Along with claiming the breed’s supreme and reserve supreme championships they picked up every championship possible except senior male, which they didn’t have any animal competing in.

Leading the charge for the family was the 20-month-old Trueman Lute.

This twin to a female is sired by Haltcliffe Hitec and out of Vantastic-bred dam Trueman Foxtrot. Having caught judge Michael Massie’s eye from the start, Lute collected the title of senior female, overall senior and overall female before eventually being tapped out as supreme champion ahead of her pen mate Trueman Mozart.

Mozart is the first son of the £147,000 record-priced Trueman Jagger which the Savages sold in October 2015 in Carlisle. Jagger also claimed the reserve overall championship at 12 months old in Balmoral, and Henry Savage & Sons are hoping Mozart follows in his father’s footsteps when he heads to Carlisle in October. The dam of the not even one-year-old bull is Trueman Honey, another Wilodge Vantastic daughter who herself was reserve overall champion at the show in 2014. Mozart also took home the title as junior male, overall junior and overall male champion.

Salers

J & EA Elliot also managed to sweep the board in the Salers ring. Claiming the supreme champion was the homebred three-year-old bull Drumlegagh Lucas. This Gladiteur bred bull is no stranger to success having claimed the overall male and reserve supreme at last year’s Royal Highland Show. He stood one place better than the Elliot family’s Drumlegagh Galaxy who picked up the reserve supreme championship. Again, this cow is well used to the show ring having claimed the top spot at the Highland the same day as Lucas claimed the reserve. Galaxy, a now a five-year-old by Fanfan, was shown with her young bull calf at foot. John and family will again see this year’s Highland Show as their next port of call.

Blonde d’Aquitaine

The Savage Brothers & Son of Shanvalley Blonde d’Aquitaine also had a day to remember claiming the supreme and reserve supreme breed championship. Shanvalley Jagger was awarded the male championship by judge Phillip Rodgers before later being tapped forward as supreme. Jagger is sired by the herd’s stock bull Seaview Barney, a bull who has to date secured 11 supreme championships himself along with breeding 33 champions. This bull was purchased a few weeks earlier for a new five-figure record Blonde price by the Irish partnership of Des Donohoe and Martin Lyons. Jagger’s full sister Shanvalley Lucey then followed hot on his heels to claim the female and reserve supreme championship.

Shorthorns

A strong show of Shorthorns saw two senior cows lead the way, securing the supreme and reserve championships. James Porter was awarded the supreme championship with five-year-old Uppermill Gipsy Robyn. This roan-coloured daughter of former Highland Show male champion Ardoyne Bombus ticked all the boxes for Jack Ramsey of the Millerston Herd. James also managed to secure the overall Angus championship with his mature bull Carlhurlie Epic, a bull purchased for 5,000gns at the Carlhurlie dispersal sale late last year. The three-year-old Epic was sired by Skaill Dido.

Picking up the reserve sash in the Shorthorns was Creaga Heidi from Irish exhibitors Noel and Lisa Dowd. This five-year-old daughter of homebred Creaga Flash is no stranger to winning having secured all-Ireland titles as a calf, yearling and two-year-old heifer. Animals carrying the Creaga prefix also secured two red rosettes in the senior and junior bull classes for new owner Stephen Williamson.

Charolais

The top spot in the Charolais ring was secured by William Short for his nearly two-year-old Woodpark Lottie. Sired by Irish-born Deeside Gulliver, Lottie is out of home-bred dam Woodpark Hattie who goes back to the 19,000gns Doune & Dunblane Champion Corrie Alan. Reserve championship honours went to the Feeney brothers of Bostonia in Co Sligo for their stock bull Gretnahouse Lord. This bull is not long in the country having being purchased for the top price of 25,000gns at this year’s February sales in Stirling. Lord is sired by the 17,000gns Balthayock Gaudiator.

The Commercial cattle took centre stage today with the female champion Valentine from Keith Williamson going on to claim the overall commercial championship. This February 2016-born black Limousin heifer is sired by NCBC bull Elite Forever Brill.

Having placed second to her in the class Strathearn Livestock’s Fizzy Orange followed Valentine all the way to the end claiming reserve female and reserve overall championships on the way. This golden Charolais heifer was out of NCBC’s Anside Foreman while the dam is a Limousin-cross Charolais cow.

The interbreed championships and dairy classes take place Friday and Saturday follow FJ_Pedigree for further updates.

Remaining championships and pictures to follow in next week’s Irish Farmers Journal.

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Full coverage: Balmoral