Stockmen were out in force at last weeks Royal Ulster, Newark and Notts livestock shows.
Stylish Hillhead Tracey turns heads at Balmoral
Northern Ireland may have suffered one of its wettest springs on record, but stock seem to have thrived on it, with this year’s Balmoral Show putting on one of the finest displays seen in recent times.
Leading the way was the interbreed beef champion, Hillhead Blondes’ stylish four-year-old cow Hillhead Tracey.
Shown with her January-born bull calf at foot, Tracey is by Whistler Dollar and out of former Balmoral interbreed champion Gregors Janet.
Indeed, the last time the Rodgers family lifted the interbreed silverware in Belfast was when Tracey was shown with Janet as a cow and calf combination.
Tracey now heads to the Royal where she may take some stopping.
Standing second to Tracey in the interbreed line-up was the Charolais champion, Ballindalloch Ufo from Gilbert Crawford.
Bought out of Perth in February 2005 for 17,000gns Ufo is currently junior stockbull for Mr Crawford’s 70-cow Coolnaslee herd, which also took reserve honours in the Charolais classes with a homebred heifer, Coolnaslee Vale.
Among the sheep lines it was another interbreed win for the Suffolks, with Tom Bailey’s shearling ewe from his Dunboyne, Eire-based Glenho flock taking top honours.
By 45,000gns sire Boreland Buddha and out of a homebred ewe, this one has breeding to match her looks, with her mother a full sister to noted sires Glenho General and a half sister to Glenho Godolphin.
Next on the agenda for the Glenho contingent is the Royal Highland.
Reserve spot in the sheep lines was clinched by the Poll Dorset champion, a ram lamb from Co Antrim-based Thomas Wright.
The order was reversed though in the pairs competition, with the Poll Dorset pairing, both from Mr Wright beat off the challenge of the Glenho shearling ewe which teamed up with a shearling ram from Willie Tait’s Burnview flock.
The dairy lines, while not awash with numbers were full of quality, with the Jerseys from the Fleming and Potter families making a particularly impressive sight.
But it was the Holtein champion, Hiltara Mtoto Dawn from Sam McCormick, which stole the silverware in the individual interbreed competition.
Rated VG89 by the classifiers, third calving Dawn gave 14,299 litres in her second lactation and is predicted to give more than 14,500 litres this time round.
Making the grade in reserve place was the Jersey champion from the Fleming family.
First calving heifer Karnvaston Just Waite Magic, is currently giving more than 25 litres a day, just one month into her lactation.
Among the pigs regular winner Trevor Shields had to settle for second spot, when the red, white and blue rosette was won by Anthony Martin’s junior Large White boar.
Double win for Donnelly at Newark
A great bodied cow with fantastic breed characteristics is how judge Richard Rettie described his chosen Newark and Notts beef interbreed champion, the Simmental cow Atlow Valentine from David Donnelly.
With just eight cows in his Derbyshire-based herd, Mr Donnelly is no stranger to the show ring with Valentine, having taken interbreed top spot two years ago at the show.
The fifth calver was shown with her two-month-old bull calf at foot, sired by Craighill Number One.
Taking reserve interbreed spot and male champion were David and Mary Cormack with their two-year-old Irish-bred Limousin bull, Greenhill Viper.
With French genetics on both sides, Viper is sired by Nenuphar and out of Nana.
The Cormack’s had further success in the interbreed ring, taking reserve male champion ticket with their homebred Galloway yearling bull, Newstart Abernethy.
In the strong commercial section, regular show goer Neil Slack made the journey down from Cumbria to take the champion ticket with his 11-month-old Limousin cross steer Chicago Joe, weighing 520kg.
In reserve were Mike and Jean Dickens’ from Milton Keynes with their Limousin cross steer Mr Mate, who was successfully shown last year as a calf.
Another previous Newark Show winner graced the dairy championship line-up in the form of Phillip Rhodes and his Holstein cow Bilsthorpe Sue 23, winning for the second year running.
A fourth calver, Sue is currently giving 61kg a day at 4.56% fat and 3.18% protein.
Standing a close reserve was the Hull-based Heath family with their third calver Jersey champion exhibit, Ravenfield Jess 9.
In the sheep rings it was turn of Derek and Jean Ritchie from Brigstock, Kettering to take top spot with their home-bred Hampshire Down ram lamb, sired by Yarcombe Warrior.
And fresh from a Continental champion win at Leicester Show, Tom and Ruth Mawer from Grantham, Lincolnshire, took reserve interbreed champion with their two-year-old Texel ram Loxley King Kong, bought last year from Bakewell market as a lamb.
In the pig section it was no stranger to silverware Brian Upchurch, who took the interbreed title with his eight-month-old British Lop gilt Greenway Harmony 108, shown successfully by Robert Burrough.
Mr Upchurch also took home the champion pairs title.
Standing reserve to the British Lop was Carole Barr with her Saddleback gilt Coallycat Babble.
Royal Ulster show results
Beef
Interbreed Hillhead Blondes Blonde cow Hillhead Tracey; res, G Crawford’s Charolais bull Ballindalloch Ufo.
Interbreed Pairs Aberdeen Angus; res, Charolais.
Interbreed Group Charolais; res, Aberdeen Angus.
Aberdeen Angus J Porter’s bull Haymount Wessuro; res, J Porter’s heifer Old Glenort Katie.
Hereford J E, R I and W Haire’s bull Dolepoll 1 73J Jonathan 499; res, D Martin’s cow Lisola 1 Crocus 8.
Charolais G J Crawford’s bull Ballindalloch Ufo; res, G J Crawford’s heifer Coolnaslee Vale.
Simmental J Wilson’s Ballinlare Farm Moneypenny; res, P Kelly’s heifer Ashland Pretty Lucy.
Limousin P Smyth’s heifer Carmoizn Voney; res, D Kenwell’s heifer Ronick Voile.
Blonde d’Aquitaine Hillhead Blondes’ cow Hillhead Tracey; res, Ivaniskey Blondes’ cow Ivaniskey Ur For Me.
Belgian Blue Z Chestnutt’s cow Reinbeck Optica; res, A Craig’s bull Woodview Vantage.
Salers J and E A Elliot’s heifer Drumleigh Star; res, J and E A Elliot’s cow Cumbrian Hostess.
Commercial W McAllister’s Belgian Blue cross heifer Midget; res, S Milliken’s Belgian Blue cross heifer.
Beef Bull Interbreed T J Adams’
Limousin Fedneyhouse Alroy; res, T J Adams Limousin Fedneyhouse Axton.
Natural Blonde… Leading the way at Balmoral in the beef classes was the Blonde d’Aquitaine champion, Hillhead Tracey, from the Rodgers family.
Dairy
Interbreed S McCormack’s Holstein cow Hiltara Mtoto Dawn; res, Fleming Family’s Jersey heifer Karnvaston Just Waite Magic.
Interbreed Pairs Holstein; res, Jersey.
Interbreed Group Jersey; res, Holstein.
Ayrshire J W Suffern’s cow Ravenhill Ethel 324; res, J and M Hunter’s cow Ardmore Sunrise 26.
Jersey Fleming Family’s heifer Karnvaston Just Waite Magic; res, Clandeboye Estate’s cow Priestcar remake Bambi.
Holstein S McCormack’s Holstein cow Hiltara Mtoto Dawn; res, S McCormack’s Hiltara Gibson Betty.
Sheep
Interbreed T Bailey’s Suffolk shearling ewe; res, T Wright’s Poll Dorset ram lamb.
Interbreed Pairs Suffolk; res, Poll Dorset.
Interbreed Longwool V and D Chestnutt’s Bluefaced Leicester shearling ewe; res, Messrs Graham and Knox’s Greyface shearling ewe.
Interbreed Shortwool T Bailey’s Suffolk shearling ewe; res, T Wright’s Poll Dorset ram lamb.
Border Leicester D and L Mawhinney’s ram; res, T Horner’s shearling ewe.
Suffolk T Bailey’s shearling ewe; res, W Tait’s shearling ram.
Texel M and C Millar’s ewe; res, A and J Minnis’ shearling ewe.
Ile de France D Mulligan’s ewe; res, D Mulligan’s ram.
Bluefaced Leicester V and D Chestnutt’s shearling ewe; res, W Bell’s ewe.
Blackface H Crawford’s shearling ram; res, A J Armstrong’s ewe.
Greyface Messrs Graham and Knox’s shearling ewe; res, Messrs Graham and Knox’s ewe.
Hampshire Down J McCauley’s ram lamb; res, K and A McCarthy’s ewe lamb.
North Country Cheviot A J Robinson’s shearling ewe; res, A J Robinson’s shearling ram.
Dorset Horn and Poll T Wright’s ram lamb; res, G Henderson’s ewe lamb.
Rouge l’Ouest S J Smyth’s ram; res, J Pollock’s ewe.
Charollais D and L Mawhinney’s shearling ewe; res, G Booth’s shearling ram.
Beltex E McAllister’s shearling ewe; res, A Lecky’s ewe.
Kerryhill S McAllister’s ram lamb; res, S McAllister’s ewe.
Rare Breeds Spurr and Colville; res, J Riseborough.
Top sheep award went to Tom Bailey’s Suffolk shearling ewe from his Glenho flock. By Boreland Buddha, this one has quality breeding all the way through at Balmoral
Pigs
Interbreed A E Martin’s Large White junior boar; res, E Fairley’s Gloucester Old Spot junior gilt.
Large White A E Martin’s junior boar; res, A E Martin’s junior gilt.
Landrace T Shields’ junior gilt; res, M T C Millar’s junior gilt. T Bailey’s Suffolk shearling ewe; res, T Wright’s Poll Dorset ram lamb.
Traditional Breeds E Fairley’s Gloucester Old Spot junior gilt; res, T and M McGowan’s Gloucester Old Spot sow.
Pairs A E Martin; res, T Shields. Pork Pig M T C Millar; res, T Shields.
Newark Show Results
Beef
Interbreed D M Donnelly’s Simmental cow Atlow Valentine; res, D Comack’s Limousin bull Greenhill Viper.
Aberdeen Angus G and L Brooks’ heifer Bon Lea Petra; res, T A Johnson’s bull Yearsley Porlock.
Lincoln Red Messrs R J and E D Goodwin’s cow Holyoak Orchard 3; res, A Padfield and C P Barwood’s heifer Brambles Hot Lips.
Longhorn J W Stanley’s bull Blackbrook Lionheart; res, C T D Sutcliffe’s bull Tetford Kingpin.
Charolais J R and V A Webb’s bull Hackleton Victor; res, Brailes Livestock’s heifer Brailes Venus.
Simmental D M Donnelly’s cow Atlow Valentine; res, W R Eales and Son’s heifer Peatling Roslyn.
Limousin D Cormack’s bull Greenhill Viper; res, Smiths of Bloxham’s bull Nebo Viking.
Blonde d’Aquitaine N Barrett’s heifer Doncombe Tanaina; res, W and M Seels’ cow Burghwallis Star.
Belgian Blue W N Wanless’ cow Laurel Lodge Vicky; res, A Padfield and C P Barwood’s bull Ermite De La Grande Rose.
Hereford P T English’s bull Churchlands Estate 1 Batavia; res, Red Poll Herefords’ bull Real 1 Baldric.
British Native Breed D Cormack’s Galloway bull Newstart Abernethy; res, D Cormack’s Galloway heifer Newstart Twinkle.
Any Other Continental Breed Rigel Pedigree’s Saler bull Rigel Hector; res C Fox’s Saler Cow Manorlane Spirit.
Commercial Beef N Slack’s Limousin cross steer Chicago Joe; res, M J Dickens’ Limouisn cross steer Mr Mate.
Dairy
Interbreed P J Rhodes’ Holstein cow Bilsthorpe Sue 23; res, J F and S Heath’s Jersey cow Ravenfield Jess 9.
Dexter S Hunt’s bull Seamer Supreme Richard; res, A Raybould’s cow Moomin Jill.
Holstein P J Rhodes’ cow Bilsthorpe Sue 23; res S W Holdcroft and Sons’ cow Dovetrent Gibson Judy.
Jersey J F and S Heath’s cow Ravenfield Jess 9; res, J F and S Heath’s hefier in milk Ravenfield Judes Maple.
Doing the double… Bilsthorpe Sue 23 took the interbreed title for the second year running at Newark for Philip Rhodes.
Sheep
Interbreed D C Ritchie’s Hampshire Down ram lamb; res, T Mawer’s Texel ram.
Hampshire Down D C Ritchie’s ram lamb; res, J Birkwood’s ewe.
Texel T Mawer’s ram; res, H M and P C Longdin’s ewe.
Charollais C Sercombe’s shearling ewe; res, C W and J M Thomas’ ram.
Lincoln Longwool K M Robinson’s ram
Pure Breeds P Tait’s Rouge ram; res, D C Ritchie’s Suffolk ewe.
Pigs
Interbreed B Upchurch’s British Lop gilt Greenway Harmony 108; res, C Barr’s Saddleback gilt Coallycat Babble.
In Perfect harmony… Brian Upchurch took the Newark interbreed title with his British Lop gilt Greenway Harmony 108.