Senior, female and supreme overall champion at the NI Limousin National Show was Glenmarshal The Duchess owned by Trevor Shields, Kilkeel, and shown by Shauna Killen. Picture: Kathryn Shaw, Agri-Images
An absolutely brilliant show was how Scotsman Tim Russell described the NI Limousin Club’s Northern Ireland Championship, held at Antrim Show.
More than 40 entries were paraded before Mr Russell, former herd manager at the Spittalton Limousin Herd in Stirlingshire.
“This has been my first time judging in Northern Ireland and I’ve had a very enjoyable day. The cattle were brought out to perfection and I’d like to congratulate all of the exhibitors on a tremendous show. There were top-class animals in every class and I had some difficult decisions to make.”
Toast of the showring at the 2024 event was the twenty-three-month-old heifer Glenmarshal The Duchess from Trevor Shields’ 60-cow herd at Kilkeel. She caught Tim Russell’s eye to claim the senior, female and supreme overall championship ribbons.
Mr Russell commented: ”The supreme champion is my type of animal. She is really eye-catching and stood out straight away. This heifer is faultless and has fantastic presence and breed character. She has all the hallmarks of maturing into a fantastic brood cow.”
The champion was sired by the 32,000gns Ampertaine Elgin and is bred from one of the herd’s foundation females, the 4,500gns Tweeddale Redhot, who was reserve Limousin champion at Balmoral Show in September 2021.
Glenmarshal The Duchess has picked up a number of awards during the show season, including, second prize at Balmoral; breed champion and reserve interbreed champion at Ballymena; Limousin and interbreed champion at Armagh; and reserve champion at Castlewellan. She rounded off a successful day at the 116th Antrim Show by scooping the show’s supreme interbreed beef championship.
Jim Sloan exhibited the reserve senior, reserve female and reserve supreme champion Ballygrange Tina. Picture: Kathryn Shaw, Agri-Images
Hot on her heels to secure the day’s reserve female, reserve senior and reserve supreme awards was the July 2022 born heifer Ballygrange Tina owned by Jim Sloan who also comes from Kilkeel.
Mr Sloan bought the heifer’s dam at a sale in Markethill Mart. She is by the 6,500gns Ballyrobin Rockstar and bred from Knockstacken Priceless. Ballygrange TIna was reserve supreme champion at Balmoral Show in May, and supreme champion at Castlewellan Show a few weeks ago.
Tim Russell added: “The reserve champion is another tremendous heifer, very similar type to the show champion. She is very sweet, full of breed character and showed herself really well.”
Overall male champion and reserve intermediate champion was Glenmarshal UFO owned by Trevor Shields, Kilkeel. Picture: Kathryn Shaw, Agri-Images
Trevor Shields led the male championship line-up with the home-bred Glenmarshal UFO. This fourteen-month-old bull also secured the reserve intermediate championship. He was sired by the 38,000 Euros Carrickmore Maximus and is bred from the Telfurs Munster daughter, Trueman Ora, purchased online for 8,400gns in 2020.
Herbie Crawford, Maguiresbridge, exhibited the reserve male champion Rathkeeland Toplimmymaverick at the National Show. Picture: Kathryn Shaw, Agri-Images
Claiming the reserve male championship was the September 2022 Rathkeeland Toplimmymaverick from Herbie and Stephen Crawford’s 100-cow herd at Maguiresbridge. Sired by the 20,000gns Twemlows Morpeth, he is bred from Erne Ircy. This home-bred bull was male champion at Balmoral and has been retained within the herd as a junior stock bull.
David Green from Lisburn won the intermediate championship with the thirteen-month-old heifer Derriaghy Utopia. A daughter of the 22,000gns Gunnerfleet Lion, her dam is the home-bred Derriaghy Penny. Balmoral reserve junior champion in May, she was described by Tim Russell as an outstanding young heifer with a big future ahead of her.
Jason Frew exhibited the junior champion Frewstown Uewmoon at the NI Limousin Club’s National Show. Picture: Kathryn Shaw, Agri-Images
Lifting the junior championship rosette was the much-admired heifer Frewstown Uewmoon shown by Jason Frew from Antrim. Born in September 2023 she was sired by Springsett President and was reserve junior champion at the Limousin club’s calf show in Ballymena.
Scotsman Tim Russell judged the NI Limousin Club’s National Show, held at Antrim. Picture: Kathryn Shaw, Agri-Images.
The reserve junior champion was Glenmarshal Upperclass, an Ampertaine Elgin daughter bred by Trevor Shields. Her dam is the Ampertaine Foreman daughter Millburn Pheobe, purchased at the Millburn dispersal for 20,000 Euros.
Calf champion was Rathkeeland Victory bred by Stephen Crawford, Maguiresbridge. Picture: Kathryn Shaw, Agri-Images
Crawford Bros won the supreme and reserve calf championships with ET brothers Rathkeeland Victory and Rathkeeland Vance. The stylish six-month-old calves were sired by the herd’s former stock bull Haltcliffe Olympus and are maternal half-brothers to the multi-award-winning show heifer Rathkeeland Tenddresse – Antrim’s interbreed heifer derby reserve champion. The Crawford’s also won the interbreed pairs award at Antrim Show.
Crawford Bros exhibited the reserve calf champion Rathkeeland Vance. Picture: Kathryn Shaw, Agri-Images
There was a good turnout of Limousin-sired animals for the commercial classes. The championship went to Wide Load, an eighteen-month-old heifer shown by Gareth Corrie, Newtownards. Standing in reserve was Gareth Corrie’s four-month-old heifer Taboo, sired by 13,000gns stock bull Slieve Sportyman. Taboo also won the interbreed calf championship at Castewellan Show.
Commercial Limousin champion was Wide Load owned by Gareth Corrie, Newtownards. Picture: Kathryn Shaw, Agri-Images
The Northern Ireland Limousin Cattle Club would like to thank the sponsors of its 2024 National Show: AI Services (NI) Ltd; Beatty Fuels and Farm Supplies; Bull Bank; Farm Compare; Firmount Vets; Glenkeen Farm Supplies; Glenmarshal Sires; Greenmount Country Stores; Hyde Farm Feeds and M-Tec Engineering.
Gareth Corrie Jnr, Newtownards, with his reserve commercial Limousin champion Taboo. Picture: Kathryn Shaw, Agri-Images
Results from the showring…
Specials
Supreme/Female Champion: Trevor Shields, Glenmarshal Theduchess. Reserve: Jim Sloan, Ballygrange Tina.
Male Champion: Trevor Shields, Glenmarshal UFO. Reserve: Rathkeeland Toplimmymaverick.
Calf Champion: Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Victory. Reserve: Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Vance.
Junior Champion: Jason Frew, Frewstown Uewmoon. Reserve: Trevor Shields, Glenmarshal Upperclass.
Intermediate Champion: David Green and Sons, Derriaghy Utopia. Reserve: Trevor Shields, Glenmarshal UFO.
Senior Champion: Trevor Shields, Glenmarshal Theduchess. Reserve: Jim Sloan, Ballygrange Tina.
Commercial Champion: Gareth Corrie, Wide Loan. Reserve: Gareth Corrie, Taboo.
Reserve junior champion was Glenmarshal Upperclass bred by Trevor Shields, Kilkeel. Picture: Kathryn Shaw, Agri-Images
Pedigree Classes
Bull calf, born in 2024 – 1, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Victory by Haltcliffe Olympus; 2, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Vance by Haltcliffe Olympus.
Heifer calf, born in 2024 – 1, Gareth Corrie, Drumhilla Valentine by Trueman Idol; 2, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Veronica by Gunnerfleet Lion; 3, Crawford Bros, Tullyneil Vienna by Tullyneil Santana.
Bull, born between 01/07/23 and 31/12/23 – 1, Charlotte Martin, Wastelands Upandcoming by Gunnerfleet Lion; 2, Mel Lucas, Lukeroyal Ukraine by Westpit Omaha; 3, Robert Clyde, Clydevalley Upgrade by Claddagh McCabe.
Heifer, born between 01/07/23 and 31/12/23 – 1, Jason Frew, Frewstown Uewmoon by Springsett President; 2, Trevor Shields, Glenmarshal Upperclass by Ampertaine Elgin; 3, Mel Lucas, Lukeroyal Ulstermade by Aughalion Prince; 4, James Alexander, Jalex Ubeauty by Claddagh McCabe.
Bull, born between 01/02/23 and 30/06/23 – 1, Trevor Shields, Glenmarshal UFO by Carrickmore Maximus; 2, Patrick McDonald, Tullyglush Ultan by Ampertaine Magnum; 3, Patrick McDonald, Tullyglush Umbro by Ampertaine Elgin.
Heifer, born between 01/02/23 and 30/06/23 – 1, DG Green and Sons, Derriaghy Utopia by Gunnerfleet Lion; 2, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Units by Wilodge Ceberus.
Heifer, maiden or in-calf, between 18 and 24 months-old – 1, Trevor Shields, Glenmarshal Theduchess by Ampertaine Elgin; 2, Julie-Anne Cairns, Rathkeeland Topaz by Claddagh McCabe; 3, David Lester, Rathkeeland Thelioness by Sauvignon; 4, Sharlene Kernan, Rathkeeland Tesla by Gunnerfleet Lion.
Uncalved female, over two-years-old – 1, Jim Sloan, Ballygrange Tina by Ballyrobin Rockstar; 2, Robert Clyde, Clydevalley Topclass by Claddagh McCabe; 3, Charlotte Martin, Maraiscote Tabu by Morhan Peter; Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Tenddresse by Westpit Omaha.
Calved female, over two-years-old – 1, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Premier by Haltcliffe Nijinskey; 2, Robert Clyde, Moneydarragh Summer by Ampertaine Elgin.
Young Stock Bull, born between 01/08/22 and 31/01/23 – 1, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Toplimmymaverick by Twemlows Morpeth.
Keeping an eye on the Limousin judging at Antrim Show are William and Trevor Shields, Kilkeel, with John MacGregor, Glasgow. Picture; Kathryn Shaw, Agri-Images
Commercial Classes
Steer, born in 2024 – 1, Ivan Lynn, Sooty by Trueman Idol; 2, Jade Tumelty, Monteith Toby; 3, RMC Commercial Cattle, Bruno by Ballinloan Jaegerbomb; 4, Ivan Lynn, Mr Gray by High Tow Galdesh.
Heifer, born in 2024 – 1, Gareth Corrie, Taboo by Slieve Sportyman; 2, Kim Montgomery, Lotto 29; 3, Ivan Lynn, The One They Want by Living the Dream; 4, Fergal Gormley, Best Kept Secret by Pablo Rocknroll.
Steer, born in 2023 – 1, Hugh McAllister, Starburst; 2, Fergal Gormley, Zeus by Trueman Idol.
Heifer, born in 2023 – 1, Gareth Corrie, Wide Load by Ardlea Nemo; 2, Shauna Killen, Something to Talk About by Ampertaine Elgin.
By Julie Hazelton
Spectators around the showring at the NI Limousin Cattle Club’s National Show, held at Antrim. Picture: Kathryn Shaw, Agri-Images
