Pedigree and commercial cattle numbers were significantly up on previous years at Elphin Show, in part due to the indoor show ring and also for the €40,000 in prize money which was on offer at the 40th annual show.

Shorthorn

The Shorthorns were the first of the pedigree classes to get underway and champion here went to Portshan Flashy (RO) the property of Frank Whitney.

This January 2017 born heifer by Rockville Clohessy Dice RLW is out of a homebred dam Portshan Lise FNC.

Galway judge Tommy Staunton then tapped out Peter Gormley’s yearling heifer as his reserve.

Portshan Flashy (RO), Shorthorn champion for Frank Whitney with Judge Tommy Staunton and Paddy Farrell.

Limousin

Judge James Callion of the Melbreak herd in Co Tyrone was in charge in the Limousin ring.

This year Limousin numbers were boosted with the North West Limousin Calf Championship taking place at the show.

The calf champion title went to the young heifer sensation Carrowclogher Madonna. Jack Vahey’s extremely stylish March 2017 heifer is by Plumtree Fantastic out of dam Glebe Park Ita. To date this girl has won eight red rosettes, including the 2017 heifer calf in Tullamore.

The North West Calf Champion and Reserve Champion of the Show, a March 2017 heifer by Plumtree Fantastic out of dam Glebe Park Ita, for Jack Vahey.

Owen Hester’s Meelickaduff Honda ET continued her winning ways when she took the overall Limousin championship.

Owned by Owen Hester, Castlerea, Honda is enjoying a tremendous show season, which includes taking the supreme champion title at the National Limousin Show in Tullamore.

Jack Vahey topped off an already successful day by taking the Reserve Limousin Champion.

Meelickaduff Honda ET, Limousin champion for Owen Hester.

Angus

Shane McKiernan from Co Cavan, fresh from success himself in the All Ireland Bull Calf championships in Iverk last week, was judging in the Angus section.

He awarded the champion title to Gerard Mulligan, Dromod, Co Leitrim. This stylish heifer was also a winner in Iverk last week, where she took reserve female championship.

The reserve Angus title went to Lodgetown Poppy for Dermot and Seamus Kilcrann.

Angus champion for the Mulligan family.

Charolais

The O’Keeffes from the Grangewood herd, Co Limerick, had the job of judging the All Ireland Charolais bull and heifer calf classes.

Their bull calf champion went to Martin Clyne’s Cassina Nelson out of Mandela Veron. The female calf champion title was awarded to Jim Geoghegan’s Lisnagre Nora ET by Major out of Dam Ballydownan Simone.

Lisnagre Nora ET, female calf champion for Jim Geoghegan.

Martin Clyne’s Cassina Nelson, bull calf champion for Martin Clyne.

The male Charolais champion, Crossane Muhammad Ali went on to take the Charolais championship for the McGovern Brothers in Sligo. This June 2016 bull by CF52 is out of a Thrunton Bonjovi dam. He also went on to take Interbreed Champion of the show. Reserve went to the Crossmolina herd of Alan Woods.

Crossane Muhammad Ali, Charolais champion for the McGovern brothers, with Ann Dockery and family presenting the Mattie Dockery Cup.

Hereford

The Hereford classes again saw a large increase in numbers and the overall Hereford champion went to Padraig and Catherine McGrath from Roscommon for their May 2016 heifer Kye Ger 749, by Steil Gerard.

Kye Ger 749, Hereford champion for Padraig McGrath.

Simmental

The champion Simmental was Fairymount Genius for John Joe and Sean Carroll. This March 2015 born heifer is sired by Curaheen Wakeman out of Fairymount Violet. In reserve was Corry Jasper, a January 2017 son of Curaheen Earp son, for Edel McCawley.

Fairymount Genius, Simmental champion for Sean and John Joe Carroll.

Commercial cattle

The commercial cattle section was judged by Michael Feeney, Ballinrobe.

In the very popular unhaltered section Kieran Flatley’s TVR heifer won the All Ireland Breeding Heifer class and went on to take the unhaltered Commercial Championship of the show.

The largest class on the day, the €2,500 All Ireland Beef Heifer Championship, sponsored by Blaithin and Tony Stephenson, attracted heifers from all over Ireland. Michael Feeney awarded the champion title to Clive and Roy Stevenson for their Charolais-cross heifer by Fury Action.

All Ireland Beef Heifer Champion for Clive and Roy Stevenson.

The female class champion title went to Chris Meehan’s Lady Jane, a TVR calf out of a pedigree Belgian Blue dam. She went on to take the Commercial Championship.

This was Chris’s last day showing Lady Jane as she travelled to her new home in Donegal after the show.

Reserve commercial champion went to the All-Ireland Bull calf champion for Fergal Flanagan, Elphin. His win made it a hat-trick of winners for sire TVR.

Lady Jane, commercial champion for Chris Meehan, shown by Niamh Oliver.