- Grahams Niaomi wins Interbreed Championship
- Limousin win Beef Pairs Interbreed Championship
- Limousin Team of Four take Reserve Interbreed Championship
- Limousins take Supreme and Reserve in the Commercial Cattle Championship
On what can only be described as perfect show conditions the stylish heifer Grahams Niaomi came through the field to be crowned with the Interbreed Supreme Championship at the 2018 Royal Highland Show held at Ingliston, Edinburgh.
On her way through to the title Niaomi had picked up a number of rosettes including the Limousin Overall Supreme Championship on the opening day of the show.
Judging the Limousin entries on the first day of the show was Mr Bob Adam of the Newhouse Herd, Forfar. Bob became the third generation of the Adam family to be gracing the Highland Show with his cattle expertise, following the footsteps of his father and grandfather. Grahams Niaomi had clearly stood out of what was described as an exceptional show of Limousin cattle with a particularly strong line up of female exhibit. As well as the Supreme title she picked up wins as the Limousin Female Champion, Junior Female Champion, Best Overall Junior Animal and Best Animal Bred by Exhibitor. On the Saturday she was also tapped up as the Reserve Interbreed Junior Champion. After the Limousin judging Mr Adam described Niaomi as being a “super stylish heifer” he said “what I liked about her was her style right throughout, she has correct muscle in the right places and demonstrates great length” he added, “there is no doubt that she will go onto make a great cow”.
The January 2017 born maiden heifer, brought into the ring by Jennifer Hyslop on behalf of the Graham family of Airthrey Kerse Dairy Farm, Bridge of Allan, Stirling, is by the well-known Claragh Franco and out of Grahams Coffee. This is a mating that needs no introduction; the successful combination has not only produced many show winners and sale toppers up to 40,000gns but recently set a new UK all-breeds record price of 8,000gns for an embryo sold at auction.
The Royal Highland show was her first outing this season and the Interbreed Championship judging saw Tom Arnott, Haymount, Kelso put the heifer into the Overall Supreme Interbreed Championship top spot. In awarding her the Championship accolade Mr Arnott followed Bob Adam and gave praise to her character and style. He said “this young heifer caught my attention as soon as she came into the ring. She is just a beautiful animal, superbly light and easy on her legs, she looks like she will breed well, which, after all is what it’s all about”.
In what transpired to be a day for the ladies in the Limousin judging, Bob Adam placed Foxhillfarm Minesagin as Reserve Junior Female Champion, Reserve Female Champion and Reserve Overall Limousin Champion. Home-bred by Mike and Melanie Alford, Cullompton, Devon, the September 2016 born heifer is by the world-record priced Trueman Jagger and out of Foxhillfarm Justtheone.
Both the Graham and Alford family also enjoyed a number of other placing’s with their home-bred females during the afternoons female judging session.
The Alfords took a 1-2 in the opening class of the day with their 12-month old heifers. Foxhillfarm Naomi, another Jagger daughter, this time out of Foxhillfarm Isla, took the red rosette ahead of her stablemate Foxhillfarm Nigella, a Neuf daughter out of the well-known dam Glenrock Illusion. Foxhillfarm Natasha, another by Jagger, but out of Foxhillfarm Iola, placed second in the next class when she stood against the Overall Limousin Champion from the Grahams. Then Foxhillfarm Madonna followed to stand second to her stablemate Minesagin in the third class. The September 2016 born heifer Madonna, yet another Trueman Jagger daughter is this time out of the multi-award winning Bankdale Elizabeth.
For the Grahams, their two-year old heifer Grahams Melody was placed first in her class ahead of a smart heifer, Stephick Mistique, from Stephanie Dick, Stirling. No stranger to success Melody won her class at last year’s Royal Highland Show and stood as Reserve Champion, Reserve Female Champion, and Junior Female Champion at last year’s Scottish Limousin Grand Prix held at the Dumfries Show in August. An embryo calf by Ampertaine Elgin, Melody is out of the highly successful Millbrook Gingerspice who made history at the Balmoral Show in 2014 by becoming the first animal to claim the show’s Individual Interbreed crown in three consecutive years. Grahams Melody was also part of the winning Limousin Interbreed Team of Four.
As the female judging came to a close, Burbank Jojo from D and L Graham, Mains of Burbank, Blair Drummond, shone through the field of older females to take the Best Cow accolade. Jojo, a successful four year old cow, by Wilodge Fastrac out of Burnbank Bindy, took the Supreme Overall Championship at the Scottish Limousin Grand Prix in 2017 to add to an array of other summer show successes. This classy female went on to feature in the winning Team of Four and Pairs Interbreed Championships respectively.
As the male judging got under way, it was the Whinfellpark team of Messrs Jenkinson, Cumbria who had something to smile about. Their January 2014 born bull, Foxhillfarm Jasper came through the field to be tapped out as Overall Male Champion. Bred by Mike and Melanie Alford, Jasper is by Loosebeare Fantastic out of the noted Bankdale Alice. Overall Champion at the Limousin Sale at Carlisle in May 2015 he was purchased for 35,000gns and has had a glittering show career to date. Jasper dominated the 2015 show circuit as a junior bull, being crowned Supreme Champion at the Royal Highland Show, Male and Reserve Junior Champion at the Great Yorkshire Show and the same at the Royal Welsh Show. As with Jojo, Foxhillfarm Jasper also went onto feature in the winning Pairs and Team of Four Interbreed championships.
Reserve Overall Champion rosette in the bull section went to Rahoney Isaac, a March 2013 born bull owned by a UK and South African consortium Meridian Genetics but exhibited by Mr Harry Emslie, Kinknockie, Mintlaw, Peterhead. Sired by Haltcliffe Dancer out of the Tanat Mostyn sired cow Rahoney Velma, Isaac was bred by H and D McFarland, Trillick, Co. Tyrone and purchased by Harry Emslie for 13,000gns at Carlisle in October 2014. Earlier in the judging the Champion Junior Bull came in the shape of Redpaths Nobleman from Redpath Farms, Heiton, Kelso. This April 2017 born home bred bull is by Dinmore Jollygood out of Redpaths Hilary. Taking the Reserve Junior Bull spot was Foxhillfarm Napoleon from the Alford stable. Napoleon, April 2017 born is by the aforementioned Foxhillfarm Jasper and another out of Glenrock Illusion.
The Interbreed Pairs Championship on Friday 22 June was keenly contested. Judge Mr Neil Barclay, Banchory gave the top title to the Limousin pair of Foxhillfarm Jasper and Burnbank Jojo. In awarding the pairs win to the Limousin twosome Mr Barclay said “he had been looking for a team with quality and balance throughout and the Limousin duo had fit the bill perfectly”.
The following day saw the crowd pleasing Interbreed Team of Four Championship, always a spectacular sight, but even more so this year under the dazzling sunshine. The Limousin lineup added Foxhillfarm Minesagin and Grahams Melody to the winning pair’s duo and after a very close contest Judge Tom Arnott tapped out the Limousin team as Reserve Champions.
In the always keenly contested Commercial Cattle section it was Mr Dermot Small from Northern Ireland, who took the Overall Female title and then Overall Champion rosette with his July 2017 born heifer Flo Jo, sired by the well-known Trueman Idol. Mr Small has been showing cattle in the UK over 20 years and in recent years has had notable success with Khaleesi, the show-stopping heifer by Swarland Eddie. Flo Jo is following in her footsteps having reigned supreme in the commercial cattle section at the recent Balmoral Show where she won Best Commercial Beef Heifer, Junior Commercial Beef Champion, Supreme Champion Commercial Beef Animal, Best Commercial Animal Bred by an Exhibitor and Reserve in the Overall Interbreed Championship.
More Limousin success in the commercial section went to Mr Iain Lammie from Cumnock, Ayrshire. Bulldozer, his September 2016 born home-bred steer by Powerhouse Elite won the Championship steer title and then stood as Reserve Overall Champion to Flo Jo. Powerhouse Elite, sired by Objat and out of a Rocky dam is known for his conformation and width throughout his loin, characteristics that have certainly paid off in his commercial progeny.
