head-to-head for the Overall Limousin Championship, these being the Female Champion Milbrook Gingerspice together with the Male Champion Lynderg Hero. It was a terrific line-up with Gingerspice just getting the nod from judge Bruce Goldie over Lynderg Hero from Jim Quail, Banbridge, who stood Overall Reserve before going on to be part of the winning Interbreed Group of Three and Reserve Interbreed Pairs.
Breeder Jim Quail said: “Lynderg Hero is a combination of what I’ve liked in Limousins over 35 years with regards to shape and style and the bull is a tremendous mover. He’s a cocktail of the best bloodlines I’ve had over the years going back to the great old cow Tiara. The bull has width of loin and width in the end going right up through into the shoulder. He’s a breeder’s bull but has all the traits that commercial men aspire to. Without a doubt he’s the best bull I’ve bred.”
Lynderg Hero continued his tremendous show career from 2013 being entirely homebred by Lynderg Eisenhower, a Guards Boomer son, and out of Lynderg Diana, a Haltcliffe Underwriter daughter. He has been retained for use as a stock bull in the Lynderg Herd and now heads for the Royal Highland Show at Ingliston in June.
On the Thursday, Culnagechan Istanbull, an Ampertaine Commander son and out of Goldies Topclass, bred and shown by Derek Hume, Randalstown won the Interbreed award for Performance-recorded bulls which highlights bulls that best combine the traditional values of conformation with the scientific values of performance data. He had earlier won the second junior Limousin bull class and had gone on to stand Reserve Junior Bull Champion behind Jalex Itsallgood. Derek Hume commented that this bull was full of breeding being out of Goldies Topclass, a Lascard daughter, who was purchased for 4,800gns. Semen might be taken off this bull before he is aimed at the Carlisle October Bull Sale.
There was a one-two in the commercial cattle section with Mojo from Jack & Stephen Smith standing top of the pile before going on to stand Reserve Individual Interbreed. Reserve Commercial Champion was the 10-month-old Limousin crossbred heifer, Khaleesi, scaling 400kg, sired by Swarland Eddie, and shown by Gareth & Dermot Small.
Recapping the Limousin judging from the first day (Wednesday) which saw 47 pedigree Limousins forward, Albert Finney won the first female class for heifers born on or after April 1st 2013 with Chinauley Isabel, a Wilodge Vantastic daughter. According to the judge, Chinauley Isabel “moved well, and has power and conformation”. Mr Finney started breeding in 2010 and has three cows and three calved heifers, this being his second time at Balmoral. He was well rewarded when picking up the Limousin Group of Three with Chinauley Isabel, Indie & Indiana, all embryo calves from the same flush sired by Wilodge Vantastic and out of Limo Dot who was bought from Greenmount College. Isabel & Indie also stood Reserve Limousin Pair to William Smith’s Milbrook Gingerspice & Celine.
In the second junior female class, for heifers born 01.01.13 to 31.03.13, taking the red ticket were Messrs Small & Alexander with Ronick Ivory, a daughter of Rathconville Eugene who took the day’s first championship as Junior Heifer Champion. Standing Reserve was Dale Robinson’s Robineed Indie (by Carmorn Vantastic) who had stood second to the Ronick Ivory in the same class.
Winning the next class for heifers in-calf and maiden born 01.07.12 to 31.12.12 was Trueman Honey, another sired by Wilodge Vantastic, from Henry Savage & Sons. Heading the class for in-calf heifers born on or between 01.10.11 and 30.06.12 were DG Green & Sons with Derriaghy Hermione, an Ampertaine Commander daughter.
Moving on to the cow or heifer in-calf or with calf at foot born 01.01.11-30.09.11, the winner was last year’s Supreme & Interbreed Champion from William Smith, Milbrook Gingerspice, with the same exhibitor doubling up to take the next class for cows born or before 31.12.10 with Milbrook Celine, by Greensons Gigolo.
With Milbrook Gingerspice then crowned Female Champion, the Reserve Female award went to Trueman Honey brought out by Henry Savage & Sons, Cullyhanna. The August 2012-born Trueman Honey is by Wilodge Vantastic and out of Hollybank Oprah, making her a full sister to Trueman Euphonium, the 2011 National Limousin Show winner.
Heading into the male section, the first class for bulls born on or after 01.04.13 was won by Jalex Itsallgood, a Swarland Eddie son from James Alexander. In the second junior bull class born 01.01.13 – 31.03.13, the red ticket winner was Culnagechan Istanbull, an Ampertaine Commander son bred and shown by Derek Hume. Junior Bull Champion was Jalex Itsallgood with Culnagechan Istanbull in Reserve spot. Overall Junior Champion was also Jalex Itsallgood with Ronick Ivory standing Reserve.
Winning the class for bulls born 01.07.12c to 31.12-12 was David Mairs with Teaseldam Hawk, a Golan Valentino son. Next up for a red rosette was last year’s Junior Male Champion, Lynderg Hero, from Jim Quail in the class born 01.07.11-30.06.12. In the final bull class of the day, taking the senior award for bulls born before 01.07.11 winner was another winner from last year, Derek Hume’s Iveagh Gilkes.
Is there anymore photographs of prize winners?