There was a strong entry of top-quality pedigree and commercial cattle at the Northern Ireland Limousin Young Breeders’ Club’s Rising Stars Calf Show, held at Ballymena Livestock Market on Saturday the 8th of March 2025.
The event was judged by Scottish Limousin, Hereford and Blue Texel breeder, Sophie Harvey from the Harveybros Herd in Stirling. “This is my first time judging in Northern Ireland. It has been a fantastic show and I would like to thank the NI club for inviting to judge.”
Ms Harvey has had a passion for the Limousin breed from a young age, and since 2018 has been working at the Nimmo family’s noted Maraiscote Herd at Wishaw in North Lanarkshire. Last year marked the pinnacle of her career to date, was winning three major breed championships, interbreed awards at the Great Yorkshire and Royal Welsh shows, and the reserve interbreed title at the Royal Highland Show with Maraiscote Tangerine.
Catching Sophie Harvey’s eye to secure the £1,000 cash prize for the 2025 Rising Stars supreme overall champion, was the eleven-month-old Bernish Valentine ET bred by NI club chairman Kieran McCrory who runs a 20-cow herd at Sixmilecross in County Tyrone.
Sired by the 19,000gns Maraiscote Lothario, her dam Bernish Rihannajuli is bred from the noted Bernish Julifortune – dam of the 22,000gns Bernish Memphis, and granddam of the May 2024 Carlisle champion, Bernish Toplad sold for 16,000gns.
Bernish Valentine was the best female under one-year-old in the club’s 2024 herd competition, an accolade won by her mother in 2021. This much-admired heifer is a full sister to the 19,000gns Bernish Uptowngirl ET, reserve champion at the Ballymena Ladies in Red Sale last year.
Judge Sophie Harvey awarded the senior, pedigree and supreme overall championships to Bernish Valentine. She said: ”This calf oozes style and ring presence. She is very correct and boasts everything I love in a Limousin heifer. This is one I’d really like to take home.”
Claiming the day’s reserve pedigree and reserve supreme plaudits was the junior champion, Jalex Virile ET from James Alexander’s 10-cow Limousin herd at Randalstown. “This is a very classy bull with great width, style and breed character. My overall champion and reserve are both on a par with each other,” commented the judge.
Jalex Virile ET is a full brother to the 35,000gns Jalex Transform – supreme champion at the 2023 NI National Show; and Jalex Superman – sire of the 2024 Carlisle Red Ladies champion, Mereside Unicorn sold for 12,000gns.
This ten-month-old bull is the result of an embryo by the 16,000gns Huntershall Nutcracker and Brockhurst Oriana. His full brother Jalex Vabulous ET won the reserve junior championship. Both bulls will be offered for sale at the Jalex Jaw Droppers on-farm auction on Friday, 25th April.
The Rodgers family from Dromara exhibited the reserve senior champion Draperhill Vanessa. A ten-month-old Huntershall Rodman daughter, she is bred from Millgate Pringles – one of 14 pedigree Limousin females in the herd, which is run alongside pedigree British Blonde, Charolais, British Blue and Aberdeen Angus females, and 100 commercial cows. This heifer is destined for the Ballymena Ladies in Red sale in August.
Father and daughter Peter and Serena Murphy, from Newry, won the award for the best pair of cattle owned by exhibitor. Their winning duo were the twelve-month-old heifer, Carrickaldreen Venus, and the March-born Claddagh McCabe son, Carrickaldreen Venison.
James Alexander also won the commercial championship with the fourteen-month-old heifer Take A Chance. Sired by Trueman Idol, she is out of a British Blue cross cow, and was bred by Derrick Forde from Galway.
Runner-up was Baby Spice, a ten-month-old Claddagh McCabe daughter exhibited by Robert Miller from Moneymore. Bred by Sam Matchett from Portadown, this heifer was champion calf and purchased for £16,500 at the Royal Ulster Beef and Lamb Championships last November.
Sophie Harvey was impressed with the line-up of young handlers taking part in the three classes. “It is fantastic to see so many enthusiastic kids and young members coming through. I had some very difficult decisions to make. My champion handler was ‘perfection’ and a very worthy winner. The presentation of the handler and the animal is key.”
Niall Forsythe, chairman of the NI Young Limousin Breeders’ Club thanked the judge, spectators, exhibitors and sponsors for supporting the event. “The calf show gets bigger and better every year. It’s encouraging to see so many young members getting involved and enjoying the camaraderie. They are the ‘rising stars’ of the club.
“I’d also like to thank our willing volunteers and Ballymena Market for the use of its excellent facilities.”
ENDS
Results from Limousin showring…
Championships
Supreme Champion, sponsored by Whinfellpark Limousins: Kieran McCrory, Bernish Valentine. Reserve: James Alexander, Jalex Virile.
Overall Pedigree Champion, sponsored by Chestnutt Animal Feeds: Kieran McCrory, Bernish Valentine. Reserve: James Alexander, Jalex Virile.
Senior Champion, sponsored by Danske Bank: Kieran McCrory, Bernish Valentine. Reserve: Rodgers Family, Draperhill Vanessa.
Junior Champion, sponsored by British Limousin Cattle Society: James Alexander, Jalex Virile. Reserve: James Alexander, Jalex Vabulous.
Overall Commercial Champion: James Alexander, Take A Chance. Reserve: Robert Millar, Baby Spice.
Young Handlers
Champion: Caitlin Kernan. Reserve: Serena Murphy.
Junior handler, under 12 years-old – 1, Lewis Dodd; 2, Sarah Jane Lester; 3, Amie Hunter; 4, Eliza Alexander.
Intermediate handler, aged 12-20 years-old – 1, Caitlin Kernan; 2, Caroline McConnell; 3, Maisie Lee; 4, Jamie Dodd; 5, Oliver Taggart; 6, Christopher Cunningham; 7, Conor McDonald.
Senior handler, aged 20-28 years-old 1, Serena Murphy; 2, Rachel Boyce.
Calf Classes
Class 1, Senior female, sponsored by Firmount Veterinary Clinic – 1, Trevor Shields, Glenmarshal Vogue by Graiggoch Rambo; 2, Peter and Serena Murphy, Carrickaldreen Venus by Record; 3, Chris Johnston, Johnstown Victoriassecret by Carrickmore Maximus; 4, James Alexander, Jalex Vivid by Graiggoch Rambo.
Class 2, Senior bull, sponsored by Ampertaine Limousins – 1, M and R McGurk, Birchwood Vibrant by Ampertaine Progressive; 2, Trevor Shields, Glenmarshal Vantastic by Ampertaine Elgin; 3, Rodgers Family, Draperhill Verstappen by Huntershall Rodman; 4, Michael Diamond, Pointhouse Vodka by Ampertaine Foreman.
Class 3, Senior female, sponsored by IJ Lynn and Sons – 1, Kieran McCrory, Bernish Valentine by Maraiscote Lothario; 2, Rodgers Family, Draperhill Vanessa by Huntershall Rodman; 3, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Vanessa by Ironstone Gandi; 4, Trevor Shields, Glenmarshal Voodoo by Carrickmore Schumacher.
Class 4, Senior bull, sponsored by Claragh Limousins – 1, Peter and Serena Murphy, Carrickaldreen Venison by Claddagh McCabe; 2, RS Clyde, Clydevalley Victory by Claddagh McCabe; 3, Kieran McCrory, Bernish Vince by Huntershall Nutcracker; 4, S McGookin, Ballycairn Vance by Ballycairn Objat.
Class 5, Junior female, sponsored by CVS Farm Vets NI – 1, James Alexander, Jalex Vabulous by Huntershall Nutcracker; 2, James Alexander, Jalex Vab by Huntershall Nutcracker; 3, James Alexander, Jalex Visualise by Graiggoch Rambo; 4, Keith Forsythe, Ampertaine Viola by Claddagh McCabe.
Class 6, Junior bull, sponsored by Galcross Limousins – 1, James Alexander, Jalex Virile by Huntershall Nutcracker; 2, James Alexander, Jalex Vis by Graiggoch Rambo; 3, RAG Savage, Aghadolgan Vaper by Westpit Omaha; 4, Brian and Cahir McAuley, Larkhill Voldemort by Foxhillfarm Lordoftherings.
Class 7, Junior female, sponsored by Moore Concrete – 1, Louise Cowan, Castlerock Vavavoom by Grahams Rooney; 2, RAG Savage, Aghadolgan Vanesia by Graiggoch Rambo; 3, RAG Savage, Aghadolgan Vavavoom by Graiggoch Rambo; 4, RS Clyde, Clydevally Verynice by Clydevalley Ranger.
Class 8, Junior bull, sponsored by Ballybrick Limousins – 1, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Aftermidnight by Wilodge Cerberus.
Class 9, Junior female, sponsored by PMP Transport – 1, B and N Hunter, Hunterburn Veryspecial by Culnagechan Rodeo; 2, Mr and Mrs Lester, Lesters Val by Sauvignon; 3, Mr and Mrs Lester, Lesters Vicky by Pabo Rocknroll.
Class 10, Commercial senior female, sponsored by MCV Competitions – 1, James Alexander, Take A Chance by Trueman Idol; 2, Robert Miller, Baby Spice by Claddagh McCabe; 3, Rodgers Livestock, Liquorice; 4, Oliver Taggart.
Class 11, Commercial Junior female, sponsored by Excel Genetics – 1, Michael McSorley; 2, Brendan and James Quinn, Roxy; 3, & 4, Ivan Lynn.
Class 12, Commercial bullock, sponsored by Bernish Limousins – 1, Chris Johnston, Johnstown Maverick; 2, Jade Tumilty, Monteith Tom; 3, James and Adam Mullan, Carrowcladagh Flash; 4, Ivan Lynn.
Class 13, Pair, owned by exhibitor, sponsored by British Limousin Cattle Society – 1, Peter and Serena Murphy, Carrickaldreen Venus and Carrickaldreen Venison; 2, James Alexander, Jalex Vabulous and Jalex Vab; 3, S McGookin, Ballycairn Vanessa and Ballycairn Viking; 4, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Vanessa and Rathkeeland Valse.
ENDS
Report written by Julie Wallace
Published by the N.I. Limousin Cattle Club
