Limousin genetics dominated the cattle lawns at the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society’s 157th Balmoral Show.
Cooler temperatures for mid-May and heavy showers didn’t dampen the spirits of breeders who turned out in force with a quality line-up of cattle judged this year by Scotsman Keith Redpath.
He congratulated the exhibitors on a tremendous line-up of stock. “I’ve really enjoyed judging. It has been a fantastic show, especially with the number and calibre of females on parade. There was a smaller turnout in the bull classes, but that’s a clear sign that breeders have been selling bulls rather than keeping them for the showring.”
The quality and consistency of the Limousin cattle was evident during the four-day show, with the breed clinching an array of top accolades in the hotly contested interbreed competitions.
Prizes included the supreme overall beef championship, junior championship, best continental group of three and best team of five. The Limousin-sired commercial champion secured the reserve junior interbreed award.
It was a day to remember for first-time exhibitor Niall Feeney from Carnlough. He made his showring debut with the in-calf heifer Cranmoney Vee and was delighted to win the breed’s female and supreme overall championships.
Bred by Mark and Mairead McCartan from Crossgar, this two-year-old Graiggoch Rambo daughter was reserve intermediate champion at last year’s Ladies in Red Sale in Ballymena where she was purchased for 15,000gns.
Cranmoney Vee is one of two breeding females in Niall’s Vaddyview Herd. The champion was described by Keith Redpath as an outstanding heifer.
The second placed Draperhill Veronica, exhibited by the Rodgers family from Dromore, County Down, secured the exhibitor-bred, reserve female and reserve supreme championships.
An April 2024 born in-calf heifer by the herd’s 10,000gns stock bull Huntershall Rodman, she is out of Roundhill Nora – one of 25 Limousin cows in the 110-cow suckler herd, which comprises of several pedigree breeds and commercial cows.
Judge Keith Redpath said: “My overall champion and reserve came from the same class. They are really outstanding heifers and I struggled to separate them. Both have everything I’m looking for in a breeding female, and I’ve no doubt they will mature into wonderful cows.
“The Limousin breed is on a high, with pedigree and commercial cattle in strong demand and attracting premium prices. From what I’ve saw in the showring today, the breed is in safe hands.”
The junior championship went to Nugent Allspice ET, a sixteen-month-old Huntershall Nutcracker daughter exhibited by Gareth Corrie from the Drumhilla Herd in Newtownards.
Bred by Charlie Beverland, she is a maternal grand-daughter of the three-times Balmoral interbreed champion Millbrook Ginger Spice. This heifer was reserve junior champion at the Ladies in Red sale and was purchased for 25,000gns – a joint record for a Limousin heifer sold at auction in Northern Ireland.
Cranmoney Vee impressed judge Vicki Wood to secure the supreme overall interbreed title at Balmoral; while Nugent Allspice won the junior interbreed award judged by Colin Philips. Both heifers are testimony to the quality of elite animals offered for sale at the NI Limousin Club’s annual Ladies in Red sale.
The male champion and reserve junior champion awards went to Pondpark Ali owned by Stephen McGookin and Sons from Carrickfergus. Purchased privately from George Roberts in Lisburn, this February 2025 born Trueman Idol son is stock bull in the family’s Ballycairn Herd, which includes 80 pedigree and commercial cows. He was a first prize winner at the NI Young Limousin Breeders’ Club Calf Show, held at Ballymena in March.
Mark and Mairead McCartan scooped the reserve junior female championship with the eleven-month-old Cranmoney Annie. She claimed the red rosette in a 14-strong class. Sired by Trueman Idol, this young heifer is out of Cranmoney Redlady, and is a maternal sister to the newly crowned Balmoral breed champion.
Claiming the reserve male, reserve junior male and reserve exhibitor-bred awards was the yearling bull Millgate Alloy owned by Michael and Christina Loughran from Cookstown. He stood first in a class of six bulls. Sired by herd’s stock bull Donnelly Travis, his dam is the home-bred Millgate Nifty. This young bull won his class at the calf show in March.
The interbreed group classes were judged by Stuart Bett. The champion group of three winners were Pondpark Ali, the first prize heifer Deerpark Valkyrie bred by Connor and Ryan Mulholland, and Glenmarshal Voodoo, a third prize heifer bred by Trevor Shields.
The winning trio were later joined by the supreme champion Cranmoney Vee, and the reserve champion Draperhill Veronica, to claim the award for the best group of five continental cattle at the show.
Limousin genetics also came to the forefront in the highly contested beef championship, with Trevor Shields taking home the overall commercial beef championship and the reserve junior interbreed award with Armani, an eleven-month-old Ampertaine Elgin daughter. Bred by Noel McSweeney, she was purchased for 15,000 Euros at the Carrick-on-Shannon Winter Fair.
Results from the showring…
SPECIALS
McBriar Perpetual Challenge Cup, for the best Limousin: Niall Feeney’s Cranmoney Vee. Reserve: Rodgers Livestock’s Draperhill Veronica.
Jim Scott Perpetual Challenge Cup, for the exhibitor-bred champion: Rodgers Livestock’s Draperhill Veronica. Reserve: Christina Loughran’s Millgate Alloy.
William Mulligan Rose Bowl, for the female champion: Niall Feeney’s Cranmoney Vee. Reserve: Rodgers Livestock’s Draperhill Veronica.
Smyth Cup, for the male champion: Stephen McGookin and Sons’ Pondpark Ali. Reserve: Christina Loughran’s Millgate Alloy.
John Thompson and Sons Ltd Award for the junior champion: Gareth Corrie’s Nugent Allspice. Reserve: Stephen McGookin and Son’s Pondpark Ali.
John Thompson and Sons Ltd Silver Tankard, for the champion junior heifer: Gareth Corrie’s Nugent Allspice. Reserve: Mark McCartan’s Cranmoney Annie.
President’s Cup, for the champion junior bull: Stephen McGookin and Sons’ Pondpark Ali. Reserve: Christina Loughran’s Millgate Alloy.
NI Limousin Club Special Prize, for best pair of Limousin cattle: Christian Loughran. Reserve: Crawford Bros.
Herbert Lusby Memorial Perpetual Challenge Cup, for the best group of three: DG Green and Sons. Reserve: Crawford Bros.
CLASSES
Heifer, born on or after 01/04/25 – 1, Mark McCartan, Cranmoney Annie by Trueman Idol; 2, DG Green and Sons, Derriaghy Ariel by Trueman Idol; 3, McGurk Bros, Birchwood Abeauty by Ampertaine Progressive.
Heifer, born between 01/01/25 and 31/03/25 – 1, Gareth Corrie, Nugent Allspice by Huntershall Nutcracker; 2, Derek and Jason Frew, Frewstown Alpha by Jalex Simplysuperb; 3, Trevor Shields, Glenmarshal Allstar by Carrickmore Schumacher.
Heifer, in-calf or maiden, born between 01/07/24 and 31/12/24 – 1, Connor and Ryan Mulholland, Deerpark Valkyrie by Deerpark Spiderman; 2, DG Green and Sons, Derriaghy Vogue by Gunnerfleet Lion; 3, Niall Feeney, Knockcoolkeare Violet by Plumtree Fantastic.
Heifer, in-calf, born between 01/10/23 and 30/06/24 – 1, Niall Feeney, Cranmoney Vee by Graiggoch Rambo; 2, Rodgers Livestock Draperhill Veronica by Huntershall Rodman; 3, Trevor Shields, Glenmarshal Voodoo by Carrickmore Schumacher.
Cow or heifer, born between 01/01/23 and 31/09/23 – 1, Derek and Jason Frew, Frewstown Uewmoon by Springsett President.
Cow, born on or before 31/12/22 – 1, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Tenddresse by Westpit Omaha.
Bull, born on or after 01/04/25 – 1, Christina Loughran, Millgate Alloy by Donnelly Travis; 2, Gareth Corrie, Drumhilla Augustus by Huntershall Nutcracker; 3, Charlotte Martin, Charlottes Ax by Gunnerfleet Lion.
Bull, born between 01/01/25 and 31/03/25 – 1, Stephen McGookin and Sons, Pondpark Ali by Trueman Idol; 2, DG Green and Sons, Derriaghy Alonso by Haltcliffe Dancer; 3, Gareth Corrie, Drumhilla Ace by Trueman Idol.
Bull, born between 01/07/24 and 31/12/24 – 1, Derek and Jason Frew, Slieve Vantastic by Deerkpark Spiderman; 2, Christina Loughran, Millgate Valiant by Carrowreagh Navigator.
Bull, born between 01/07/21 and 30/06/24 – 1, Sammy Clyde, Drumhilla Viking by Westpit Omaha.
Bull, born before 01/07/23 – 1, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Star by Haltcliffe Nijinsky.
Best pair, owned and bred by exhibitor – 1, Christina Loughran, Millgate Alloy and Millgate Valiant; 2, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Tenddresse and Rathkeeland Star; 3, DG Green and Sons, Derriaghy Vogue and Derriaghy Alonso.
Group of three, property of exhibitor – 1, DG Green and Sons, Derriaghy Ariel, Derriaghy Vogue and Derriaghy Alonso; 2, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Uta, Rathkeeland Tenddresse and Rathkeeland Star.
ENDS
