- Glenrock Inclusive wins Limousin Overall Supreme Championship
- Claragh Lily wins Overall Junior Interbreed Championship
- Limousins win Interbreed Group of Three Championship
- Pointhouse Lordgratham wins Beef Bull Performance Interbreed Championship
- Commercial Limousins take Reserve in Beef Pairs Interbreed
- Limousin sired animals take Junior Beef & Reserve Junior Beef Championships in Commercial section.
The in-calf heifer Glenrock Inclusive from local breeders Messrs DG Green & Son, Derriaghy Road, Lisburn, Co Antrim swept all before her when winning the Limousin Overall Supreme Championship on the opening day of the 2016 Balmoral Show, Belfast, Wednesday 11th May.
Originally bred by Stephen Illingworth, Lockerbie, the November 2013 born heifer was purchased by the Greens for 14,000gns at the Glenrock Herd sale held in Carlisle in August 2014. Having first lifted the Female Championship the November 2013-born Glenrock Inclusive powered through to get the nod from the judge Martin Irvine of the noted Anside herd, Braehead Farm, Drummuir, By Keith, Banffs. Glenrock Inclusive is by the Nenuphar son Bremore Artist and is another embryo calf out of the renowned Glenrock Spangle.
Capping a fine day for the Derriaghy herd the young bull Derriaghy Lincoln won the Junior Champion Bull award, Reserve Male Overall, and Reserve Junior Champion Overall. This April 2015 born calf is by Haltcliffe Vermount and is out of Derriaghy Hitopia. Hitopia is out of Lenagh Utopia who is the mother of the 22,000gns Derriaghy Enfield who the Greens sold at Carlisle in 2010. The aim at this stage is to point Derriaghy Lincoln towards the BLCS October Sale at Carlisle.
The ‘Green team’ comprises of father David along with the ‘showman’ Philip and further sons Richard, Andrew, and Ethan. Special mention is also given to George and Ryan Roberts who helped over the course of the show. Very much a local win the Greens ten-cow herd lies only some ten minutes away from the showground.
Speaking at the close of the judging David Green said: “It’s an unbelievable feeling and a great honour to win what is our local show and the foremost show in Northern Ireland. We were fortunate enough to place Reserve Overall with Enfield in 2010 but this win now tops that.” Asked about forward ambitions David said that this win could probably only be topped by winning it again with a homebred animal.
Placed as Reserve Overall Supreme Champion was the January 2015 born maiden heifer Claragh Lily from John and Paul Rainey, Kilrea, Co. Derry. Sired by the noted Wilodge Vantastic she is out of Haltcliffe Avon described as the seven strong herd’s ‘best cow’. Scooping numerous awards Claragh Lily picked up the Reserve Supreme Overall; Exhibitor Bred Championship; Junior Champion; Junior Female Champion; and Reserve Overall Female Champion. The show success for the Claragh herd, their highest awards to date, followed on from a very successful female sale at Carlisle five days previously where they had attained a top price of 18,000gns for a maiden heifer who is a full sister to Claragh Lily. Commenting John Rainey said: “To do so well at Balmoral Show feels just fantastic. Very much one for the future Lily is the best heifer we’ve ever bred. The aim is to now take her to the 2016 National Limousin Show in Carlisle in July.”
In the Interbreeds held over the following two days there was to be further success for Claragh Lily and the Limousin breed. On day two the judge Arwel Owen, Beef Development Manager with Genus, gave Lily the nod as the Overall Interbreed Junior Beef Champion of Champions. On the Friday, in front of judge for the day Neil Lloyd, Leominster, Claragh Lily teamed up with Ardnacrusha Jaguar and Pointhouse Ladymary for an imposing Limousin team of three that went on to win the Interbreed Beef Group Championships
Part of the winning Interbreed Group and taking the Limousin Overall Male Championship in his showing debut at Balmoral was Republic of Ireland breeder Donal Moloney, Roowest, Co Clare with Ardnacrusha Jaguar from his twenty five cow herd. This November 2014 born bull is another by Wilodge Vantastic and is out of the French bred female Etole bought from KBS in France. In 2015 Jaguar placed as Reserve Overall Male Champion at the prestigious Tullamore Show and Donal noted that the bull had really done well since then. Ardnacrusha Jaguar will now be shown at the Irish National Show due to be held within the upcoming World Limousin Congress in Ireland this coming August.
The Reserve Junior Bull award went to D&R MacFarland, Comber Road, Tirquin, Omagh with the February 2015 born Rayderjem Legend. This young bull is by Anside Flint and is out of the Ampertaine Commander daughter Trueman Houston.
Making a mark at the show for the second year in a row was Michael Diamond along with his eleven-year-old son Kile, from Carhill Road, Garvagh, Co Derry. This year the herd won the Reserve Junior Heifer award with the May 2015 born Pointhouse Ladymary who then went on to feature in the winning Interbreed Group. This heifer is by the AI bull Gerrygullinane Glen and is out of Carhill Floosie. Last year Pointhouse Jewell took the Junior Female Championship and Junior Reserve Overall.
There was more success for this twenty-cow-herd when Pointhouse Lordgrantham won the Beef Bull Interbreed Performance Championship in front of the judge Arwel Owen on the Thursday. Sired by Plumtree Fantastic this September 2015 born bull is out of the Wilodge Cerberus daughter Pointhouse Harvest.
In the Commercial Classes held on the Thursday Limousin sired heifers took both the Junior Beef & Junior Reserve Beef Championship spots from the judge Berwyn Hughes, Cwmhedryd, Wales. Lifting the Junior Championship was the December 2014 born heifer JLo owned by JCB Commercials, Newtownards. This heifer was purchased last winter at Hilltown Mart for £1000 and is sired by Norman Ely out of a Lim x dam. JLo also won the Medallion Plaque for the Best Commercial Beef Heifer. The heifer Pocahontas owned by Dermot Small, Kilkeel, took Reserve Spot in the Medallion Plaque. Also December 2014 born, she is sired by Swarland Eddie and is out of the dam Strathearn Cundice.
Derek & Mark Maxwell, Ballinagare, Ireland won the Medallion Plaque for Best Commercial Beef Steer with the April 2015 born Rocket. This calf is sired by Brooklands F0959 and is out of the dam named Black Diamond. Rocket also won Best Commercial Bred by Exhibitor
On the Friday in the Interbreed Beef Pairs the young team of two Commercial Limousins, JLo from JCB Commercials, along with Rocket from Derek & Mark Maxwell, teamed up to place Reserve Champions Beef Interbreed Marks & Spencer Beef Pairs. Neil Lloyd was again the judge for this Championship.
To view a video of the judging, click here.
