By common consent, this year's inter breed dairy champion is a truly excellent cow, combining tremendous type and production.
Third calver Clandeboye Champion Willow was sired by the renowned Holstein bull Calbrett Champion. She is classified Excellent 93, which is the top classification score that can be attributed to a third calving cow and gave 11,500 litres of milk at 3.55% butterfat and 3.2% protein during her last full lactation.
"She calved exactly five months ago," confirmed Clandeboye Estate Manager Mark Logan.
"Willow is an excellent example of the Holstein breed. She won the Grand Championship at the Irish National Holstein Show this year and in 2007. She was reserve inter-breed champion at Balmoral last year."
This year's Balmoral reserve interbreed dairy champion is Potterswalls Connection Lady, a home bred Jersey Cow exhibited by the Fleming family from Seaforde in Co Down. She is a second calver and gave 6300 litres of milk at 5.97% butterfat and 4.01% protein during her first lactation.
"She calved two months ago and peaked at 40 litres per day," confirmed Ashely Fleming.
Lady is the last daughter of the double Balmoral inter breed champion Mooncrest Imperial Lady. She was sired by the Canadian bull Gipratt Belles Connection.
What was reckoned to be one of the most impressive bulls ever shown in Northern Ireland secured the unanimous verdict of the judging panel gathered to select the Marks and Spencer sponsored 'Beef Champion of Champions' class at yesterday's Balmoral Show.
The animal in question is a twenty eight month old Limousin bull- Ironstone Bomber - owned by Ballyclare farmer Tom Clyde.
"I bought the bull in Carlisle for 11,500 guineas in January and got him into Northern Ireland a few weeks ago," Tom told Farming Life.
"He is a very impressive animal. The plan is to enter him for a number of shows this summer and then put him out with the cows."
The reserve in the Champion of Champions class was a 4-year old Charolais bull - Ashleigh Victor - exhibited by Sean McGovern from Clogher in Co Tyrone. Fully mature, the animal weighed in at an impressive 1500 kilos.
"I am delighted with the result," confirmed Sean.
"The bull has just spent a number of weeks at an artificial insemination centre and has lost a fair bit of condition. That said, it has been a day to remember."