Situated in Gosford Forest Park, Armagh County Show played host to a sensational display of livestock on Saturday 13 June. Both the Northern Ireland Hereford and Angus Cattle Associations held their National Summer Shows at the event, with over 1,200 entries of sheep competing for six national championships in the Sheep rings.

Continuing her outstanding winning streak in the cattle rings was the super Limousin cow Rathkeeland Tendresse, who was shown alongside her heifer calf, Rathkeeland Blossom.

Brought out by the Crawford family from Maguiresbridge in Co Fermanagh, this January 2022-born cow was following on from her interbreed triumphs at Ballymena and Lurgan Shows.

A daughter of Westpit Omaha, Tendresse’s mother Larkhill India is sired by the great Ampertaine Elgin, while the six-month-old Blossom is out of Norman Ely.

No stranger to success, having been awarded show animal of the year as a heifer in 2024, Tendresse was tapped out by judge Geoffrey Rodgers as overall champion Limousin, before getting the nod for supreme beef interbreed champion of the show by Scottish judge Raymond Irvine.

Ballinalare Farm Ultron, shown by Alan Wilson, with judge Robin Boyd, was champion Charolais and reserve supreme beef interbreed champion. \ Bo Davidson

Sessiagh 1 Billie Ray (P) ET was supreme champion Hereford. \ Kathryn Shaw

Charolais

Having won the supreme champion Charolais and reserve beef interbreed champion at Balmoral in May, Ballinalare Farm Ultron continued in that vein of form on Saturday, clinching the champion Charolais and reserve supreme beef interbreed championship.

Exhibited by the Wilson family from Co Down, this senior bull is sired by the Wilson’s 2015 joint purchase, the 50,000gns Balthayock Justice, while his dam, Ballinlare Isis, is a daughter of Goldies Carnival.

Hereford National

Without doubt the most competitive classes took place in the Hereford ring, as the Northern Ireland Hereford Breeders National Show took centre stage, with over 60 Hereford cattle battling it out across 15 classes.

Coming out on top here was Sessiagh 1 Billie Ray (P) ET, much to the delight of her owner, Nathaniel Shaw. Just over two years old, this stylish soft-fleshed heifer is a daughter of Dendor 1 Kohinoor (P) and Graceland 1 Nicola (P).

Not only did she attain the overall female championship, she was also crowned overall national champion Hereford by judge Caroline Davies.

Standing next her in reserve position was the overall male champion Hereford, Lusky 1 Cornelius (P), exhibited by John and Owen Gill from Co Down. Sired by Lusky 1 Van Dyke, his dam Lusky 1 Wanda is out of Peartree 1 Gordon (P).

Like the champion, this July 2024-born bull is fully polled.

Down breeder Graeme Donaghy accomplished the double in the Angus ring, winning champion and reserve in the Northern Ireland Association’s National Summer event.

Mark Priestley's shearling ewe, Limestone Posh Spice, was overall champion Suffolk and supreme sheep interbreed champion. \ Alfie Shaw

Reserve overall champion

Leading from the front was Lisnavaragh Lady Eve B233, a 15-month-old heifer sired by Kiltariff Lord Tucker and out of Lisduff Vallie.

Judge Graeme Massie, who travelled over from Scotland, then picked out her stablemate, Lisnavaragh Education B325, as reserve overall champion. Again sired by the herd’s stock bull, Kiltariff Lord Tucker, this yearling bull’s mother is Dartrey Eleanor.

Commercial champion

Conor McVeigh ruled the roost in the commercial ring, going away with the supreme championship for Miss Dior, before she teamed up with Kim K to win the award for the best pair of commercial animals.

Purchased at the Winter Fair in Carrick-on-Shannon in 2025 from Frank Glynn, Miss Dior is a daughter of the exceptional show calf producer Claddagh McCabe.

Supreme dairy champion, Slatabogie Energy Twine, exhibited by Alan Paul and family with Judge Martin Millar and Albert McCarragher from Fane Valley Feeds, sponsors.

Dairy interbreed

Clinching the dairy interbreed championship was the Paul family from Maghera in Co Derry with their incredible Holstein heifer Slatabogie Energy Twine.

Born in April 2024, this Blondin Energy HMWF daughter is out of Moree Fever Twine. She was followed up by David Simpson’s Holstein cow, Damm Impression Beth 2, who took reserve under judge Martin Millar.

A daughter of Monument Impression, this 2020-born cow in milk is out of Damm Octane Beth.

Priestley power

It proved a remarkable day out for Mark Priestley in the sheep section, winning champion Suffolk and supreme Sheep interbreed champion with his Shearling Ewe, Limestone Posh Spice.

A daughter of Malinhead Cannonball, her mother was National champion in 2024. This is Mark’s fifth National title in a row and fourth interbreed championship in five years at the same venue.