16.30: Watch - sheep champions crowned in Balmoral

It’s a really busy day around the sheep rings in Balmoral, with judging nearing completion in a number of breeds.

Champion in the Rouge De L'Ouest section at Balmoral 2023 went to the Graham family from Co Antrim with their shearling ewe

Champion in the Rouge section went to Amelia and Arthur Graham with their shearling ewe. Judge Ian Teasdale from York selected Jane Tannahill’s shearling ram as his reserve champion.

A shot of the line up in the big Dutch Spotted ewe lamb class in Balmoral Show 2023.

The Dutch Spotted section had some very big classes and judge James Baker from Exeter tapped out Adam White’s shearling ewe as his champion, with the reserve champion going to Patrick Grant’s shearling ewe.

The Berrichon also had some big classes, with the champion and reserve going to Alistar McNeill for his shearling ram and shearling ewe.

Champion in the Border Leicester section went to Stephen Wallace, Ballyclare, for his shearling ram, with the reserve rosette going to Richard Graham for his aged ram.

In the Blue Texel, it was a one-two for the husband and wife team of Samantha Allen and Alan Shortt, with the duo picking up both the champion rosette and reserve rosette.

Champion and reserve in the Blue Texel section went to Samantha Allen and Alan Shortt.

Samantha and Alan also picked up championship honours in the Badger Faced Texel section.

The North Country Cheviot champion rosette went to well-known Tyrone man Jack Smyth for his aged ewe.

Jack Smyth with his champion North Country Cheviot shearling ewe at Balmoral 2023.

In the hotly contested Texel championship, it was Martin and Cyril Millar who came out on top with their aged ewe. James Herdman picked up the reserve rosette for his 2023-born ewe lamb.

In the Suffolk section, it was Mark Priestly who got the top honours, after he won a very competitive shearling ewe class with 35 entries. The reserve champion went to the Robinson family for their aged ewe.

12.30pm: female commercial championship title goes to Jalex

Jalex livestock, the Antrim-based cattle franchise, has just been awarded the female commercial championship here at Balmoral 2023.

The April 2021-born Belgian Blue-cross-Limousin heifer was placed first in the 600kg+ class in the commercial cattle section.

In a remarkable achievement, Jalex livestock was tapped out first, second, third and fourth in the senior heifer class, all Limousin-cross-Belgian Blue heifers.

This super heifer went on to take the overall commercial championship.

Earlier in the commercial cattle section, judge Andrew Marsden from Cumbria awarded first prize to Donal Moloney for his January 2022-born heifer.

This heifer has quite the back story having been won by the Moloney family at the Irish Limousin Cattle Society 50th anniversary celebrations in Carrick-on-Shannon.

One-hundred tickets were sold at €100 each, with the winner getting their pick of a class of heifers in Carrick.

Donal’s choice was a good one, as she went on to take the reserve female championship in a very strong line-up this morning and then went on to take the reserve overall championship this afternoon.

Moving on to the under 500kg bullock class, it was Shauna Killen who took home the red rosette with her November 2022-born Limousin bullock sired by Guard Bomber.

11.00: commercial and beef interbreed judging under way

And we're off for day two in Balmoral, with judging under way in both the commercial and beef interbreed performance classes.

The commercial cattle section has some really competitive classes with the first class to be judged being the commercial beef heifers under 30 months of age.

This class is split into three different weight categories, under 500kg, 500kg to 600kg and over 600kg. The first weight category of heifers to be judged were heifers under 500kg, with first in class going to Brian O'Haire for his January 2022-born heifer which was bred in southern Ireland.

Second went to JCB Commercials for its April 2022-born heifer which was bred by well-known commercial breeder Pearse McNamee in Donegal.

Stephen Williamson took third with his March 2022-born heifer sired by Elite Forever Brill.

In the beef interbreed classes, Freddie Davidson took the first prize rosette in the native-bred bull born after January 2022 with his February 2022-born bull Ember Paxton Y973, sired by Drumcarbin Richie.

Second prize went to John Henning for his January-born bull Drumcorn Lord Izzy.

Third place went to William Dodd with his March 2022-born Aberdeen Angus bull sired by Mosshall Red Evolution P353.

In the continental bull class, first place went to Robert McWilliams for his May 2022-born Charolais bull sired by Stranagone Jones.

Second place went to Michael and Kile Diamond for his April 2022-born Limousin bull sired by Ampertaine Foreman.

In the beef recorded heifer class, first place went to the Hereford heifer from the McDowell and McKeown family with their heifer, Castlemount Matrix Floss, sired by Elliot Matrix.

It’s another busy day in Balmoral Park with day two of the 154th Balmoral Show about to kick off.

There has been some heavy rain overnight, but a better forecast for Thursday is expected to draw more spectators to the ringsides on the cattle and sheep lawns.

The centre of attention will be the commercial cattle section, with Andrew Mahon from Cumbria having the tough job of picking out the winners.

There’s some stiff competition in the commercial section, with some cattle being shown from the south, alongside some southern purchases competing against each other later.

In the pedigree section, the beef performance bull and heifer class will be judged by Louth-based John Kingham.

This is open to all breeds and animals get awarded 100 marks based on a combination of the traditional values of conformation, coupled with the scientific values of performance data.

The bull performance class will kick off at 10am, with the heifers set to take to the cattle lawns at 10.30am.

Sheep rings

The sheep rings are also busy, with judging taking place in the Badger-Faced Texel, Border Leicester, Valois Blacknose, Blue du Maine, Bluefaced Leicester and Jacob at 9.30am.

The Mule sheep section kicks off at 11.30am, while the Blue Texel, Kerry Hill, Dutch Spotted, Rouge de L’Ouest, North Country Cheviot and Berrichon sheep classes taking place at 1.30pm.

Farmers Journal stand

It’s a busy day on the Irish Farmers Journal stand with a live Farm Tech Talk being recorded in front of an audience at 2pm.

If you’re around, be sure to pop into the stand for a cup of tea and a chat and if you’re not able to be here, keep an eye on farmersjournal.ie for live updates from the show during the day.