A bustling ringside for day two of the 154th Balmoral Show saw huge crowds attracted to the cattle lawns for the highly contested commercial cattle classes.
With lots of top-quality entries from 30 exhibitors north and south, judge Andrew Marsden had a very difficult task.
Taking the top spot was James Alexander from the well-known Jalex herd, with his two-year-old Belgian Blue-cross-Limousin heifer.
The stylish black heifer caught the eye of the judge after marching her way from the over-600kg heifer under-30-month class and the overall female championship before being crowned the 2023 Balmoral supreme commercial champion.
Next up it was another cracking day for Co Clare breeder Donal Moloney when his January 2022-born heifer was tapped out as the reserve overall commercial champion.
Coco was another stylish black Limousin-cross heifer sired by TVR and became part of the Moloney’s Ardnacrusha Limousin team after being selected by Donal, who won the €10,000 Mega Moo draw at the Irish Limousin Cattle Society 50th anniversary show and sale in Carrick-on-Shannon. The 14-month-old TVR-sired heifer was bred by Eoghan Breslin from Co Donegal.
Class winners
Winning the under-500kg commercial heifer class was Brian O’Hare with his January 2022-born heifer Tullymore Annie.
Placing second in that class was JCB Commercials, with a Limousin-cross heifer You Go Girl. The April 2022-born heifer was bred by Pearse McNamee and was purchased by JCB Commercials at the Carrick-on-Shannon Winter Fair in November 2022.
Third in this class was Stephen Williamson, with his Limousin-cross heifer Esme, which was born in March 2022.
Second place to Donal Moloney's Coco in the 500kg to 600kg heifer class was JCB Commercials, with their yearling heifer I Aint Worried, which was bred by Gene McCann and which was also purchased in Carrick-on-Shannon at the Winter Fair.
Top of the class
In the over-600kg heifer class, it was team Jalex which scooped first, second and third prizes.
First went to the champion Bootiecall, second went to yearling heifer Bestie and third was picked up by January 2021-born heifer Bae.
In the bullock classes, the bullock weighing under 500kg class was won by Shauna Killen, with her Belgian Blue-cross bullock Tyson Fury.
Second in this class went to H and R McCracken, with their May 2022-born bullock Dark Star and third place went to B and S Hall, with their August 2022-born bullock Ranger.
Finally, in the heavy bullock class open to bullocks weighing over 600kg, it was James Alexander who scooped the top spot again, with his March 2022-born bullock Boss Man.
He was followed by Robert Miller in second with Black Magic and, finally, third place was awarded to Mark Reid with his February 2022-born bullock Tyson.
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