Farming Eye

The Perth-type Blackies were won by the Curran Brothers with their shearling ewe, with the same exhibitors taking reserve with an older ewe. Then in the Jacob classes the winner was a tup from Bentrim Jacobs, while reserve went to Cyril Cromie with an older ewe.

Perth Type Blackie champion

Top honours in the North Country Cheviots here at Balmoral went to Tommy McKean with his aged tup, a son of Allenshaws Highlander from his 100-ewe flock. Reserve spot was taken by Desmond Robinson with a gimmer from his 150-ewe flock, with this one being a daughter of a Nun Cote Nook tup, she was champion at Limavady as a ewe lamb.

In the Rouge classes it was a championship win for Michael Graham with his aged ewe, a daughter of Kinsella Kit Kat. She was also champion at Balmoral last year. Reserve to her was a gimmer from Jayne Tannahill.

Champion in the Kerry Hills was Brian Malcolmson with his aged tup, with Sean and Fiona McAllister reserve with a shearling ewe. And in the Mules is was another success for Michelle Wright who took top spot with her shearling ewe. Michelle also took top honours in the Greyface with a shearling ewe, with reserve here going to Hugh Henry with an older ewe.

Kerryhill Champion

by Jonathan Long

It takes a brave person to come back with a former interbreed champion and have another go, but Willie Smith made the journey up from Co Meath to do just that and it’s certainly paid off.

His leader, Milbrook Ginger Spice, who came through as Limousin champion yesterday under judge Stephen Illingworth has just been praised by interbreed judge Colin Hutchings as “a phenonomal heifer with great style, presence and breed character.”

Beef interbeed champion – Ginger Spice

By the prolific breeding Wilodge Vantastic, she is out of the Broomfield Useful daughter Milbrook Baby and was was breed, interbreed junior and overall interbreed champion last year as well as securing the All Ireland Derby championship last September. She’s in calf to Brookmill Fearless, a Sympa son and is due January. This is the third time on the bounce Willie has secured the interbreed honours having won in 2011 with his three year old cow Milbrook Celine.

Reserve Interbreed – Old Glenort Lavender L251

Coming in to take the reserve interbreed championship and following the same trend from the junior interbreed was the Aberdeen-Angus champion, this time James Porter’s two year old heifer Old Glenort Lavender L251.

Shown by stock man Ian Rae, this one is by Old Glenort Ennis J116, this one is out of the Haymount Wessuro B198 daughter Old Glenort Lavender H035 who goes back to a previous Balmoral champion. She’ll be heading to a few local shows this summer.

by Chrissie Long

William McAllisters Junior Beef Interbreed

Standing out in a strong line up of junior beef champions was the April 2012-born Limousin heifer Artnagullion Hanna from William McAllister and family. By Virginia Andy, this one is out of Teeshan Evanoush and was one of three junior champions in the line up owned by the family.

Judge Colin Hutchings described this heifer as “a well balanced, sweet female, who was full of quality.”

Reserve Junior Beef Interbreed – Drummeer Blackbird M808

Standing reserve to her was the Aberdeen-Angus heifer Drummeer Blackbird M808 from Alan and Naomi Morrison. This March 2012-born Netherallan Peter Pershore daughter is out of knockadrinan Blackbird G400. Speaking of this heifer, Colin said: “The Angus is a modern clean representation of the breed and will grow on to make an exceptional breeding female.”

by Chrissie Long

The Jalex Family and Crew Members

It was a head to head battle between brother and sister Tara and Jack O’Brien in the commercial championship just now as they were at the halter of the female and male champions owned by James Alexander of Jalex Commercials.

Overall Commercial Champion – Steady Eddie

And it was Jack who was judge Hugh Dunlop’s ultimate choice at the halter of the April 2012-born 550kg steer Steady Eddie. By the Limousin sire Swarland Eddie, he is out of a past show heifer and has already won the Limousin calf championship at the Northern Irish Calf Show earlier in the year.

Reserve Commercial Champion – Bobby Dazzler

Coming in reserve was the reserve male champion Bobby Dazzler, a Limousin cross out a Limousin x British Blue dam owned by Andrew Rea. This 562kg steer was purchased privately last year and is on its first outing this year before next heading to Ballymena.

In the females, Tara O’Brien was at the halter of the female champion, Eddie Rocket, again from the Jalex team. Again by Swarland Eddie, this one is out of a Blue cross dam and was reserve at the Northern Ireland Calf Show.

Reserve female championship honours went to Sam Matchett’s British Blue cross heifer which was purchased at Donegal Winter Fair last year for £2450. This is the first outing for her this year and she’ll go on to contest the commercial classes at various local shows in Northern Ireland this summer.

by Chrissie Long

The judges have once again been busy in the sheep lines this morning, the first of the championships to be awarded today on what is a slightly warmer day than yesterday, was the Bluefaced Leicester championship which went to Michelle Wright with a gimmer by a Dalpeddar sire and out of a dam by a Carryhouse tup.

Blue Leicester Champion

Standing reserve was another from the same home, this time a one crop ewe bred by Jimmy Bell in the Cottage flock. This one, a Magners daughter, was bought as a ewe lamb after she had been placed first in the lambs at the Royal Highland.

Reserve Blue Leicester

Across in the Border Leicesters the champion was a one-crop ewe from David and Liz Mawhinney. She is by Eildon Iconic and out of a dam which was herself champion at Balmoral two years ago. And reserve here was a shearling tup from Messrs Graham and McCrum. He was bought at Lanark last year for £150 and is by Drennan Buccanneer.

Border Leicester Champion

Then in the Lanark-type Blackface the champion was a gimmer from John and Charlie Harkin, with this one being by The Buffalo and out of a dam by the homebred sire Jecko.

Lanark-type Blackie Champion

Taking reserve here was a one crop ewe from Sam Wallace. She is an Auldhouseburn-bred ewe sired by a £26,000 Crossflatt tup and bought as a hogg last spring from the Stirling sale.

Reserve Lanark-type Blackie

by Jonathan Long

In the European Angus classes yesterday, which are new to the Balmoral Show judging format, David Lester stood at the top of the lines under judge Leo McEnroe with his January 2012-born heifer Aughnagurgan Erica, a Cavanbellaghy Eric J693 daughter out of Aughnagurgan Erica G972.

Reserve to her was Hugh Dickson with his first prize bull, the March 2012-born Bluebell Bank Labyrinth. This one is by Lisola Lord Jasper J032 and is out of Bluebell Bank Hermione.

Then clinching the supreme championship in the Hereford ring under judge Robert Wilson of the Romany herd was William Haire and family with their January 2011-born heifer Dorepoll 1 262L Sally, a polled Canadian ET-bred daughter of Remittal Olympian out of Remittall Sally 63M.

Hereford Champion, Dorepoll 1 262L Sally

Reserve was the male champion which came from James Graham in the form of Richmount 1 Hermes, a december 2010-born Graceland 1 Colin son out of Richmount 1 Blossom.

In the Irish Moiled classes top spot went to Samuel Smiley’s calved heifer Glassdrummond Cherry 44th, a March 2010-born Clandeboye Ruairi daughter with a February 2013-born calf at foot.

Glassdrummond Cherry 44th

Reserve to her was Valerie Orr with Knowhead Lily, a March 2008-born Maymore Red Hugh daughter which calved in November last year.

by Chrissie Long

Record numbers of pedigree and commercial dairy travelled to Beeston for the mid month sale on Tuesday. Demand was high for milkers with 20 animals selling for £2500 or more and 76 in excess of £2000, which was 27% of the entry forward.

Top price was £3250 for Clayden Torres Joy 2, she carries four generations of very good or excellent and goes back to noted Canadian cow Beerwort Centennial Joy. She was one of 35 animals consigned by Jack and Barclay Taylor, Myddle, and sold to J and R Lewis, Crewe.

Then the Gould family, Boumere Heath, sold two heifers at £2900 each and another at £2850, these were daughters of McCormick, Gerard and Niagra. All three were purchased by D and H E Colclough, Hassall, Sandbach.

To read more of this report please click the tab below……

by Chrissie Long

Yesterday saw the dispersal of G W Persey’s long established organic herd in what was the UK’s largest one day dairy dispersals to be held on farm this year. It took auctioneers Greenslade Taylor Hunt seven hours to disperse the 612 head of cattle to 70 buyers from Cornwall, Pembrokshire and Staffordshire.

A top price of 2100gns was paid for a second lactation Holstein. Just behind that was 2080gns for a third calver. A fresh second calver sold for 2020gns and then at 2000gns was an autumn calved cow, sold back in calf to Macomber O-Man Bogart.

Calved heifers sold to a top of 2000gns for a Comestar L’Officiel daughter, while in-calf heifers topped at 1600gns, these had been served to Crockett-Acres Eight then ran with the homebred bull Langlands Storm.

Bulling heifers were sired by Pursuit September Storm and saw a top price of 1180gns. The herd’s Aberdeen-Angus bull Westwilmer Neptune sold for 2500gns. This April 2010-born Deeview Top Gun son is out of Wedderlie Nerrona.

Averages: 290 cows and heifers £1480, 30 calved heifers £1578, 70 in-calf heifers £14.26, 13 served heifers £950, 46 bulling heifers £888, 107 yearling heifers £628, 63 heifer calves £354, one bull calf £546, two Holstein bulls £1013.25, one Aberdeen Angus bull £2625. (Greenslade Taylor Hunt)

by Chrissie Long

Top spot in the interbreed pig championship this evening here at Balmoral was taken by the traditional breeds champion, the Saddleback gilt Forthill Dinah 292, a July-born gilt.

Pig Champion

This one is by Forthill Golden Arrow 271 and is out of Forthill Dinah 474A, a Forsthill Dictator 16 daughter.

Following along in reserve overall was the day’s Large White champion, Trevor Shields’ junior gilt Glenmarshall Champion Holly 751. This one is an October-born gilt.

Reserve pig champion

Taking the Landrace championship was junior boar Cappagh Nekton 1420 from Robin and Agnes Todd. This is an October-born boar. Reserve went to Trevor Shields with his junior gilt Glenmarshal Grafelia 2329.

Reserve honours in the Large Whites went to  Trevor Shields again, this time with a junior gilt Glenmarshal Dainty Lady 733, while reserve in the Traditional breeds was taken by Ernest Gregg’s Middle White sow Slievenalargy Purity.

In the pork pig championship the winner was Cappagh Greenback 121, a Large White from Robin and Agnes Todd, with Ernest Gregg’s Middle White Ballybollen Woodlands Lady in reserve.

by Jonathan Long

Judging in the sheep lines has been been continuing apace this afternoon, with the Suffolk championship taken by Gary Beacom with his aged ewe, a daughter of Garryhinch Empire which was breed champion at the show as a gimmer in 2011. Reserve here was Mark Priestley with a tup lamb by 18,000gns sire Rhaeadr Ring a Ding.

Sufffolk Champion

In the Hampshire Downs the champion was a ram lamb from John and Michelle McAuley, with this one being by former Royal Welsh champion Glanfarron George.

Hampshire Champ

Taking top spot in the Charollais were the McAllister family with their shearling ewe, a Ballyhiven Kickstart daughter which was first here as a lamb last year. Her full sister was NI shearling ewe of the year in 2012. Reserve went to Diane Christie with her older ewe.

Charollais Champion

Then in the Swaledale lines the champion were Fred and June Loughridge with their tup, with John Blayney standing reserve with a shearling ewe.

Swaledale Champion

Ile De France champion was Messrs Porter and Hyndman’s shearling ewe, with the same exhibitors taking reserve with their shearling tup.

Ile De France Champion

Following on in the Poll Dorsets was a ram lamb from Thomas Wright, with Raymond and Julie Hill taking reserve spot with their shearling ewe.

In the Rare Breed classes the champion was a Teeswater shearling ewe from Samuel Kerr, while reserve went to a ewe lamb from Karen Carson.

by Jonathan Long