Played out in front of packed crowds and amidst glorious sunshine, it was a day to remember for Buckinghamshire-based breeder Doug Mash, Torrington Farm, Grove Lane, Chesham who scooped the Supreme Championship at the 2014 Royal Highland Show, Ingliston, on Thursday 19th June, with his outstanding eight-year-old cow Brockhurst Bolshoi.
Shown with her Brockhurst Centurion-sired bull calf at foot, Brockhurst Imacelebrity, Brockhurst Bolshoi is full of breeding being by the 55,000gns sire Grahams Samson and out of the herd’s famous cow Ronick McAinsi, herself a multiple winner of ‘Royal’ titles. This 2014 win was a third Overall Supreme at the Royal Highland for Doug Mash with one of those wins most notably being with Brockhurst Batik, some five years ago, who is a full embryo sister to this year’s Champion. A previous Supreme Champion at the Great Yorkshire Show, Brockhurst Bolshoi had already won this year’s Royal Bath & West Limousin Supreme Championship en route to the Highland.
Commenting on his Champion, the judge Ian Callion of the Lodge Herd, Bolfornought Farm, Stirling said: “This is an outstanding animal that is very stylish, correct, very good on her legs, has tremendous quarters, and is his doing her calf well. In addition, she has great femininity and is a true-to-type Limousin, not extreme in size and full of quality.” Naturally, breeder and exhibitor Doug Mash was delighted with the Championship win: “It means a lot to win with a homebred animal, the sister to a previous Champion here, and at what is one of the truly premier shows in the United Kingdom with such a great heritage and history behind it,” he said.
The judge met with what ringside opinion described as perhaps one of the strongest shows of Limousin cattle, both in numbers (over 80 forward) and quality, seen at the Royal Highland for some years. Relishing the task at hand he kicked off with his first class which comprised of thirteen maiden heifers that set the tone! At the end of four hours of judging, Ian Callion was full of praise for the cattle that had been before him: “The quality on show has been first class with a tremendous depth throughout. Through the classes the cattle were of the type I like having shape, being naturally muscled, clean, and having style together with breed character. The Limousin breed is in very good order and I would congratulate all of the exhibitors for the quality of the animals on show.”
In what was a memorable day all round, Doug Mash picked up a number of titles along the way with his Brockhurst team ably shown by Dougie McBeath. As well as the Female Championship and Overall Supreme, he also picked up two further class winners, the Group of Three, and the Junior Male Championship to boot with Brockhurst Hardnut, a son of Bolshoi. A little further icing on the cake saw Bolshoi also win the Scottish Farmer Centenary Challenge Trophy for the Best Animal Bred by Exhibitor in the Beef Cattle Section.
A truly eclectic mix of pedigrees from all around the United Kingdom saw the Overall Reserve Supreme and the Male Championship go to Northern Ireland and Lynderg Hero from Jim Quail, Tullyear, Banbridge, Co. Down. This powerful and stylish January 2012-born bull is entirely homebred being 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, with over a dozen ‘very pleasing’ calves already on the ground. A forward plan is to have semen collected on centre. It was a second ‘Royal’ Reserve Supreme in a row for Lynderg with the bull having picked up the same position at the 2014 Royal Ulster Show in May. In the herd’s previous visit to the Royal Highland, the Male Championship was also secured with the French-bred Ludo. Mr Quail described 2014 as being more satisfying given that Hero was homebred and representative of ‘a cocktail of the best breeding in the herd’. Again the judge, Ian Callion, was full of praise for his Reserve Champion and commented: “This bull has both shape and quality, and size for his age. He has a lot of future in front of him and I feel is an ideal bull that will breed females and bulls for pedigree and commercial breeders. As well as good locomotion, he combines style and presence with a masculine ruggedness.”
Taking the Reserve Male Championship this year was the Irish-bred Ardglasson Highlander from Stirling’s Dougie McBeath and Sarah-Jane Jessop, Lower Greenyards Farm, Bannockburn. This bull, also January 2012-born, is by Fieldson Alfy and out of Ardglasson Daisy. A real head-to-head saw Highlander follow the Male Champion, Lynderg Hero, through from its class. In 2013, Ardglasson Highlander had picked up the Scottish Limousin Grand Prix Championship at the Black Isle Show and had again been Reserve Male Champion at the Royal Highland.
Doug Mash’s Junior Male Champion came in the form of the October 2012-born Brockhurst Hardnut. Appropriately for the day, Hardnut is out of the show’s Supreme Champion, Brockhurst Bolshoi, and is by the noted Wilodge Vantastic. From a high quality show of young bulls, it was another Northern Irish bull, this time Jalex Itsallgood from James Alexander, Randalstown, Co. Antrim that picked up the Reserve Junior Male title. By Swarland Eddie and out of Tyrone Dulani, this May 2013-born bull had placed first in a fantastic class of seventeen young bulls that had sent a buzz around the ringside. Jalex Itsallgood had come to the show with the Junior Male Championship at the 2014 Royal Ulster Show already on his show record.
Back in the females and it was an outstanding Royal Highland Limousin debut for Messrs Campbell, Strawfrank Farm, Carstairs Junction, Lanark who placed as Reserve Female Champion to the Overall Supreme with their March 2011-born Strawfrank Gina. Gina had placed first in Class 271 for Females in milk with calf at foot born after 1st January 2011. From the establishing Strawfrank herd, now comprising of 25 females, Strawfrank Gina is actually the first pedigree Limousin calf to be registered by the Campbells. This first-calved heifer, by Ampertaine Bravo and out of Marlepark Celia, was shown with her Vagabond-sired heifer calf at foot, Strawfrank Jena. Strawfrank Gina also picked up the award for the highest placed animal bred by an exhibitor who is a member of the Scottish Limousin Club.
The case for it being a Ladies Day was strengthened when Glenrock Illusion from Stephen Illingworth, Howgillside, Eaglesfield, Lockerbie picked up the Junior Female Championship before moving on to win the Overall Junior title, a first for the herd. This stylish January 2013-born heifer is by the prolific Goldies Comet and is out of the herd’s noted cow Glenrock Spangle who was also the mother of Glenrock Fantastic, the 2013 Reserve Champion at the Highland Show. At the May Bull Sale in Carlisle, the herd had sold Glenrock Ideal, the same way bred as Illusion, for 12,000gns. The prolific Glenrock Spangle has now had some 32 calves sold from her for a collective figure of well over six figures. On the Saturday, Glenrock Illusion, who was described by Stephen Illingworth as ‘a once in a lifetime heifer and perhaps the best I’ve ever bred’, placed Reserve Overall in the Junior Interbreed judged by Bob Adam, Newhouse of Glamis, Forfar.
Placing Reserve Junior Female and Overall Junior Reserve was Emslies Ieryl from Aileen Ritchie, Tamara, Burnside, Whitecairns, Aberdeen. This April 2013-born heifer had come out of the first class of the day and up against a class of thirteen heifers born on or after 1st April 2013. Emslies Ieryl is by Procters Cavalier and is out of Emslies Eryl. Bred by Harry Emslie, this heifer was purchased at the Emslies Production Sale held in January this year at Carlisle for 15,000gns. Emslies Ieryl came to the Highland on the back of winning the Supreme Championship at the Angus Show.
CLASS RESULTS
Class: 267 FEMALE born on or after 1st April 2013
- 1st Ritchie, Miss Aileen(537) Emslies Ieryl
- 2nd Dick, Ronald(545) Ronick Intrigue
- 3rd Graham, Mr & Mrs R. & J.(541) Grahams Izzy
Class: 268 FEMALE born on or between 1st January and 31st March 2013
- 1st Illingworth, S & H(554) Glenrock Illusion
- 2nd Graham, D. & L.(558) Burnbank Iris
- 3rd Small, Mr Dermot(555) Ronick Ivory
Class: 269 FEMALE in Calf or Maiden born on or between 1st July and 31st December 2012
- 1st Mash Ltd, W J & M(566) Brockhurst Howzat
- 2nd Redhead & Watson(578) Tweeddale Harika
- 3rd Redpath Farms(562) Redpaths Hilary
Class: 270 FEMALE in Calf or Maiden born on or between 1st August 2011 and 30th June 2012
- 1st Redpath Farms(551) Redpaths Hazel
- 2nd Hyslop, Mr Andrew(588) Dynamite Henrietta
- 3rd Harvey Cattle(580) Harveys Getique
Class: 271 FEMALE, in Milk, with Calf at foot born after 1st January 2011
- 1st Nimmo, Mr John(589) Maraiscote Gucci
- 2nd Campbell, Messrs Alan(590) Strawfrank Gina
Class: 272 FEMALE in milk with calf at foot born on or before 31st December 2010
- 1st Mash Ltd, W J & M(591) Brockhurst Bolshoi
- 2nd Mash Ltd, W J & M(593) Evidence
Class: 273 FEMALE certified in calf any age
- 1st Wight, Mr Walter(595) Brockhurst Exmoor
- 2nd Smith, Mr W J(596) Roundhill Fgiroflee
Class: 274 BULL born on or after 1st June 2013
- 1st Nimmo, Mr John(598) Maraiscote Imperial
- 2nd Campbell, Messrs Alan(600) Strawfrank Iggy
- 3rd Dick, Ronald(601) Ronick I Q
Class: 275 BULL born on or between 1st April and 31st May 2013
- 1st Alexander, Mr James(621) Jalex ItsAllGood
- 2nd Redhead & Watson(617) Tweeddale Igor
- 3rd Nimmo, Mr John(627) Maraiscote Ingemar
Class: 276 BULL born on or between 1st January and 31st March 2013
- 1st A. MacGregor ( Allanfauld) Ltd.(637) Allanfauld Ibrox
- 2nd Jonston, C W & J E(634) Crajan Isaac
- 3rd Alford, Mr M(633) Foxhill Farm Inthegold
Class: 277 BULL on or between 1st July and 31st December 2012
- 1st Mash Ltd, W J & M(645) Brockhurst Hardnut
- 2nd A. MacGregor ( Allanfauld) Ltd.(647) Knockcroghery Hero
- 3rd Smith, Mr W J(644) Cillcon Hip Hop
Class: 278 BULL on or between 1st July 2011 and 30th June 2012
- 1st Quail, Mr James(649) Lynderg Hero
- 2nd McBeath & Jessop, Messrs(648) Ardglasson Highlander
- 3rd Cruikshank, N & E(650) Roundhill Hamlet
Class: 279 BULL born before 1st July 2011
- 1st Armstrong, Miss Sophie(654) Gritstone general
- 2nd Emslie, Mr Harry(655) Dinmore Goldcrest
- 3rd Graham, Mr & Mrs R. & J.(651) Diabolo
Class: SP1 Best Junior Female
- Winner Illingworth, S & H(554) Glenrock Illusion
- Reserve Ritchie, Miss Aileen(537) Emslies Ieryl
Class: SP2 Best Cow
- Winner Mash Ltd, W J & M(591) Brockhurst Bolshoi
Class: SP3 Best Female
- Winner Mash Ltd, W J & M(591) Brockhurst Bolshoi
Class: SP4 Reserve Female
- Winner Campbell, Messrs Alan(590) Strawfrank Gina
Class: SP5 Best Junior Bull
- Winner Mash Ltd, W J & M(645) Brockhurst Hardnut
- Reserve Alexander, Mr James(621) Jalex ItsAllGood
Class: SP6 Best Bull
- Winner Quail, Mr James(649) Lynderg Hero
Class: SP7 Reserve Bull
- Winner McBeath & Jessop, Messrs(648) Ardglasson Highlander
Class: SP8 Breeder of Best Bull
- Winner Quail, Mr James(649) Lynderg Hero
Class: SP9 Best Junior Animal
- Winner Illingworth, S & H(554) Glenrock Illusion
Class: SP10 Reserve Junior Animal
- Winner Ritchie, Miss Aileen(537) Emslies Ieryl
Class: SP11 Champion
- Champion Mash Ltd, W J & M(591) Brockhurst Bolshoi
Class: SP12 Reserve Champion
- Winner Quail, Mr James(649) Lynderg Hero
Class: SP13 Breeder of best Animal
- Winner Mash Ltd, W J & M(591) Brockhurst Bolshoi
Class: SP14 Best Animal bred by Exhibitor
- Winner Mash Ltd, W J & M(591) Brockhurst Bolshoi
Class: SP15 Best Animal bred by Exhibitor, who is a member of the Scottish Limousin Club
- Winner Campbell, Messrs Alan(590) Strawfrank Gina
Class: SP16 Best Group of Three Cattle each drawn from different Classes and being the property of one Exhib
- Winner Mash Ltd, W J & M(566) Brockhurst Howzat
- Winner Mash Ltd, W J & M(591) Brockhurst Bolshoi
- Winner Mash Ltd, W J & M(645) Brockhurst Hardnut
