Balmoral 2024 belongs to Devine Bros' Brownhill Tara

Kevin was born and brought up on a west Wales dairy farm, he first ventured into beef cattle breeding at the age of 22 when he bought two pedigree Charolais heifers to establish his own herd. Originally developed as a hobby alongside his career as a carpenter and later a property developer, over the past thirty years the Moelfre Herd has developed into one of the leading Welsh Charolais herds, with up to a hundred head of cattle.

Show day can only be described as near perfect, there was a quality line-up cattle, a packed, enthusiastic, ringside, and overhead there was an occasional grey cloud, but these were frequently interspersed with sunny spells that were cheery and pleasant but not too hot, for both man and beast!

Kevin’s judging style can be compared to many of his own Country’s great rugby teams over the years, he was proactive and decisive when needed, but when faced with a more challenging class he was considered, tactical and methodical before advancing over the gain line to find his overall champion in the Devine Brothers’ March-2022, Brownhill Tara by Newhouse Bigal out of home bred Brownhill Mo. Tara earlier in the show had won her class, then went on to take the John Currie Perpetual Cup for heifers aged between 1 January 2022 and 7 July 2023. She then went on to secure the female championship before landing the coveted overall championship title.

Standing as reserve overall champion was H & H Heron’s Falleninch Sancerre born in May-2021 by Barnsford Ferny, out of Falleninch Nigella he was purchased from breeder Mr A B Hornall, Stirling, in Stirling Bull Sales February-2023 for 10,000gns. Sancerre had won his class and had also been presented with the male championship sash earlier in the day.

Reserve male champion went to Mr V J B Chesnutt & Mr R Beattie’s Crossane4 Unique ET a January-2023 imported bull bred by Eoin McGovern, Fivemilebourne, County Leitrim. Unique is a son of Goldstar Echo and was bred by a Thrunton Bonjovi dam going back to Texan Gie and Donally New (CF52). He also won the male junior championship and overall junior champion rosette.

Reserve junior male champion was Mr Patrick Gallagher’s imported Magheramore Ultan a Clenagh Lyle son out of Magheramore Olympia ET born in February-2023 and bred by Mr Michael Grant, Umrican, County Donegal.

Standing near perfect in the female line was W D & J A Connolly’s reserve female champion, Brigadoon Utopia, born in April-2023 by Newhouse Maxamus. She was also junior female champion and reserve overall junior champion.

The reserve junior female champion was H & H Heron’s, Loughriscouse Urania a February-2023 Goldies Icon daughter who as a calf had stood alongside her dam Loughriscouse Rosalva to take the Reserve Overall Champion title in Balmoral May-2023.

Winning the Orage Perpetual Challenge Cup for the Best Cow or Best Cow Heifer presented by Mrs G Orage in memory of her late husband W. Norman Orage was Loughriscouse Opium from H & H Heron, a July-2018 Whitecliffe James daughter out of Hollywell Latin. Standing reserve was W D & J A Connolly’s Brigadoon Paradise born in July-2019 by Newhouse Maxamus out of Brigadoon Lolly. The Connolly family also won the Charolais group of three animals that are the bona fide property of one exhibitor and standing reserve was H & H Heron of Loughriscouse.

On Friday (17 May 2024) Stewart Stronach (Islavale) travelled from Scotland to judge the interbreed classes at Balmoral. In the Beef Interbreed Groups he tapped out the Charolais as Reserve Interbreed Team of Three consisting of Falleninch Sancerre from H & H Heron bred by A B Hornall, Brownhill Tara from the Devine Brothers and Crossane4 Tayto from Mr Eoin McGovern. Stewart also pulled out a Charolais Cross called Gingernut from the commercial classes from the Cochrane family in third place in the Overall Beef Champion of Champions and this heifer also starred in the Young Handlers competition where Matthew Cochrane took the title as Best Overall Young Handler. Finally, to crown the 2024 Balmoral Show from a Charolais perspective, Mr Harry Heron, Loughriscouse, won the Best Beef Presentation stall.

The British Charolais Cattle Society would like to extend thanks to Kevin Thomas and his wife Sioned for venturing from West Wales to judge the classes, the various show stewards Alex Woods, Gary Hanna, Willie McIlroy, Randall Hayes, Barry Barr and everyone involved at Balmoral Show. A special thank you goes to the Northern Ireland Club and their representatives for organising the stand and running the show proceedings and in particular Robert McWilliams who built the Society show stand. They are also extremely grateful to Robert Smith and MacGregor photography for capturing this magnificent event and last, but by no means least, they would like to thank each exhibitor for such a fantastic showcase of Charolais cattle.

Class 1 Cow born before January 2021 in calf or in milk having had at least one calf: 1st - Lot 102 Loughriscourse Opium; 2nd - Lot 103 Brigadoon Paradise

Class 567 Cow or heifer in milk or in calf born in 2021: 1st - Lot 105 Loughriscouse Savanna; 2nd - Lot 107 Dreamteam Showqueen ET; 3rd - Lot 106 Brigadoon Sunrise; 4th - Lot 104 Brigadoon Serenity

Class 568 Heifer born on or after 1 January 2022 and before 30 June 2022: 1st - Lot 110 Brownhill Tara; 2nd - Lot 108 Crossane4 Tayto; 3rd - Lot 114 Coolnaslee Tiffany; 4th - Lot 111 Brigadoon Texas; 5th - Lot 113 Loughriscouse Tamara; 6th - Lot 109Drumlegagh Taliah

Class 569 Heifer born on or after 1 July 2022 and on or before 31 December 2022: 1st - Lot 118 Loughriscouse Tannisha; 2nd - Lot 116 Loughriscouse Tashara; 3rd - Lot 120 Breaghwyhill Tia ET; 4th - Lot 115 Sydenville Tallulah; 5th - Lot 119 Limkiln Tanya; 6th - Lot 121 Sydenville Truffle; 7th - Lot 122 Hillview Tara

Class 570 Heifer born on or after 1 January 2023: 1st & Junior Female Champion - Lot 126 Brigadoon Utopia; 2nd & Res. Jun. Female Champion - Lot 124 Loughriscouse Urania; 3rd - Lot 128 Brownhill Una; 4th - Lot 125 Gallaran Unique

Best Charolais Heifer for the John Currie Perpetual Challenge Cup Classes 568 - 570: Lot 110 Brownhill Tara. Reserve Heifer Champion: Lot 126 Brigadoon Utopia

Winner of the Orage Perpetual Trophy for Best Cow or Best Cow Heifer: Lot 102 Loughriscouse Opium; Reserve Lot 103 Brigadoon Paradise

Female Champion: Lot 110 Brownhill Tara

Reserve Female Champion: Lot 126 Brigadoon Utopia

Bull Class 571 Bull born before 1 January 2023: 1st - Lot 129 Falleninch Sancerre

Class 572 Bull born on or after 1 January and before 31 March 2023: 1st - Lot 130 Crossane4 Unique ET; 2nd - Lot 132 Maheramore Ultan; 3rd - Lot 131 Stranagone Uppermost; 4th - Lot 134 Brigadoon Ulsterman

Bull Class 573 Bull born on or after 1 April 2023: 1st - Lot 138 Brigadoon Ultimate; 2nd - Lot 139 Stranagone Unit ; 3rd - Lot 137 Stranagone Uber; 4th - Lot 144 Coolnaslee Upshot; 5th - Lot 142 Sydenville Unmatchab; 6th - Lot 145 Ardmachree Ultan

Junior male champion: Lot 130 - Crossane4 Unique. Balmoral 2024 Reserve Junior Male Champion: Lot 132 - Magheramore Ultan

Male Champion: Lot 129 Falleninch Sancerre. Reserve Male Champion: Lot 130 Crossane4 Unique ET

Group of Three: 1st - W D & J A Connolly; 2nd - H & H Heron; 3rd - H & H Heron; 4th - W D & J A Connolly; 5th - Mr R McWilliams; 6th - Sydenville Charolais

Overall Junior Champion: Lot 130 - Crossane4 Unique ET

Reserve Overall Junior Champion: Lot 126 - Brigadoon Utopia

Overall Breed Champion: Brownhill Tara from the Devine Brothers

Reserve Overall Champion: Falleninch Sancerre

Reserve Interbreed Group of Three: Lot 129 Falleninch Sancerre, Lot 110 Brownhill Tara, Lot 108 Crossane4 Tayto

Third Place in Beef Champion of Champions: Charolais sired Gingernut (24/07/2023) from the Cochrane Family

Best Beef Presentation Stall: Harry Heron, Loughriscouse