Bloodlines from the south dominated some of the top accolades at last week’s 146th Balmoral show, which took place at The Maze, Lisburn. Such is the frequency of Irish genetics appearing in some shape or form in the Balmoral show ring, that they have now become serious contenders for many of the strongly-contested titles – the overall beef interbreed title being one of them.
Each year, the number of wins by southern breeders, or by southern-bred cattle, appears to be on the increase and this year was no exception with four supreme breed titles, two reserve titles, a junior title and the overall beef interbreed title having a southern connection.
For a third year in a row, William Smith, Oldcastle, took the 2014 supreme interbreed beef title with his cow, Millbrook Ginger Spice. Having lifted the prestigious title for the past two years, William returned to Balmoral last week with Ginger Spice, but this time brought her early January-born calf by Brookmill Fearless at foot. She claimed the overall Limousin title earlier in the day and then took to the ring to battle out the prestigious interbreed award, where she made it three years-in-a-row.
This is an exceptional achievement by any breeder and is, in fact, William’s fourth consecutive interbreed title. He won his first title back in 2011 with the three-year old homebred heifer Millbrook Celine, a Greensons Giglo daughter, out of the well-known cow Millbrook Ulla (she was reserve Limousin champion at Balmoral in 2009).
Now three-and-a-half-years-old, the newly crowned Balmoral champion, Millbrook Ginger Spice is a Wilodge Vantastic daughter, out of the homebred dam Millbrook Baby (a Brookmill Usefull daughter).
She has a fantastic showing record having won the overall female championship at the 2012 Limousin Derby and the 2013 supreme title at the National Limousin show in Tullamore, along with the overall interbreed titles at Balmoral for 2012, 2013 and 2014.
Staying with beef, Cork Aberdeen Angus breeder Albert de Cogan, Castlemartyr, took championship honours with his five-year-old bull, the double All Ireland champion, Rosemead Karona J957. No stranger to the show ring, this bull has a string of titles to his name both here and in England. He won the All Ireland championship on two occasions and also won the top accolade at Tullamore show. Sired by R Jeronne, he is out of the Rosemead Junior Eric D453 daughter Rosemead Karlotta F657, and was purchased privately in November 2011 from Angus Stovold, Surrey.
In the junior championship, Tom Reynolds, Carrick-on-Shannon, took the red rosette with his March 2013-born heifer, Knockadrinan Blackbird N564, a Rawburn Edge J983 daughter, out of the dam Fullam Blackbird C123.
Meanwhile in the Simmental ring, Leslie and Christopher Weatherup, Ballyclare, won the supreme overall title with their 20-month-old bull, Dermotstown Del Boy – a bull that was bred by Dublin-based breeder Chris White. Purchased privately at 11 months, he is by Kilbride Farm Newry and was the national yearling champion at the 2013 livestock show in Tullamore.
The southern influence continued in the Belgian Blue ring when Trevor Dodds’s October 2012-born heifer Timoney Garnet took the overall reserve title. Bred by Tom and Emma Lawless, Roscrea, Co Tipperary, this heifer was bought by Trevor at the October 2013 Belgian Blue premier show and sale in Roscrea for €3,550. By Empire D’Ochain, she is out of the dam, Sheehills Diamond.
Moving on to the dairy ring, Monaghan breeders David and Kenny Boyd took the double by winning the Holstein champion and reserve titles with their homebred cows, Glaslough Miss Petra EX91 and Glaslough Goldwyn Bret EX93. Both cows started the year in top showing form by taking the championship and reserve titles at the Holstein show in Moira back in March.
This was followed by the Emerald Expo in April when Miss Petra continued her winning spree by taking the reserve title and now claiming the supreme title in Balmoral last week.
At five years of age, Miss Petra is by Mr Minister and out of the homebred dam Glaslough Lyster Petal, while her herdmate, the fifth calver Glaslough Goldwyn Bret, is a daughter of Braedale Goldwyn, out of the homebred dam Glaslough MT Brenda. Incidentally, Miss Petra went one step further and took the reserve interbreed title at Balmoral. Calved in January and giving 55 litres, she is projected to produce 11,500kg. Nicely wrapping things up, both cows also claimed the dairy interbreed pairs award.
Mayo breeder tops sale
The Irish Limousin Society staged the last of its premier sales in Roscrea recently, which attracted both dairy and suckler buyers, along with some active overseas interest which resulted in five animals finding new homes in Britain.
A mixed trade saw 60% of bulls selling for an average price of almost €2,800 (down from €3,069 at the same sale last year) with a third of the bulls making in excess of €3,000.
Topping the sale at €5,000 was Crillaune Iago, a Lowerffrydd Empire son, bred by Patrick Kenny, Cunnagher Ross, Castlebar, Co Mayo. Born February 2013 to a Grahams Samson dam, this young bull has a terminal index of €137 and a replacement index of €124.
He carries a muscle score of 121 and a skeletal score of 111. The purchaser was Andrew Ewing, who was acting on behalf of a client.
In the ring, the judge Kevin Bates, stockman of the noted Haltcliffe herd of Messrs Ridley, Haltcliffe, Cumbria, awarded the senior championship title to Killonan Handsome, bred by Noel Cunneen, Scart, Ballysimon, Co Limerick.
Handsome is by Haltcliffe Dancer and out of the highly regarded multi-rosette Grahams Samson dam, Baileys Aubergine (her son Baileys Elderado bred the sale topper, Grahams Humphrey, at this year’s Limousin sale in Carlisle at £37,000). Handsome was purchased by Dan Reddan, Castletown, Co Laois, for €4,250, to run with his suckler herd.
The eye-catching 15-month-old Cnoc Rua Is-He, bred by Ciaran Smith, Redhills, sold for €4,000.
With five-star ratings in most traits including terminal, replacement, docility, carcase weight and carcase conformation, he is by Wood Road Fantastic and is out of the Roundhill Saturn daughter, Carwin Equidor. John Murtagh, Co Westmeath, was the purchaser.
Meanwhile, the junior championship went to Carwin Isac, the last bull to be offered for sale from the recently-dispersed herd of Ray Carolan, Elm Bank Drive, Co Cavan.
Isac is a 12-month-old son of Haltcliffe Dancer and is out of Carwin Elco (a Roundhill Saturn daughter). He holds a terminal index of €135 and a replacement index of €147. Multi-purchaser on the day Owain Llyr, of the Wern Herd, Ruthin, North Wales, purchased Isac for €4,000.
Tom Bailey, Coolcommon, Batterstown, Co Meath, went on to take both the junior and senior reserve championships.
Born March 2013, the junior reserve champion Baileys Irishmist, by Baileys Darwin, is out of the dam Baileys Emily and holds five-star ratings for terminal index, docility, carcase weight and carcase conformation.
Owain Llyr of the Wern Herd, Ruthin, North Wales, secured him at €3,200. Following this, Tom Bailey’s senior reserve champion, Baileys Inca, a Queenshead Altea son, was purchased by Pat Cheasty, Ballindysert, Co Waterford, for €2,600.
Other top prices:
€3,100 to Joseph Fitzpatrick, Templemore, Co Tipperary, for College Hill Hercules by Sympa. The buyer was Michael McNally, Clonmahon House, Summerhill, Co Meath.€3,050 to Michael Sexton, Aheybridge, Mullagh, Ennis, for Mount Scott Ibis, by Ampertiane Commander. The buyer was David Weir, Ballina, Co Mayo.€3,000 to Timothy Corridan, Fedamore, Co Limerick, for the September born Ultime Ri son, Roundhill Half Pint. The buyer was Dan O’Sullivan, Gleesk, Kells, Co Kerry. €3,000 to Patrick Bruen, Elphin, for Carrowreagh Hermes, by Fieldson Alfy son. The buyer Bryan Rogers, Nicholastown, Drogheda, Co Louth.€3,000 to Colm Wiley, Coolready, Bodyke, Co Clare, for Coolready Ironman, bought by Patrick Dolan, Ballintubber, Co Roscommon.€2,900 to Brendan Clancy, Mullagh, Co Clare, for Moloskey Hunter, by Wilodge Cerberus. Ted O’Sullivan, Bartlemy, Fermoy, Co Cork, purchased him to run with his suckler herd.€2,900 to John Joseph Walsh, Derrygullinane, Ballina, Co Mayo, for Derrygullinane Impecabull, by Ampertaine Commander. The buyer was John Kelly, Moydow.€2,800 to Timothy Corridan, Fedamore, Co Limerick, for Roundhill Heart Breaker, by Vivaldi. The buyer was Mark Commins, Thurles, Co Tipperary.€2,800 to Michael Kinane, Ballyglass, Co Tipperary, for Elegante Iceman, by Elegante Golden Eye, bought by Karl Stephens, Umrygar, Co Wicklow.€2,800 to John Joseph Walsh, Derrygullinane, Ballina, Co Mayo, for 14-month-old Derrygullinane Icarus, by Sympa. The buyer was suckler farmer John O’Sullivan, Co Laois.€2,750 to Alan Borton, Hawkfield, Co Kildare, for Brookfield Ivor, by Wilodge Tonka. The buyer was John Costello, Crumlin, Co Galway.€2,700 to John Downey, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, for Thomastown Ivan 2, by Fieldson Alfy and purchased by Owain Llyr.€2,700 to Michael Hester, Meelickaduff, Castlerea, Co Roscommon, for Meelickaduff Igloo, bought by Michael Keane, Co Galway.€2,650 to Aiden MacHale, Ballina, Co Mayo, for Garracloon Ikester, a Cloughhead Lord son. The buyer was Rory Begley, Co Louth.The next ILCS sale is at Roscommon Mart on 24 May where there will be 90 bulls and eight heifers on offer. Visit irishlimousin.com
Bloodlines from the south dominated some of the top accolades at last week’s 146th Balmoral show, which took place at The Maze, Lisburn. Such is the frequency of Irish genetics appearing in some shape or form in the Balmoral show ring, that they have now become serious contenders for many of the strongly-contested titles – the overall beef interbreed title being one of them.
Each year, the number of wins by southern breeders, or by southern-bred cattle, appears to be on the increase and this year was no exception with four supreme breed titles, two reserve titles, a junior title and the overall beef interbreed title having a southern connection.
For a third year in a row, William Smith, Oldcastle, took the 2014 supreme interbreed beef title with his cow, Millbrook Ginger Spice. Having lifted the prestigious title for the past two years, William returned to Balmoral last week with Ginger Spice, but this time brought her early January-born calf by Brookmill Fearless at foot. She claimed the overall Limousin title earlier in the day and then took to the ring to battle out the prestigious interbreed award, where she made it three years-in-a-row.
This is an exceptional achievement by any breeder and is, in fact, William’s fourth consecutive interbreed title. He won his first title back in 2011 with the three-year old homebred heifer Millbrook Celine, a Greensons Giglo daughter, out of the well-known cow Millbrook Ulla (she was reserve Limousin champion at Balmoral in 2009).
Now three-and-a-half-years-old, the newly crowned Balmoral champion, Millbrook Ginger Spice is a Wilodge Vantastic daughter, out of the homebred dam Millbrook Baby (a Brookmill Usefull daughter).
She has a fantastic showing record having won the overall female championship at the 2012 Limousin Derby and the 2013 supreme title at the National Limousin show in Tullamore, along with the overall interbreed titles at Balmoral for 2012, 2013 and 2014.
Staying with beef, Cork Aberdeen Angus breeder Albert de Cogan, Castlemartyr, took championship honours with his five-year-old bull, the double All Ireland champion, Rosemead Karona J957. No stranger to the show ring, this bull has a string of titles to his name both here and in England. He won the All Ireland championship on two occasions and also won the top accolade at Tullamore show. Sired by R Jeronne, he is out of the Rosemead Junior Eric D453 daughter Rosemead Karlotta F657, and was purchased privately in November 2011 from Angus Stovold, Surrey.
In the junior championship, Tom Reynolds, Carrick-on-Shannon, took the red rosette with his March 2013-born heifer, Knockadrinan Blackbird N564, a Rawburn Edge J983 daughter, out of the dam Fullam Blackbird C123.
Meanwhile in the Simmental ring, Leslie and Christopher Weatherup, Ballyclare, won the supreme overall title with their 20-month-old bull, Dermotstown Del Boy – a bull that was bred by Dublin-based breeder Chris White. Purchased privately at 11 months, he is by Kilbride Farm Newry and was the national yearling champion at the 2013 livestock show in Tullamore.
The southern influence continued in the Belgian Blue ring when Trevor Dodds’s October 2012-born heifer Timoney Garnet took the overall reserve title. Bred by Tom and Emma Lawless, Roscrea, Co Tipperary, this heifer was bought by Trevor at the October 2013 Belgian Blue premier show and sale in Roscrea for €3,550. By Empire D’Ochain, she is out of the dam, Sheehills Diamond.
Moving on to the dairy ring, Monaghan breeders David and Kenny Boyd took the double by winning the Holstein champion and reserve titles with their homebred cows, Glaslough Miss Petra EX91 and Glaslough Goldwyn Bret EX93. Both cows started the year in top showing form by taking the championship and reserve titles at the Holstein show in Moira back in March.
This was followed by the Emerald Expo in April when Miss Petra continued her winning spree by taking the reserve title and now claiming the supreme title in Balmoral last week.
At five years of age, Miss Petra is by Mr Minister and out of the homebred dam Glaslough Lyster Petal, while her herdmate, the fifth calver Glaslough Goldwyn Bret, is a daughter of Braedale Goldwyn, out of the homebred dam Glaslough MT Brenda. Incidentally, Miss Petra went one step further and took the reserve interbreed title at Balmoral. Calved in January and giving 55 litres, she is projected to produce 11,500kg. Nicely wrapping things up, both cows also claimed the dairy interbreed pairs award.
Mayo breeder tops sale
The Irish Limousin Society staged the last of its premier sales in Roscrea recently, which attracted both dairy and suckler buyers, along with some active overseas interest which resulted in five animals finding new homes in Britain.
A mixed trade saw 60% of bulls selling for an average price of almost €2,800 (down from €3,069 at the same sale last year) with a third of the bulls making in excess of €3,000.
Topping the sale at €5,000 was Crillaune Iago, a Lowerffrydd Empire son, bred by Patrick Kenny, Cunnagher Ross, Castlebar, Co Mayo. Born February 2013 to a Grahams Samson dam, this young bull has a terminal index of €137 and a replacement index of €124.
He carries a muscle score of 121 and a skeletal score of 111. The purchaser was Andrew Ewing, who was acting on behalf of a client.
In the ring, the judge Kevin Bates, stockman of the noted Haltcliffe herd of Messrs Ridley, Haltcliffe, Cumbria, awarded the senior championship title to Killonan Handsome, bred by Noel Cunneen, Scart, Ballysimon, Co Limerick.
Handsome is by Haltcliffe Dancer and out of the highly regarded multi-rosette Grahams Samson dam, Baileys Aubergine (her son Baileys Elderado bred the sale topper, Grahams Humphrey, at this year’s Limousin sale in Carlisle at £37,000). Handsome was purchased by Dan Reddan, Castletown, Co Laois, for €4,250, to run with his suckler herd.
The eye-catching 15-month-old Cnoc Rua Is-He, bred by Ciaran Smith, Redhills, sold for €4,000.
With five-star ratings in most traits including terminal, replacement, docility, carcase weight and carcase conformation, he is by Wood Road Fantastic and is out of the Roundhill Saturn daughter, Carwin Equidor. John Murtagh, Co Westmeath, was the purchaser.
Meanwhile, the junior championship went to Carwin Isac, the last bull to be offered for sale from the recently-dispersed herd of Ray Carolan, Elm Bank Drive, Co Cavan.
Isac is a 12-month-old son of Haltcliffe Dancer and is out of Carwin Elco (a Roundhill Saturn daughter). He holds a terminal index of €135 and a replacement index of €147. Multi-purchaser on the day Owain Llyr, of the Wern Herd, Ruthin, North Wales, purchased Isac for €4,000.
Tom Bailey, Coolcommon, Batterstown, Co Meath, went on to take both the junior and senior reserve championships.
Born March 2013, the junior reserve champion Baileys Irishmist, by Baileys Darwin, is out of the dam Baileys Emily and holds five-star ratings for terminal index, docility, carcase weight and carcase conformation.
Owain Llyr of the Wern Herd, Ruthin, North Wales, secured him at €3,200. Following this, Tom Bailey’s senior reserve champion, Baileys Inca, a Queenshead Altea son, was purchased by Pat Cheasty, Ballindysert, Co Waterford, for €2,600.
Other top prices:
€3,100 to Joseph Fitzpatrick, Templemore, Co Tipperary, for College Hill Hercules by Sympa. The buyer was Michael McNally, Clonmahon House, Summerhill, Co Meath.€3,050 to Michael Sexton, Aheybridge, Mullagh, Ennis, for Mount Scott Ibis, by Ampertiane Commander. The buyer was David Weir, Ballina, Co Mayo.€3,000 to Timothy Corridan, Fedamore, Co Limerick, for the September born Ultime Ri son, Roundhill Half Pint. The buyer was Dan O’Sullivan, Gleesk, Kells, Co Kerry. €3,000 to Patrick Bruen, Elphin, for Carrowreagh Hermes, by Fieldson Alfy son. The buyer Bryan Rogers, Nicholastown, Drogheda, Co Louth.€3,000 to Colm Wiley, Coolready, Bodyke, Co Clare, for Coolready Ironman, bought by Patrick Dolan, Ballintubber, Co Roscommon.€2,900 to Brendan Clancy, Mullagh, Co Clare, for Moloskey Hunter, by Wilodge Cerberus. Ted O’Sullivan, Bartlemy, Fermoy, Co Cork, purchased him to run with his suckler herd.€2,900 to John Joseph Walsh, Derrygullinane, Ballina, Co Mayo, for Derrygullinane Impecabull, by Ampertaine Commander. The buyer was John Kelly, Moydow.€2,800 to Timothy Corridan, Fedamore, Co Limerick, for Roundhill Heart Breaker, by Vivaldi. The buyer was Mark Commins, Thurles, Co Tipperary.€2,800 to Michael Kinane, Ballyglass, Co Tipperary, for Elegante Iceman, by Elegante Golden Eye, bought by Karl Stephens, Umrygar, Co Wicklow.€2,800 to John Joseph Walsh, Derrygullinane, Ballina, Co Mayo, for 14-month-old Derrygullinane Icarus, by Sympa. The buyer was suckler farmer John O’Sullivan, Co Laois.€2,750 to Alan Borton, Hawkfield, Co Kildare, for Brookfield Ivor, by Wilodge Tonka. The buyer was John Costello, Crumlin, Co Galway.€2,700 to John Downey, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, for Thomastown Ivan 2, by Fieldson Alfy and purchased by Owain Llyr.€2,700 to Michael Hester, Meelickaduff, Castlerea, Co Roscommon, for Meelickaduff Igloo, bought by Michael Keane, Co Galway.€2,650 to Aiden MacHale, Ballina, Co Mayo, for Garracloon Ikester, a Cloughhead Lord son. The buyer was Rory Begley, Co Louth.The next ILCS sale is at Roscommon Mart on 24 May where there will be 90 bulls and eight heifers on offer. Visit irishlimousin.com
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