Young people carry the day at Ballymoney Show 2025
Young people had an all-embracing and positive impact on Ballymoney Show 2025. This is according to Keith Campbell, who judged the sheep classes at this year’s North Antrim event.
“The turnout of young handlers and breeders has been tremendous. Boys and girls as young as four years-of age were coming in to the show rings with their lambs: it was great to see. I know that some people point to the challenge a somewhat ageing farmer population.
“But on the basis of what I have seen here today, the future of livestock farming in Northern Ireland is in very safe hands.”
The Argyll man manages flocks of Crossing Blue Faced Leicester, Texel, Blackface and Mule ewes.
He further explained: “All lambs are brought through to finishing weights. There is one exception to this principle: significant numbers of my Mule ewe lambs, are sold off as flock replacements to other
breeders."
Just over 800 sheep were entered for Ballymoney Show 2025. The inter breed championship was awarded to Jack Gault, from Ballyclare in Co Antrim with an eye-catching Texel gimmer.
There are 30 pedigree females in the Gault flock: the prize-winning young ewe will be retained for breeding.
Keith Campbell described his champion as a young sheep with tremendous breeding potential.
He added: “She has a tremendous carcass, excellent mobility and lots of breed type.”
The Supreme Cattle Championship at Ballymoney Show 2025 was won by the father and son team, Victor and David Chestnutt, from Bushmills in Co Antrim with their immense Charolais bull: Ballynabreen Tyson.
Prior to stepping into the ring for the final class of the day, he had won the Show’s beef Inter-Breed Championship.
Judge John Moore described his champion as a tremendous example of a modern Charolais bull.
He commented: “The animal has tremendous scope, size and breed character. But what impressed me most of all was his excellent mobility.
“And this trait is extremely important if a bull is expected to cover a significant number of cows in all conditions throughout a normal breeding season.”
But it was a close run thing. The Charolais bull came up against stiff competition from the Inter-Breed dairy champion at Ballymoney Show 2025: Mostragee Vinny Lauren VG 87.
She calved for the first time last October and is currently giving 42 litres of milk per day. The young cow was exhibited by Mark Henry, who manages the 200-strong Mostragee herd with his father Tom. They hail from Stranocum in North Co Antrim.
Lauren was the intermediate champion at the 2024 Royal Ulster Winter Fair. She is due to calve for the second time in October.
But this year’s Ballymoney Show wasn’t all about pedigree breeding. One of the most eye-catching animals taking part in this year’s event was the Beef Inter Breed reserve: a truly eye catching Limousin cross heifer, exhibited by Robert Miller from Moneymore.
John Moore described his selection as having all the attributes of an elite beef animal.