Solpoll triumph again at Balmoral Show

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Ballygowan’s John and William McMordie marched into the male and supreme champion positions with Solpoll 1 Wolf on its show ring debut. December 2021-born, it is an ET son of New Zealand-bred sire Otapawa Dr Jekyl 25 and being an ET brother to the 2022 NIHBA calf show champion Solpoll 1 Wolfman, it is out of Solpoll 1 Duchess N19, bred from the Duchess line at Dorepoll. It also took the red ticket in the intermediate bull class.

With the McMordies taking the double, female and reserve supreme championships were secured by Shancorpoll 1 Oll1 Uakea bred by Brian Duignan, Cavan, Ireland having been purchased as a surprise 70th birthday present for John. Born in April 2021, it is a daughter of Fabb 1 Northen Star and also won the January to June 2021 heifer class.

Having crossed the Irish Sea from its South Wales breeders, Porton House 1 Poppy 2nd also took the reserve female position. Show by Ciara Fitzpatrick, it was bred by Paul and Vicky Moyle, Gwent and purchased at 2,800gns from the autumn show and sale at Shrewsbury in 2022.

The junior and reserve male championships were won by Glenside Trillick from R and S Pogue, Benburb, Co Tyrone. By Corlismore Commander, it the first calf out of Trillick Tamara and was shown at 15 months of age, having also led the junior bull class.

Reserve to this young bull in the junior championship was another from the McMordies’ stable – this time, March 2022-born Solpoll 1 Amber W14. Sired by the 2021 Balmoral reserve male champion Solpoll 1 Real Good, it is out of a home-bred Moeskaer Upgrade daughter. The heifer was also native and reserve interbreed beef performance champion.

Elsewhere in the classes, Richmount 1 Ruby Royale from James Graham, Portadown, Co Armagh, led the senior female class at five and a half years old with its calf at-foot. An AI daughter of Irish sire Grousehallpoll 1 Premier, it is out of a home-bred Richmount 1 King Kong daughter.

The July to December 2021 born heifer class saw success for Annaghbeg Georgina 957 from Mark and Lawrence Moore, Aughnacloy, Co Tyrone having stood senior and female champion at the NIHBA calf show in November 2022. Born in December 2021 this heifer has a pedigree stacked with home-bred genetics being sired by Annaghbeg Gladiator and out of the first calver, Annaghbeg Georgina.

Ivan Haire and family were winners of the senior bull class with the six year old stock bull Dorepoll 1 639 Perfection, which carries a pedigree full of home breeding being a son of Manhatten and out of Tessa 545E, a previous Balmoral reserve female champion. Perfection’s first calf, Dorepoll 1 Sally 679, was also last year’s champion.

The progeny pair was won by John and William McMordie with Wolf and Wildfire, both sired by Otapawa Dr Jekyl. These two bulls along were part of the winning group of three from John and William McMordie.

During the week’s interbreed classes, Herberry 1 Humberto and Shancorpoll 1 Uakea stood native interbreed pairs champion. The same pair plus Porton House1 Poppy 2nd took reserve in the group of three. The last class of the week was the native team of five competition, represented by the same animals from the group of three along with Richmount 1 Ruby Royale and Dorepoll 1 Sally 679 from JE, RI and W Haire and took another reserve for the breed.

The interbreed stock judging was won by the team of Trevor Andrews, Henry Richmond, Bradley Graham and Holly Taggart with Henry Richmond placing highest individual.