The Royal Welsh Show 2011: Beef interbreed championship

A Limousin heifer has secured the first interbreed title of the show.

September 2008-born Ironstone Dumandy is homebred by Smiths of Bloxham, Newlands Farm, Banbury, and was handled in the ring by Andrew Bishop.

Dumandy has already won breed champion and supreme champion at this year’s Lincoln Show and follows a run of interbreed successes at the show. She also received reserve interbreed champion at last year’s Royal Welsh.

This one is by Wilodge Vantastic and out of Bailea Umandy. She is due to calve in September having been served to French bull, Teddy and is one of 500 head farmed by Smiths of Bloxham.

Judge, Jim Bloom pulled forward four breed champions from which to make his final selection. Accompanying the Limousin was the Hereford, Simmental and Charollais breed champions.

However, Mr Bloom said he had no hesitation in selecting his final two. “The Limousin is almost perfect – an outstanding heifer, They don’t come along like that very often.”

In reserve was the Hereford bull, Normonton 1 Eastern Promise from Livesey Brothers, Lowersfields Mushroom Farm, Packington – a bull Mr Bloom described as ‘a perfect example of the breed.’

Promise comes from a run of show successes this season, having won breed champion and interbreed champion at the Three Counties and Stafford Shows, reserve interbreed champion at the Highland Show and breed champion at the Great Yorkshire.

He will be heading to Burwarton Show and the National Show of Poll Hereford Cattle next.

By Normanton 1 Casa Nova and out of Normanton 1 Jews Ear, he is the main stock bull for the family’s herd of 50 pedigree cows. They currently have 35 calves sired by him on the ground. He was handled by colleagues, Will Livesey and Phil Jones.