By Julie Hazelton
An excellent show with some tremendous cattle was how Scottish judge Michael Burns described the NI Limousin Club’s National Show.
Held in conjunction with the Randox Antrim Show, the event attracted almost 50 entries. “Congratulations to the Northern Ireland breeders on a great event,” said Michael Burns, owner of the 15-cow Shaws Herd based at Maybole in Ayrshire.
“The Irish breeders are renowned for bringing top-class cattle to Carlisle, and this show is no exception. There was quality and consistency in every class, and I found a number of classes difficult to place. The heifer classes were really strong.”
James Alexander, Randalstown, scored a hat-trick, lifting the intermediate, male and supreme overall championship ribbons with the fourteen-month-bull Jalex Transform. Sired by the 16,000gns Huntershall Nutcracker, his dam is Brockhurst Oriana.
“This bull stood out the minute he entered the showring!” said the judge. “He is a modern Limousin with exceptional style, width throughout, and is very mobile on his feet and legs.”
Jalex Transform is no stranger to the limelight, having won first prize at the club’s Rising Stars Calf Show, followed by the junior, male and reserve exhibitor-bred championships at Balmoral Show in May.
Transform is to be sold at the forthcoming Jalex Select sale on Friday 18th August.
Securing the day’s reserve supreme title was the senior champion and overall female Dinmore Sensation exhibited by Trevor Shields, Kilkeel. This much-admired heifer is the result of an ET mating between Meadowrig Pedro and the multi-award-winning Dinmore Perfection.
Dinmore Sensation was bred by Paul Dawes from Herefordshire, and was purchased for 30,000gns as a six-month-old calf at an on-farm reduction sale twelve months ago.
“Another exceptional example of the Limousin breed,” commented Michael Burns. “This is a really nice heifer with tremendous conformation and breed character. She has all the hallmarks of a good cow maker.”
Trevor Shields also lifted the reserve intermediate championship with the home-bred heifer Glenmarshal Tiamaria. Born in February 2022, she is a daughter of the 32,000gns Ampertaine Elgin. Her dam Trueman Pixie, bred by Henry Savage and Sons from Newry, was purchased at an online production sale for 17,100gns at 11-months-of-age.
“Another nice modern heifer, very correct throughout, with a promising future ahead of her,” added the judge.
The junior champion was James Alexander’s Jalex Troublemaker. He was born in October 2022 and is by the herd’s stock bull Brookland Poet.
Standing in reserve was the yearling heifer Johnstown Toffee shown by Niall Forsythe, and father Keith, Ballybrick Herd, Banbridge. A daughter of the 2014 Balmoral reserve interbreed champion Jalex Itsallgood, she was purchased privately last year from Chris Johnston, Fivemiletown, and was junior and supreme champion at the Rising Stars Calf Show in March.
The reserve senior champion was the December 2021 Deerpark Shakira bred by brothers Conor and Ryan Mulholland, Aghalee. She has notched up an array of awards on this year’s show circuit, and is a daughter of the 42,000gns Wilodge Vantastic. Her dam is the home-bred Deerpark Missmoneypenny, herself a consistent show winner.
Claiming the reserve male championship was the sixteen-month-old bull Drumhilla Thor bred by Gareth Corrie, Newtownards. Sired by Ampertaine Eglin, his dam is Ampertaine Lucia.
Gareth Corrie also exhibited the calf champion Drumhilla Umpire. This six-month-old bull calf is by the 35,000gns Carlisle champion Ampertaine Majestic, and bred from Haltcliffe Raquel.
The reserve calf champion was Rathkeeland Units, a five-month-old heifer by the 50,000gns Carlisle supremo Wilodge Cerberus. His dam is the home-bred Rathkeeland Premier.
“These young calves are full of potential. They are well-grown and display great width and breed character,”said the judge.
The commercial championship went to Zeus, a 2023-born steer exhibited by Fergal Gormley from Claudy; while the runner-up was the 2023-born heifer Sassy brought out by Ivan Lynn and Sons, Armoy.
Michael Burns concluded: “These young cross-bred calves were in good condition and shown to perfection. They are of similar type, and really caught my eye.”
The NI Limousin Cattle Club is indebted to its sponsors, without whom the National Show would not be possible. Sponsors include: AI Services (NI) Ltd, Beatty Fuel and Farm Supplies, Bull Bank, Firmount Vets, Greenmount Country Stores, JA McClelland and Sons, Masons Animal Feeds, M-Tec Engineering, Farm Compare, NFU Crumlin, Nugent Engineering and Origin Enterprises.
Results from the showring….
Classes
Bull calf, born on or after 01/01/23 – 1, Gareth Corrie, Drumhilla Umpire by Ampertaine Majestic; 2, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Utah by Gunnerfleet Lion; 3, William Donaghy, Crushybracken Unrivalled by Idalgop; 4, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland United by Cloughhead President; 5, Thomas McAreavey, Ballinderry Uno by Ironstone Gandi.
Heifer calf, born on or after 01/01/23 – 1, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Units by Wilodge Cerberus; 2, J & A Callion, Ashhollow Uzerche by Attila.
Bull, born between 01/07/22 and 31/12/22 – 1, James Alexander, Jalex Troublemaker by Brookland Poet; 2, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Tigerking by Gunnerfleet Lion; 3, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Thelionking by Sauvignon.
Heifer, born between 01/07/23 and 31/12/22 – 1, Keith and Niall Forsythe, Johnstown Toffee by Jalex Itsallgood; 2, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Troy by Gunnerfleet Lion; 3, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Thelioness by Sauvignon.
Bull, born between 01/02/22 and 30/06/22 – 1, James Alexander, Jalex Transform by Huntershall Nutcracker; 2, Gareth Corrie, Drumhilla Thor by Ampertaine Elgin; 3, Robert Clyde, Clydevalley Toby by Clydevalley Power.
Heifer, born between 01/02/22 and 30/06/22 – 1, Trevor Shields, Glenmarshal Tiamaria by Ampertaine Elgin; 2, Francis McAuley, Carmorn Tigerlilly by Bernish Memphis.
Heifer, maiden or in-calf, between 18 and 24 months-old – 1, Trevor Shields, Dinmore Sensation by Meadowrig Pedro; 2, Conor & Ryan Mulholland, Deerpark Shakira by Wilodge Vantastic; 3, Conor & Ryan Mulholland, Deerpark Scarlett by Wilodge Vantastic; 4, Brian O’Hare, Sheehills Stella by Gerrygulliane Glen; 5, Robert Clyde, Moneydarragh Summer by Ampertaine Elgin.
Calved female, over two-years-old – 1, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Premier by Haltcliffe Nijinsky; 2, J & A Callion, Melbreak Nassiet by Trueman Jagger; 3, Thomas McAreavey, Scorboro Reggae by Fenomen; 4, David Lester, Tullyglush Millie; 5, William Donaghy, Trueman Orianthi by Craigatoke Jack.
Young stock bull, born between 01/08/22 and 31/02/22 – 1, Trevor Shields, Carrickmore Schumacher by Sympa; 2, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Tommy by Westpit Omaha.
Senior stock bull over two-years-old – 1, Crawford Bros, Haltcliffe Nijinsky by Ampertaine Foreman.
Commercial classes
Steer, born in 2023 – 1, Fergal Gormley, Zeus; 2, Gareth Corrie, American Idol; 3, Robert Millar, Black Max.
Heifer, born in 2023 – 1, Ivan Lynn & Sons, Sassy; 2, Gareth Corrie, Pop Idol; 3, Ivan Lynn & Sons, Gossip Girl.
Steer, born in 2022 – 1, James Alexander, Bossman; 2, Robert Millar, Black Magic.
Heifer, born in 2022 – 1, K & J Tumilty, Monteith Red Lady; 2, James Alexander, Bestie; 3, Gareth Corrie, You Go Girl; 4, Brian O’Hare, Tullymore Annie; 5, Robert Workman, Bubbalicious.
Randox Antrim Show sponsor Thomas McIlroy, RTU, congratulates Conor Mulholland, on winning the interbreed beef heifer derby with Deerpark Shakira. Picture: Kathryn Shaw, Agri-Images
