Exhibitor bred trumps the competition at Royal Ulster Premier Beef & Lamb Championships

As their exceptional Charolais heifer Shaboozey was crowned the winner of the new Bred & Fed Championship and the Supreme Championship, there was no doubt on the night their victory was down to the planning, hard work and time that her owners invested in preparing her for showing.

Sired by Fury Action with a British Blue Cross dam, the impressive animal weighing 588kg was secured by MDC Commercials of Gleneely, Co Donegal for £18,000 in the evening sale.

The Bred & Fed Championship and new Rodgers Family Perpetual Cup were introduced this year by the event’s committee to recognise and celebrate the highest placed exhibitor bred animal from each of the cattle sections.

Geoffrey Rodgers, a member of the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society’s Beef & Lamb Committee whose family kindly donated the new trophy said: “We are over the moon that the first animal to win the Rodgers Family Perpetual Cup was the overall champion Shaboozey.

"Our aim behind introducing this new class was not only to showcase the hard work and determination that goes into prepping an animal ahead of showing but to encourage other breeders to exhibit their own produce.

"Getting ready for a show like the Beef & Lamb Championships can include every detail from breeding to calving and feeding to clipping the animal in the run up to the event.

"It was encouraging to see the number of home-bred animals that went on to gain championship titles at this year’s Show and we hope to see this increasing in the years to come.

"Our family have been breeding and showing pedigree and commercial cattle for over 42 years. Being at the top of the line and becoming the champion is an amazing feeling but even better when you have bred the animal yourself. For that we congratulate the Callaghan family in being the first to be awarded this exciting and rewarding title”.

Commenting on their success at the Show and their award-winning heifer, Arthur Callaghan said: “To win the RJ Allam’s cup has been a lifetime ambition for our family. To get your name on this cup with any animal either bought or bred is a huge achievement, but to also be the first recipient of the Rodgers Family Perpetual Cup is an immense honour.

"We made the decision a number of years ago to try to breed our own show cattle and to win this event with a home-bred animal is the icing on the cake.

"We would like to thank both the RUAS and the Rodgers family for recognising the planning and dedication that went into maximising the potential of our home bred stock”.

To view the full results, top prices and photos from the 2024 Royal Ulster Premier Beef & Lamb Championships please visit www.beefandlamb.org.uk.