Celebrating its 30th National Show at Sunday’s Tullamore Show and FBD National Livestock Show was the Irish Simmental Cattle Society.
With over 110 animals catalogued across 14 classes, including eleven National championships, it certainly did not disappoint the packed ringside.
Judging this year’s classes and having the responsibility of tapping forward the Supreme Simmental Champion for 2026 was Jim Goldie from the Newbiemains Herd, based in Annan, Scotland. Jim has judged many prestigious events, including the Royal Welsh Show, Stirling bull sales and last judged in the south of Ireland when he presided at the Premier Sale in Roscommon in October 2016.
High praise
At the end of what was described by many cattle enthusiasts as the best display of Simmental for many years, the Scotch man picked out Jennalyn Nora Jean as the Supreme Simmental Champion for 2026. Having earlier won the National senior cow, senior female and overall female championship, the rising five-year-old cow captured a first supreme title for Lyndsey Behan, who farms alongside her husband, Garrett, in Ballyfin, Co Laois. Sired by the 22,000gns Manor Park Hansome out of the Banwy T-Rex bred cow, Jennalyn Flora Nora, this working cow was shown with her March-born bull calf at foot.
Taking the reserve supreme accolade back to Co Sligo was Ballycarra Tyson ET for upcoming young breeder Jamie Reape. This August 2025-born bull was crowned National yearling bull champion, junior male champion and overall male champion before going on to be deemed reserve supreme champion. Backed up by some of the breeds greats, sired by Curaheen Warrior, his dam is the Hillcrest Champion bred cow, Hillcrest Jacinta.
The Lucky One
Standing as reserve female champion was Raceview The Lucky One for well-known Cork breeders Peter and Marion O’Connell. This Raceview Mattie J Beauty-sired heifer clinched the National Junior Heifer Championship before going on to receive the award for reserve senior female and reserve overall female champion.
Reserve overall male honours went to the National weanling bull champion, Loughnavalley Tank ET, brought out by Peter Fagan from Mullingar in Co Westmeath. Born in October 2025, this well-bred bull is sired by the standout AI bull, Saltire Impressive, while his mother, Auroch Hillary ET, is a daughter of Raceview Misty-Jade, going back to the legendary Raceview King.
Bearna-Dhearg Titaness brought success for the O'Halloran family based in Co Tipperary, first of all securing National Weanling Heifer champion before placing as Junior Female Champion.
Pushing her all the way was the National Yearling Heifer champion, Deerview Tiffany Queen ET, exhibited by Cian Martin from Co Tipperary, going on to become reserve Junior Female Champion.
Wexford breeder Ronan Finn found fame with his heifer, Raceview Spicy Posh, purchased at the Raceview Production Sale in 2025, as she acquired the National Intermediate Heifer Championship.
Garrett and Lyndsey Behan added to their trophy collection, picking up the National Senior Heifer champion title with Clodagh Radiant Trixie, National Junior Cow champion with Clonagh Precious Gloria P and National Junior Bull champion with Clonagh Top Class, capping off another highly successful national show for the Laois-based herd.