Limousin hat-trick at Balmoral

Their December 2021 heifer, Dinmore Sensation, impressed Welsh judge Rheon James to win the female and supreme overall Limousin championship on the first day of the four-day event.

Later in the week she caught the eye of Scottish Simmental breeder Stewart Stronach to secure the interbreed beef honours; and on the final show day was tapped out by Scotsman Kenny Fletcher to collect a £1,000 prize for the supreme champion of champions.

Trevor Shields has been showing pedigree pigs at Balmoral for 49 years, and established the 60-cow Glenmarshal Limousin herd three years ago. He was delighted with the heifer’s unstoppable performance in the Balmoral showring.

Dinmore Sensation is the result of an ET mating between the 20,000gns Meadowrig Pedro and the multi-award-winning show cow Dinmore Perfection. Bred by Paul Dawes from Herefordshire, she was purchased for 30,000gns as a six-month-old calf at an on-farm reduction sale in 2022.

No stranger to the limelight, Dinmore Sensation was senior, female and reserve supreme champion at the NI Limousin Club’s National Show last year. She is in-calf to the herd’s 30,000 Euros stock bull Carrickmore Schumacher, male champion at last year’s RUAS show.

Breed judge Rheon James from the 70-Cowin Herd was attracted to the heifer’s sheer style and power. “The champion led a strong class of nine heifers and really caught my eye. She has tremendous power and balance, a lovely head, and is very square, but not overdone.”

Interbreed beef judge Stewart Stronach said: "It has been an absolutely tremendous show, with some outstanding examples of the various beef breeds on parade.

“The champion is a modern heifer with great presence and superb locomotion. She is the complete package and very hard to fault.”

The reserve female and reserve overall Limousin champion was Ballygrange Tina exhibited by Jim Sloan, Kilkeel, County Down. Mr Sloan, a noted British Blue breeder, bought the heifer’s dam at a sale in Markethill Mart. This July 2022 heifer is by the 6,500gns Ballyrobin Rockstar, and bred from Knockstacken Priceless.

“This is another stylish, well-balanced and powerful heifer. She also led the way in a class with nine entries,” added Rheon James.

Claiming the junior Limousin title and junior interbreed championship was the yearling heifer Aghadolgan Udiva owned by Raymond Savage, and daughter Louise Cowan, who run a 20-cow herd at Drumahoe, County Londonderry.

This much-admired heifer was supreme champion at the NI Young Limousin Breeders’ Club Rising Stars Calf Show, held at Ballymena in March. She is the result of an embryo purchased by Louise at a charity auction. Donated by the Alford family from the Foxhillfarm Herd in Devon, the embryo was from Foxhillfarm Nadiya and the 22,000gns Gunnerfleet Lion.

“A great calf with a fantastic future ahead her,” explained Rheon James. “This heifer kicked off the first class of the day. She is very eye-catching and really stood out amongst her peers.”

Runner-up for the junior Limousin championship was the second placed Derriaghy Utopia, a June 2023 heifer bred by David Green and Sons, Lisburn. Another by Gunnerfleet Lion, she is out of the home-bred Derriaghy Utopia. The judge praised this heifer for her style, balance, and conformation.

Stephen and Herbie Crawford, Maguiresbridge, won the male championship with the home-bred Rathkeeland Toplimmymaverick. This twenty-one-month-old bull is a son of Twemlows Morpeth, and is bred from Erne Ircy.

Rheon Jones commented: "This is a real specimen of bull. He boasts serious muscle, great power of his age, and really outshone his male peers.”

Champion junior bull and reserve male champion was the eight-month-old Wastelands Upandcoming exhibited by Charlotte Martin, Dromara, County Down. An ET calf, he is by Gunnerfleet Lion and bred from Corranhill Something Special, purchased at the Irish Limousin Society’s 50th Anniversary Sale at Carrick-on-Shannon in October 2022. This calf was junior champion at the NIYLB calf show a couple of months ago, and was described by Rheon James as a super young calf with a bright future ahead of him.

Ian Davidson, Larne, won the reserve junior bull award with the home-bred Ballyrickard Ulysses. This thirteen-month-old was sired by Gleneagle Icon and is out of Ballyrickard Florence.

Results from the showring:

Specials

Broadmeadows Breeders’ Cup for the supreme champion: Trevor Shields. Reserve: Jim Sloan.

Perpetual Challenge Cup for the best Limousin: Trevor Shields.

Wm Mulligan Memorial Rose Bowl for the female champion: Trevor Shields. Reserve: Jim Sloan.

John Thompson and Sons Tankard for the champion junior heifer: Raymond Savage. Reserve: DG Green and Sons.

President’s Cup and John Thompson and Sons Tankard for the champion junior bull: Charlotte Martin. Reserve: Ian Davidson.

John Thompson and Sons Award for the overall junior champion: Raymond Savage. Reserve: DG Green and Sons.

Smyth Cup for the male champion: Crawford Bros. Reserve: Charlotte Martin.

Jim Scott Perpetual Challenge Cup for the exhibitor-bred champion: Raymond Savage.

NI Limousin Club Award for the best pair bred by exhibitor: Michael and Kile Diamond.

Herbert Lusby Memorial Perpetual Challenge Cup for the best group of three: Crawford Bros.

Classes

Heifer, born on or after 1/4/23- 1, Raymond Savage, Aghadolgan Udiva by Gunnerfleet Lion; 2, D G Green and Sons, Derriaghy Utopia by Gunnerfleet Lion; 3, Michael and Kile Diamond, Pointhouse Urspecial by Goldies Jackpot; 4, David Lester, Lesters Uptowngirl by Sauvignon.

Heifer, born between 1/1/23 and 31/3/23 – 1, Ian Davidson, Ballyrickard Unicorn by Gleneagle Icon; 2, Michael and Kile Diamond, Pointhouse Una by Foxhillfarm Jasper; 3, Keadyview Livestock, Keadyview Unique by Ampertain Elgin; 4, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Units by Wilodge Cerberus.

Heifer, in-calf or maiden, born between 1/7/22 and 31/12/22 – 1, Jim Sloan, Ballygrange Tina by Ballyrobin Rockstar; 2, Trevor Shields, Glenmarshal Theduchess by Ampertaine Elgin; 3, Robert Clyde, Clydevalley Topclass by Claddagh McCabe; 4, Michael and Kile Diamond, Pointhouse Tinkerbell by Pointhouse Paul.

Heifer in-calf, born between 1/10/21 and 30/6/22 – 1, Trevor Shields, Dinmore Sensation by Meadowrig Pedro; 2, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Tenddresse by Westpit Omaha; 3, Keadyview Livestock, Keadyview Talulla by Trueman Jagger; 4, Seamus Banniff, Tiger Lily by Telfer Munster.

Cow, born on or before 31/12/20 – 1, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Premier by Haltcliffe Nijinsky.

Bull, born on or after 1/4/23 – 1, Charlotte Martin, Wastelands Upandcoming by Gunnerfleet Lion; 2, Ian Davidson, Ballyrickard Ulysses by Gleneagle Icon; 3, Trevor Shields, Glenmarshal UFO by Carrickmore Maximus; 4, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Umbro by Haltcliffe Nijinsky.

Bull, born between 1/1/23 and 31/3/23 – 1, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland United by Cloughead President; 2, Ian Davidson, Ballyrickard Umar by Rathconville Eugene; 3, Michael Savage and Family, Boleyn Uno by Ampertaine Elgin.

Bull, born between 1/7/22 and 31/12/22 – 1, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Toplimmy Maverick by Twemlows Morpeth.

Group of three – 1, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Toplimmy Maverick, Rathkeeland Premier and Rathkeeland Tendresse; 2, Michael and Kile Diamond, Pointhouse Urspecial, Pointhouse Una and Pointhouse Tinkerbell; 3, Ian Davidson, Ballyrickard Unicorn, Ballyrickard Ulysses and Ballyrickard Umar.

Exhibitor-bred pair – 1, Michael and Kile Diamond, Pointhouse Una and Pointhouse Tinkerbell; 2, Crawford Bros, Rathkeeland Tendresse and Rathkeeland Toplimmy Maverick; 3, Ian Davidson, Ballyrickard Unicorn and Ballyrickard Ulysses; 4, Michael Savage and Family, Boleyn Treasure and Boleyn Uno.