Junior Charolais steer takes Ulster prize
By Jeremy Hunt
A JUNIOR Charolais steer from a top-drawer string shown by Dermot and Gareth Small from Kilkeel scooped the supreme ticket in a hotly contested finale at the Ulster Christmas Beef and Lamb Championships at Portadown.
The father and son team collected a fistful of prize cards with an immaculate team of cattle, but it was left to well known Glasgow-based beef stockbreeder and judge of the final line-up, Archie MacGregor, to award them the premier title.
And it could not have been a more fitting victory for the February-born Charolais steer named Highlander.
His sire is Allanfauld Vagabond, Mr MacGregors renowned sire of so many primestock champions.
The 470kg Highlander, out of a Belgian Blue cow, won a cash prize of 1200 and was bought by Carnlough butcher John OKane for 1950.
A wagon load of entries came up from Kesh with Gerald Law and notched up several good wins culminating with the shows butchers choice title.
The winner was a cross-bred Belgian Blue heifer, by the breeds AI sire Bram and out of a three-quarter-bred Limousin dam.
The heifer realised 1550 to Ivan Jackson, Ballyclare.