The Limousin breed once again proved their merits at this years’ Northumberland County Show taking the top spot as Overall Beef Champion and Champion of Champions. Glenrock Fantastic, a September 2010 born daughter by 100,000gns Haltcliffe Vermount and out of Glenrock Spangle, was a fine example of the breed put forward by Lockerbie producer S & H Illingworth.
Winning both the Limousin champion maiden heifer and the female champion, it was a surprising win for the Illingworth family whose first year it was at Corbridge. Champion of Champions Judge Jimmy Walton commented; “A fine heifer and a tremendous example” after awarding the prize in the grand parade.
Success didn’t stop there for the Glenrock herd with their 2009 born heifer, Glenrock Elusive taking away the reserve female champion, a daughter sired by 42,000gns bull, Wilodge Vantastic. Male champion in the Limousin category was awarded to Festival, a 2010 born bull put forward by Renton and Redden which also won the senior bull class. Sired by Celestin, Festival is a well shaped, docile bull with good width about him and a great example of the Limousin breed.
Reserve Male Champion was awarded to Juries Geordie from AH Hunter & Sons, Alnwick who came first in the junior bull class. This February born bull was sired by leading Limousin Sympa, who has sired bulls such as Abracadabra which sold for 28,000 and Ampertaine Cedric which sold for 13,000.
In the Pair of animals class, it was the Illingworth’s again who took first place followed again by Renton and Redden and then AH Hunter & Sons.
Other notable successes of the day came from Mr C Chappelhow, Clifton Dykes, Cumbria with Highgrounds GeeGee which came first in the Maiden heifer under 15 months old class. Cormack McDowell Partners, Eastriggs put forward a superb 2007 born cow which took a first in Class 27: Cow having had more than one calf.
Once again the Limousin proved to be the leading beef sire in the UK taking top titles at the show proving both their pedigree and commercial worth. With 35% of the available market share, the Limousin continues to be the most prevalent sire for the UK beef industry, and this was just emphasised by the excellent line up of stock, expertly judged by Mr S Dodd of Penrith, at the Northumberland County Show.
Photographs taken by Robert Smith Photography.
