THE annual NI Limousin Championship was held on Saturday, July 23, at Randox Antrim Show in the beautiful setting of Shanes Castle Est-ate, Antrim.
This year the Limousin judging was in the very capable hands of Karol Connell from the Carrickmore herd, County Meath, who had this to say when the judging was finished: “The Overall Champion is a great female, very feminine with a super head and good top. She carries herself well and has good locomotion. Overall there has been a very good show of cattle here today, especially at the top end, they would stand out anywhere in the British Isles.”
With a catalogued entry of 27 Limousins, local breeders and show spectators looked on as the judging got underway at 9.30am. Fortunately, the weather was favourable despite the forecast and this attracted large crowds to the show after an absence of three years.
The Overall Champion, Female Champion and Intermediate Champ-ion was Deerpark Saffron, bred by Connor and Ryan Mulholland, Aghalee, County Armagh. Born February 2021, Saffron is by Gerrygullinane Glen and out of the homebred dam Deerpark Masie, who won this championship in 2018 and went on to lift the award Limousin Show Champion of 2018 on prize night that year.
As well as winning Overall Limousin Champion, Saffron stood top of the line against heifers from all breeds in the Beef Derby class later in the day and was also crowned Beef Interbreed Champion. She was awarded the Clyde Per-petual Challenge Cup by Antrim Agricultural Show Society and will be presented with the Bridgeford Saskia Perpetual Trophy for Female Champion Limousin by the NI Limousin Cattle Club on prize night.
These wins are just a few of many for Saffron so far this year, having also won Champion Limousin at Omagh and Ballymena, Reserve Champion Limousin at Lurgan and Beef Interbreed Heifer 2021 born at Castlewellan.
Rathkeeland Tenddresse, bred and
exhibited by Crawford Brothers, Maguiresbridge, took Reserve Over-
all Champion, Reserve Female Champion and Calf Champion titles. This January 2022 born heifer calf is by Westpit Omaha and out of the dam Larkhill India, an Ampertaine Elgin daughter.
Tenddresse has also picked up other wins on the show circuit this year, Reserve Champion Limousin at Armagh and Omagh, Champion Intermediate Calf at Armagh and Champion Intermediate Heifer, an ABP award, at Omagh.
Male Champion and Reserve Senior Champion was Knockcroghery Scat-
daddy, exhibited by James Alex-
ander, Randalstown. This January
2021 born bull is sired by Derry-gullinane Kingbull and out of the dam Knockcroghery Kardashian, a Lowerffrydd Empire daughter. Scatdaddy also wins the Derriaghy Perpetual Trophy, which will be presented by the NI Limousin Cattle Club on prize night.
Stephen Crawford’s winning team were in the prizes again when Rathkeeland Tommy won Reserve Male Champion and Reserve Calf Champion. Born January 2022, Tommy is sired by Westpit Omaha and out of the dam Larkhill India.
The Junior Champion was Birch-wood Superb, home bred by M & R McGurk, Cookstown.
This August 2021 born bull is sired by Lodge Hamlet and out of an Ampertaine Elgin daughter Woodroad Missie.
Reserve Junior Champion was the September 2021 born heifer Baileys Sofia, exhibited by Jack Hunter, Larne. Sofia is sired by Ampertaine Nugent and out of the dam Baileys Flora.
Reserve Intermediate Champion was Jalex Shapley, home bred by James Alexander, Randalstown. Born
May 2021, Shapley is sired by Brooklands Ken and out of the dam Artnagullion Jantoush.
Senior Champion was Glenrock Inclusive, exhibited by D G Green & Sons, Lisburn. Born November 2013, Inclusive is by the Nenuphar son Bremore Artist and out of the renowned Glenrock Spangle. No stranger to the show ring, Inclusive was Overall Reserve Champion at Balmoral Show in May this year, Champion Limousin at this event in 2017 and Balmoral Champion Limousin in 2016.
The Limousin Commercial Champ-ionship, for heifers and steers sired by a Limousin bull, took place after the pedigree judging. Winning Com-mercial Champion was Whitney, a Lodge Hamlet daughter born January 2021 from Neil Megarry, Crumlin, and Reserve Commercial Champion was Black Jack, a Carmon Cantona son born November 2021 from Robert Miller, Moneymore.
The NI Limousin Cattle Club would like to thank all those who entered for this Championship and the sponsors for their continued financial support at this annual event: AI Services (NI) Ltd, Alexander Tractors & 4x4s, A Hyde Feeds, Beatty Fuel and Farm Supplies, Bull Bank, Dovea Genetics, Elite Pedigree Genetics, Greenmount Country Stores, J A McClelland & Sons, Keenan and Nugent Engineering. Thanks also go to hosts Randox Antrim Show and judge Karol Connell.
The next event in the Limousin calendar will be the Elite Sale of pedigree Limousins on August 20 at Ballymena Livestock Mart. With 38 exceptional lots selected, 29 females and nine bulls, the pre-sale show will be judged by Craig Ridley, President of the BLCS, and will start at 11am.
The sale will follow at 1pm in the very capable hands of James Little, auctioneer from Harrison and Heth-erington.
Online bidding for this sale will be available through MartEye and sponsorship is being provided by Bank of Ireland.
This sale is being held in NI to mark the 50th anniversary of the British Limousin Cattle Society, which was founded in 1971.
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