The North Eastern Limousin Club held its annual herds competition earlier this month, which saw more than 40 entries judged.
Judges for 2017 were Michael and Melanie Alford of the Foxhillfarm Limousin herd in Devon.
The duo started judging following their highly successful Highland show, where they claimed the overall and reserve Limousin championships as well as the prestigious overall interbreed title with Foxhillfarm Mamamia.
Herds were broken up by size, with awards for small, medium and large herds as well as a new novice category.
Each of these categories were then further broken up, with placings awarded for a range of sections from best young calf to best stock bull and everything in between.
Novice section – overall winner
1 Rose and Ronan O Reilly, Skealon, Ballyconnell, Cavan.2 Stephen Treanor, Scotstown, Monaghan.3 Finbar and Shannon Murphy Scotshouse, Monaghan.Small herd – overall winner
1 Joe and Margaret Henson, Kilbeggan, Westmeath.2 Kevin and Ciaran Smith, Redhills Cavan.3 Raymond Bird, Louth Village, Dundalk, Louth.Medium herd – overall winner
1 A and P Kelly, Maymount Farm, Ballinalig Lower, Moate, Westmeath.2 Arthur Lambert, Dunboyne, Meath.3 Tommy Connor, Derrylough, Keenagh, Longford.Large herd – overall winner
1 Stanley Richardson, Newtowngore, Leitrim.2 Tom Bailey, Batterstown, Meath. 3 Derek Russell, Townley Hall, Drogheda, Louth.Following five days of judging, the awards ceremony was held at the Lakeside Manor, Virginia, which also sees the club host a fundraising raffle.
Quality of entries
Each year the quality of entries for the raffle is phenomenal and this year was no different, with the November-born pedigree Limousin heifer Ernevalley Lionness offered up.
This heifer carries a wealth of breeding behind her, coming from one of the best lines available in Ireland.
However, it wasn’t to be as during the week of judging the young heifer suffered a broken leg.
Many other top lots were auctioned off but none quite reached the highs which were expected from Lioness.
Auction toppers
Topping the auction at €510 were three straws from the 2016 October Carlisle sale champion Foxhillfarm Lord of the Rings. They sold to Tommy Connor. Two straws of Ampertaine Abracadabra were secured by Brendan Hanley for €440, while Michael Rattigan purchased three straws of Nenuphar for €420.Topping the embryo lots at €720 was an embryo of Powerful Hibernia crossed with Ampertaine Gigolo, this one was secured by Stephen Crampton. A number of other lots of semen and embryos were auctioned, with a combined total of nearly €5,000 raised.
Ernevalley Lioness out of North Eastern auction
Listen: Crossnacole celebratory sale tops €6,700
The North Eastern Limousin Club held its annual herds competition earlier this month, which saw more than 40 entries judged.
Judges for 2017 were Michael and Melanie Alford of the Foxhillfarm Limousin herd in Devon.
The duo started judging following their highly successful Highland show, where they claimed the overall and reserve Limousin championships as well as the prestigious overall interbreed title with Foxhillfarm Mamamia.
Herds were broken up by size, with awards for small, medium and large herds as well as a new novice category.
Each of these categories were then further broken up, with placings awarded for a range of sections from best young calf to best stock bull and everything in between.
Novice section – overall winner
1 Rose and Ronan O Reilly, Skealon, Ballyconnell, Cavan.2 Stephen Treanor, Scotstown, Monaghan.3 Finbar and Shannon Murphy Scotshouse, Monaghan.Small herd – overall winner
1 Joe and Margaret Henson, Kilbeggan, Westmeath.2 Kevin and Ciaran Smith, Redhills Cavan.3 Raymond Bird, Louth Village, Dundalk, Louth.Medium herd – overall winner
1 A and P Kelly, Maymount Farm, Ballinalig Lower, Moate, Westmeath.2 Arthur Lambert, Dunboyne, Meath.3 Tommy Connor, Derrylough, Keenagh, Longford.Large herd – overall winner
1 Stanley Richardson, Newtowngore, Leitrim.2 Tom Bailey, Batterstown, Meath. 3 Derek Russell, Townley Hall, Drogheda, Louth.Following five days of judging, the awards ceremony was held at the Lakeside Manor, Virginia, which also sees the club host a fundraising raffle.
Quality of entries
Each year the quality of entries for the raffle is phenomenal and this year was no different, with the November-born pedigree Limousin heifer Ernevalley Lionness offered up.
This heifer carries a wealth of breeding behind her, coming from one of the best lines available in Ireland.
However, it wasn’t to be as during the week of judging the young heifer suffered a broken leg.
Many other top lots were auctioned off but none quite reached the highs which were expected from Lioness.
Auction toppers
Topping the auction at €510 were three straws from the 2016 October Carlisle sale champion Foxhillfarm Lord of the Rings. They sold to Tommy Connor. Two straws of Ampertaine Abracadabra were secured by Brendan Hanley for €440, while Michael Rattigan purchased three straws of Nenuphar for €420.Topping the embryo lots at €720 was an embryo of Powerful Hibernia crossed with Ampertaine Gigolo, this one was secured by Stephen Crampton. A number of other lots of semen and embryos were auctioned, with a combined total of nearly €5,000 raised.
Ernevalley Lioness out of North Eastern auction
Listen: Crossnacole celebratory sale tops €6,700
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: