Proven stock lead at Balmoral
PROVEN BREEDING stock dominated the championships at last week’s Balmoral Show, with three of the four section championships going to animals with a proven breeding history.
Leading the way among these was the eighth lactation Holstein Medway Supreme Maude from the Bangor, Co Down-based McCormick family. Maude, who has given more than 130,000kg in her lifetime, took both the breed honours and the interbreed ticket in this, her 13th year.
Her seventh lactation saw Maude give 15,002kg in 305 days at 3.4% butterfat and 3.13% protein, she is predicted to give 12,788kg in this lactation. Bought in 1993 for 3200gns this is likely to be her last year milking, reckoned John McCormick.
Longevity pays…..Despite being 13 years old Medway Supreme Maude was still fresh enough to win the interbreed dairy title at Balmoral.
Standing below Maude in the interbreed line up was the Jersey champion, Potterswall Councillors Lady from the Fleming family. Lady, who is currently giving 37kg a day in her second lactation, gave 4733kg in her first at 5.6% butterfat and 4.06% protein.
Among the beef breeds it was the Limousin champion, Millbrook R2K from William Campbell, who clinched top honours ahead of the Aberdeen Angus champion from Bernard Mairs.
Five year old R2K is by French sire Festin and out of Milbrook Monique. Currently the main herd sire for Mr Campbell’s 25-cow herd R2K is proving his worth, with his first son and daughter selling at 8000gns at Perth and Carlisle, respectively.
Limmy leader and interbreed winner was Millbrook R2K from William Campbell.
The Angus champion was Huxton Blackbird which Mr Mairs bought last autumn as an in-calf heifer from John Elliot for 12,000gns. Three year old Blackbird was shown with her March born heifer calf at foot.
Mr Mairs also had success in the Limousin lines where his 1996 born cow, Ronick Money bred in the Stirling-based Ronick herd, stood reserve breed champion to R2K.
In the commercial beef classes it was a double celebration for the Co Fermanagh-based Law family as their entries scooped both champion and reserve champion awards. Champion ticket was taken by their Limousin x Belgian Blue steer Carn Knight, while their Charolais cross Belgian Blue heifer by noted sire Donally New stood reserve.
Commercial beef champion was Carn Knight from the Law family.
Among the sheep entries it was an outstanding Texel ewe from John Currie which took top honours in the overall interbreed competition, having stood champion in the Wednesday sheep championship ahead of the Charollais champion from Diane Christie.
The ewe, from the Currie family’s Ballymena-based flock, is by Cardow His Highness and out of a homebred ewe. Judge Hugh Guthrie, who had the challenge of judging the overall awards on both days said the ewe made his job easy. “She’s an exceptional sheep, incredibly well balanced and a perfect example of the breed.”
Standing reserve in the overall championship was the Friday champion, a Rouge De L’Ouest shearling ewe from Michael Graham. This ewe from Mr Graham’s 30-ewe flock is by Broadwood Aristocrat and out of a homebred ewe. She stood reserve breed champion at Balmoral last year as a ewe lamb.
In the pig classes, it was a triumph for the traditional breeds, with Eileen Fairley’s British Saddleback gilt clinching the interbreed title ahead of Trevor Shield’s Large White champion, a homebred gilt.
RESULTS
BEEF CATTLE
INTERBREED W Campbell’s Limousin bull Milbrook R2K; res, D B Mairs Aberdeen Angus heifer with calf at foot Huxton Blackbird.
Interbreed Pairs Blonde; res, Limousin.
Interbreed Beef Group Limousin; res, Charolais.
Aberdeen Angus D B Mairs Aberdeen Angus heifer with calf at foot Huxton Blackbird; res, J and A Henning’s heifer Drumcorn Elast.
Hereford J McCordie’s heifer Solpoll 1 Dainty; res, D R Wilson’s bull Lisrace Liberator IV.
Charolais F Reid’s bull Royal R I; res, B McAllister and Son’s heifer Burnside Ulsterlady.
Simmental J Wilson’s cow Ballinalare Farm Money Penny; res, P Kelly’s bull Raceview Nigel.
Limousin W Campbell’s bull Milbrook R2K; res, D B Mairs’ cow Ronick Money.
British Blonde Hillhead Blondes’ cow Hillhead Tracey; res, Drumraymond Blondes’ heifer Drumraymond Utah.
Belgian Blue A Craig’s cow Woodview Sue; res, Martin Bros’ cow Springhill Utility.
Salers J and E A Elliot’s cow Fisher Valise 962; res, J and E A Elliot’s bull Precieux.
Commercial beef R Law’s Limousin cross steer Carn Knight; res, R Law’s Charolais cross heifer Carn Silver.
Bull Interbreed Performance G J Crawford’s Charolais Coolnaslee Valetta; res, Z Chestnutt’s Belgian Blue Clouhger Wonderboy.
DAIRY CATTLE
Interbreed S McCormick’s Holstein cow Medway Supreme Maude; res, Fleming Family’s cow Potterswalls Councillors Lady.
Interbreed Pairs Jersey; res, Holstein.
Interbreed Group Holstein; res, Jersey.
Ayrshire J W Suffern’s cow Ravenhill Ethel 318; res, J and M Hunter’s cow Low Barnultoch Lady Jane 10.
Jersey Fleming Family’s cow Potterswall Councillors Lady; res, Clanderboye Estate’s heifer Clanderboye LS Marbel.
Holstein S McCormick’s cow Medway Supreme Maude; res, Messrs McCormick, O’Neill and Montgomery’s cow Blacksnape Aeroline Appel Jet.
SHEEP
INTERBREED J K Currie’s Texel ewe; res, M and A Graham’s Rouge De L’Ouest shearling ewe.
Interbreed Pairs Suffolk; res, Charollais.
Wedneday Interbreed J K Currie’s Texel ewe; res, D Christie’s Charollais ram.
Friday Interbreed M and A Graham’s Rouge De L’Ouest; res, W and T Bell’s Blue Faced Leicester.
Border Leicester Dr T Horner’s shearling ewe; res, Dr T Horner’s ram.
Suffolk J H Stewart’s ewe; res, W Tait’s ram lamb.
Texel J K Currie’s ewe; res, J K Currie’s ram lamb.
Ile De France M Anzett’s ram; res, D Mulligan’s shearling ram.
Blue Faced Leicester W and T Bell’s shearling ewe; res, McCormick Brothers’ ewe.
Blackface R Crawford’s shearling ram; res, R Crawford’s ram.
Greyface Graham and Knox’s ewe; res, Graham and Knox’s shearling ewe.
Hampshire Down S J Robinson’s shearling ewe; res, J and M McCauley’s ram lamb.
North Country Cheviot S Armstrong’s ewe; res, N A J Robinson’s ram.
Dorset Horn and Poll S and W Carson’s ewe; res, R Hill’s shearling ewe.
Rouge De L’Ouest M and A Graham’s shearling ewe; res, M Hamilton’s ewe lamb.
Charollais Diane Christie’s ram; res, J Aiken’s ewe.
Beltex B McAllister’s ewe; res, B McQuaid’s shearling ram.
Kerry Hill J McClintock’s ram; res, J Barr’s ewe.
Rare Breeds N Spur’s Shropshire shearling ram; res, J Riseborough’s Ryeland shearling ewe.
PIGS
Interbreed E Fairley’s Saddleback junior gilt; res, T Shields’ Large White junior gilt.
Large White T Shields’ junior gilt; res, A E Martin’s junior gilt.
Landrace T Shields’ junior gilt; res, T Shields’ junior boar.
Traditional Breeds E Fairley’s Saddleback junior gilt; res, S Smyth’s Gloucester Old Spot junior boar.
Pairs A E Martin Large Whites; res, T Shields’ Large Whites.
Pork Pig T Shields’ Landrace gilt; res, A E Martin’s Large White gilt.