The world’s largest Limousin event comes to Ireland

The Irish Limousin Cattle Society is this year hosting the largest Limousin event to take place on the international stage – the International Limousin Congress (ILC). The ILC is held every two years at destinations all over the world. This is only the second time this prestigious event is being held in Ireland. The event runs from this Saturday, 20 August, to Sunday 28 August.

A packed itinerary includes farm visits to commercial and pedigree herds, the National Limousin Show and Elite Sale, the North East Calf championship at Virginia Show, Co Cavan, and an evening of cattle and entertainment at Glenamaddy Equestrian Centre, Co Galway.

All of these events are open to the public.

Monday 22 August

As part of the international congress, the North West Limousin Club is to host an event in Glenamaddy, Co Galway.

The indoor event, taking place in the Glenamaddy Equestrian Centre, will incorporate the North West Club calf finals, as well as a total prize fund exceeding €2,000. This prestigious competition is for pedigree Limousin calves born after 1 September 2015, while a further five pedigree classes will take place, followed by three weighted commercial classes open to commercial exhibitors with Limousin-sired animals.

Judging is set to begin at 4pm and the North West Club recently announced that John Phillips, Wales, chair of the British Limousin Cattle Society, has agreed to preside over the classes on the day. Other classes include a showing class for YMA members, a pedigree pairs class and overall championships for both commercial and pedigree sections.

With free admission for all spectators, the event is set to suit all family members. Also on site for the evening will be a number of agriculture-related trade stands with specialists from all sectors within the agricultural industry, as well as food, an outdoor barbecue and refreshments.

The evening will be finished off with some traditional dancing, provided by Abbeyknockmoy and Elphin set-dancers, with music provided by Limousin breeder Michael Sexton from Co Clare.

Wednesday 24 August

The tour heads east to the Virginia Show on Wednesday, where the North Eastern club has its chance to host a calf show. Again, five classes broken up between bulls and heifers born on or after 1 September 2015 will display the best young Limousins the east has to offer.

Friday 26 August

The Irish Limousin Cattle Society’s 27th National show will have an entry of 160 pedigree and 50 commercial cattle competing for multiple titles and excellent prize money.

The best Limousin cattle in the country will all be under one roof for what promises to be a marvellous spectacle for spectators in the impressive surrounds of The Hub, Cillín Hill.

Saturday 27 August

A catalogue of 37 outstanding pedigree cattle – 12 males and 25 females — and a number of prizewinning commercial cattle. Starting at 2pm, this is an exclusive opportunity to purchase exceptional Limousin cattle from the top-end of the breed.

Farm walks

Monday 22 August

The Drummin Limousin herd of John and Paula McInerney, Clonmoney West, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co Clare, will be open to the public. Established in 1991, Drummin Limousin is one of Ireland’s foremost pedigree herds. The 10-cow pedigree herd runs alongside an 80-cow dairy enterprise; each year 10 embryo calves are also born on the farm.

The foundation female’s genetics are consistently producing outstanding cattle. Throughout the last 10 years at National Limousin Shows, the herd has had nine All-Ireland Calf Championships with a further two won by embryos which were sold to other breeders.

Among the herd’s successes was in 2008 at the Beef Expo, which was the biggest show of cattle ever held in Ireland. Drummin Veronica won the Overall Limousin Championship. At the ILCS heifer sale in November 2014, Drummin Im 2 Sexy Et topped the sale at €5,300.

In February this year, at the premier bull sale, a top price of €9,500 went to the junior champion Drummin Jameson Et, a son of Wilodge Vantastic and Drummin Cliona. At the corresponding sale in 2014, Jameson’s full brother Drummin Irishman ET sold for €8,500. A number of bulls and heifers have been purchased by pedigree herds based both in Ireland and the UK.

Tuesday 23 August

There will be an opportunity to view Ireland’s largest Limousin herds, Ardlea and Elite, based in Beechhill Farm, Mountrath, Co Laois. These renowned herds comprise 110 pedigree cows, a 90-head embryo herd and 150 Limousin commercial cows.

The Ardlea and Elite herds have left a huge footprint on the Irish Limousin genetic landscape – progeny from bulls and heifers purchased from France and the UK are among the most significant in the Irish herdbook. Bulls including Ferry, Lino, Vison, Emerson, Tistou, Aultside Hulk, Goldies Informer, Bouffy, Henzo and Casimir are sires to many of the livestock on the farm. Homebred AI bulls Ardlea Dan (ADX), Elite Forever Brill ET (TVR) and Elite Flag (EFZ) are among the top producers in Ireland. Females born into the herd have reached prices up to €40,000 for Ardlea Tammy in 2006.

The entire herd (commercial and pedigree) will be on display including the champion females Elite Forever Free ET, Elite Forever 1 ET, Elite Hazel ET, Elite Hostess ET, Elite Fidelia ET, Carwin Hillery and Clonmack Fleur.

Thursday 25 August

Tim, Doreen and Katie Corridan’s Roundhill Pedigree limousin herd is another destination for the congress. Consisting of 200 pedigree Limousin cattle. A strong passion at Roundhill is a scientific approach to breed progression, using a high degree of performance recording.

Years of focusing intensely on influential cow families has ensured that Roundhill is one of Ireland’s most uniform, performance-driven and maternally powerful cow herds.

The cow families at Roundhill are sourced from the best available genetics in Europe, and are introduced either as breeding females or as embryos.

Roundhill purchased many elite females who had already proven themselves as bull dams. These include Disette, mother of Ideal 23; Giroflee, mother of Nenuphar; Melodie, mother of Ramses; Belladone, from the same family as Tonka; Leny, the dam of Roundhill Saturn; Joyeuse, the dam of Baileys Iceprincess and more recently Unanime and Andrea. These proven cow families have been developed and form the basis of this herd.

An extensive embryo transfer programme is undertaken annually to ensure rapid genetic progress.

In 2014, the Roundhill herd become one of the first herds in Ireland to undertake a polled programme on a large scale. Roundhill’s polled programme is progressing exceptionally well. It now has a large group of impressive heterozygous polled males and females.

Roundhill exhibits at local and National shows and has enjoyed much success, amassing many championship titles during its 20 year existence.

Homebred bulls including Roundhill Saturn (RHN) and Roundhill Dara (RHF) are available in Irish AI and are producing very well.

For the Young Members Association (YMA) in particular, the countdown is on for 27 August, which will see Ireland host the Anglo Irish YMA finals in Kilkenny. This annual event was established by the Irish and British Limousin Cattle Societies, to help promote and encourage young Limousin breeders. This year’s Irish team is made up of Rachel Moloney, Aidan Kinahan, Owen Hester and Shannon Kinahan. All of these young members previously had the honour of representing their country and have been members of winning teams in either 2014 in Antrim or 2015 in Birmingham. This year, they are hoping to win on home turf and perform a hat-trick for Team Ireland. They will have to fight off stiff competition from neighbouring teams, NI, England, Scotland and Wales.

It is a great achievement to be representing Ireland at the Anglo Irish YMA Finals as part of the International Limousin Congress 2016 where the eyes of the Limousin world will be watching.