Recently in Balmoral Show Category

Ayrshire

John W Suffern's cow, Ravenhill Ethel 404; res, J and M Hunter's heifer Ardmore Orphan 95

Shorthorn

N and R Booth's cow, Kilsally Tulip; res, Alan Irwin's heifer, Denamona Holmland Molly

Jersey

The Fleming family's cow, Potterswalls Junos Glamour; res, Clandeboyle Estate's cow, Clandeboye Rocket Mabel

Holstein

Simon and Philip Haffey's cow, Copywood Goldwyn Sara

A Charollais shearling ewe received the title of overall interbreed sheep champion on the its first outing. Owner, Diane Christie had purchased the animal as a ewe lamb at Dungannon to join her flock of 50 breeding ewes. This one is by Ballyhibben Istabraq and out of a dam by Castellau Formidable. She may be heading to some local shows later in the season.

In reserve was a Texel Shearling ewe by Mullan Playboy and out of a dam by Castle Cairn Kennedy. She is of the same family as a lamb which sold for 9,500gns at Dungannon and her great grandmother won reserve champion interbreed in 2003.

Bred and shown by Richard Henderson, 50 Clooney road, Magherafelt, she is part of a flock of 60 pure bred Texel ewes.

Jersey cow, Potterswalls Junos Glamour has just been crowned overall dairy breed champion.

This homebred Potterswalls Lord Juno daughter is out of Brenwood Top Prize Glamour and last calved at the start of February. She is from the Fleming Family, 38 Drumanaghan Road, Downpatrick, and was handled in the ring by Ashley Fleming.

Judge Iwan Morgan picked Glamour for her balanced, deep body, balanced rear udder and overall dairy strength.

Now on her fourth lactation, she is projected to give 8,000 litres. She was champion Jersey at the Balmoral last year and her half sister got interbreed champion two years ago.

The Holstein breed took the reserve spot with Copywood Goldwyn Sara from Simon and Philip Haffey, 85 Kilbergan Road, Lurgan.

 Now in her second lactation, she is giving 57 litres a day. She has previously won two reserve Holstein championship titles, with this being her first interbreed championship. This one is by Braedale Goldwyn and out of Copywood KJ Sara 2 and comes from the Haffey's herd of 120 pedigree Holsteins.

The Charolais breed has dominated in the pairs and group interbreed championships today.

In the pairs, Gilbert J Crawford, 27 Tamneymartin Road, Maghera, put forward bull Goldies Carnaval (handled by cowman Andrew Patterson) and cow Coolnasless Diane.

Carnaval is by Burradon Talisman and out of Goldies Usabelle and won Male Champion at the Balmoral last year. He is one of the farm's two stock bulls for the herd of 70 pedigree Charolais.

Diane is by Allanfauld Superscot and out of Colnaslee Pearl. She also received the cow championship title at the 2010 event.

In reserve was a Limousin pair made up of bull Keadyview Francis from Barney O'Kane and Son, Keadyview, Garvagh and heifer Millbrook Florence from William Smith, Millbrook road, Meath.

The winning Charolais group consisted of Mr Crawford's Diane and his heifer Coolnaslee Franchesca, as well as heifer, Cornascriebe Flo from Mr James Watson, Ashfield, Portadown.

The Limousins again made second place. Their group was made up of heifer Trueman Euphonium, from Trueman Limousins Altnamackin, William Smith's heifer, Millbrook Ester and bull Bremore Domino from Connell brothers, Newcastle, Oldcastle.

SHEEP

Champion and reserve champion Suffolk

Mr Gary Beacom's shearling ewe; res, Lester  Aiken's ram lamb

Champion and reserve champion Texel

R  Henderson's shearling ewe; res, Mr Thomas James Carson's ewe lamb

Champion and reserve Hampshire Down

Mr Stirling Manson's ewe lamb; res, Mr Stirling Manson's ram lamb

Champion and reserve Charollais

Mrs Diane Christie's shearling ram; res, Norman J McMordie's ewe lamb

The Suffolk champion, an aged ewe from Norman Robinson has taken the sheep interbreed title here this afternoon. This one, a daughter of 30,000gns sire Glenho Gurka is out of a dam by Fordafourie Rio and is one of 50 Suffolk ewes run by the Robinson family. The family also took the interbreed title last year with another Suffolk ewe.

Standing in reserve was the Blackface champion, a shearling ewe from Roger Crawford. She is by a £550 McCOrdie tup out of a homebred dam. Her sire is in turn by a £41,000 Woolford tup and she is one of 1150 Blackie ewes the family keep.

Reserve in the Shortwool section was the Hampshire Down champion, an aged ewe from Kevin McCarthy, with the Border Leicester champion, a shearling ewe from Samuel Agnew, reserve in the Longwool classes.

Taking the group of three championship was the Texel team.

Pics to follow....

Taking top spot in the Simmental classes here at Balmoral was David Hazelton with his heifer Ranfurly Weikel 3, this is by Hillcrest Champion out of South Park King Kong Weikel 2. Reserve to her was Harold Stubbs' bull Derrycallaghan Alan, an Omorga Regan son out of Derrycallaghan Top Girl.

In the Charolais it was a one:two for Gilbert Crawford. Top honours went to his heifer Coolnaslee Diane, an Allanfauld Superscot daughter out of Coolnaslee Pearl, while reserve was his 2007-born heifer with calf at foot Coolnaslee Countess. This is by Superscot and out of Coolnaslee Trella.

Taking top honours in the Salers was Blason a 2006-born bull from J and E A Elliot. This imported bull is by Ulsan and out of Ophelie. Reserve was George McCall with his heifer Carrick View Etiole. This is by Columbo and out of Rouselle.

Blonde champion was Hillhead Dandy from the Rodgers family. This bull is by Hillhead Clint and out of Hillhead Allison.

Reserve honours were taken by Ivaniskey Blondes with Ivaniskey Dot Com, a Doncombe Aga Khan daughter out of Fairlough Amy.

Then in the Herefords the champion was Solpoll 1 Dynamite from the McCordies, he is by Udel 1 Vindicator and out of Sollpoll 1 Dainty. Reserve here was David Wilson with his bull Lisrace Lumberjack, a Glaslough Captain son out of Drumakeenan Prettymaid.

After a long day in the beef judging rings the interbreed titles have been deccided, with the overall title going to the Limousin champion, Clonlara Valance from the Crawford Brothers. This one is a Grahams Samson daughter out of Daragh Noelle and was shown suckling her January born bull calf by Sauvignon. She was bought privately last year from Colin Hogg.

Reserve overall was the Hereford champion, Solpoll 1 Dynamite from John and William McMordie. This is a son of Udel 1 Vindicator and is out of Solpoll 1 Dainty. Semen from this homebred stock bull has already been sold to Denmark and Norway, while the McMordies are retaining Dynamite as herd sire for their 45 cow herd.

Lifting the junior interbreed honours was Limousin bull Derraighy Enfield from David Green. This is by Broadmeadows Cannon and out of Lenagh Utopia. Reserve junior champion was Gregory Donnelly's Charolais bull Beechdale Eagle. This is by Ashleigh Victor and out of Beechdale Sooty.

More breed results to follow shortly....

Here are a few more of the sheep results from judging this morning at Balmoral.

Taking the Ile de France championship was William Donaldson with an aged ram, with Samantha Robinson reserve with a shearling ewe.

In the North Country Cheviots the top ticket went to Desmond Robinson with a shearling ram and reserve was Desmond again with an aged ewe. And in the Zwartbles the champion was an aged ewe from Rachel Elder and reserve was a shearling ewe from Melvyn Dorman.

The judges have been busy in the cattle lines this morning with the Aberdeen-Angus, Limousins and British Blues all concluding judging in the last half an hour or so.

Taking the title in the Angus classes were Owen McFadden and Angela Armstrong with their bull Blelack Elijah, a Nightingale Ernie son out of Blelack Eliza. Bred by today's judge Graeme Massie, this one was placed in his class and the championship by John Young, Skerrington Mains. He cost 7000gns at Stirling last October.

Reserve Angus was the female champion Croftburn Blackbird from Taughblane Aberdeen Angus. This is a TLA Northern Samurai out of Coldstream Blackbird. This was bred by Bernard Mairs and was bought for 9000gns.

In the Limousin classes the championship went to Crawford Brothers with their cow Clonlara Valence, a Grahams Samson daughter out of Daragh Noelle. She was bred by Colin Hogg and shown with a bull calf at foot.

Reserve here was the male and overall junior champion, Derek Green's Derriaghy Enfield. This one is by Broadmeadows Cannon and out of Lenagh Utopia.

And it was a double win for Zara Chestnutt in the British Blues when she took champion and reserve honours, although Zara herself isn't present as she's busy with exams this week.

Taking the top ticket for her was Clougher Wilma, a Visronti De St Fontaine daughter out of Reinbeck Opticia. She was shown with a heifer calf at foot.

Reserve here was Zara's January 2009-born bull Clougher Email. He's by Spingbank Blackstar and out of Clougher Wendy.

More results and pictures will follow in due course........

The first day of Northern Ireland's premier show, Balmoral, has dawned chilly and bright, so far so good, the rain is scheduled to hold off all day today, so the beef judging should get done in good weather hopefully.

Today see's all the beef breed classes and the main interbreed awards judged, with sheep breed classes taking place throughout the day too. Sheep judging continues tomorrow, climaxing with the interbreed on Friday.

All dairy breed judging and the interbreed is shceduled for Friday too, so there will be plenty for you all to keep up to date with in the next three days.

Jersey cow Potterswalls Paramount Glamour, an EX96 daughter of Rockella Paramount from the Fleming family has taken the dairy interbreed championship here in Belfast at today's Balmoral Show.

This fifth calver, the highest ranked Jersey in the UK, gave 9000 litres in her last lactation at 6.2% butterfat and 4.2% protein and has a bull calf recently accepted by Genus for AI.

Reserve overall was the Holstein leader, Relough Goldwyn Danna from Malcolm McLean. She gave 9324 in her first lactation at 4.96 butterfat and 3.18 protein and calved with her second in March. Classified EX95, she is one of 280 milking cows run by the McLean family.

Commerncial cattle honours here at Balmoral Show have gone to John Killen with an August 2007 born Charolais x British Blonde heifer, Sasha Bad Girl.

Reserve was Eoin Loughran with a July 2008-born steer Laddy.

I've yet to get breed and weight details of these, but I'll update them later as I get them

The final day of this week's Balmoral Show has arrived and its a wet one, with the rain coming down in some force, in the meantime, here are a few more sheep results from judging.

In the Suffolk lines the championship went to Norman Robinson with a aged ewe, while reserve went to Tom Bailey with a shearling ewe.

Leading Hampshire Downs were J and M McCauley with a ewe lamb and reserve here went to the same exhibitors with an aged ram.

The Beltex champion was a Elizabeth McAllister with a shearling ewe, with a shearling tup from the same home standing reserve.

And in the Rare Breeds it was a win for N Spurr with a tup and reserve went to Robert McCauley with a shearling ewe.

In the Charollais it was a win for the Aiken family with their shearling ewe, with second spot going to Diane Christie with an aged tup.