Carrick-on-Shannon was host to the annual winter fair at the weekend. The event, run by the Midland and Western Livestock improvement society, grows in stature year-on-year. A record number of cattle were before hundreds of spectators at the packed show grounds to watch the judging.

The early part of the day saw two show rings covering breeds such as Angus, Blonde, Simmental, Shorthorn and Charolais before the rings were combined to judge the bigger classes which were majority Blue and Limousin.

Nigel Matchett from Portadown in Northern Ireland awarded the first championship of the day to John Lynch for his Angus cross heifer. In the Charolais section, judge Blair Duffton tapped out the Moorhead family’s heifer with two or more permanent teeth as senior Charolais champion. While the junior Championship was taking by well-known commercial cattle exhibitor Pearse McNamee with a FWO sired heifer under 450kgs.

Clive Barnett was out in front in the senior Blue championship with their champion bullock.

Clive Barnett was out in front in the senior Blue championship with their champion bullock. In the junior Blue section the much-admired EPI sired heifer calf from Chris Meehan led proceedings.

The Gibbons family from Strokestown continued their successful year by clinching the Simmental championship with a young heifer calf of 350kgs or under.

Well-known Blonde breeder Michael Creed secured the Blonde championship again with his senior heifer sired by Kilbarry George.

The biggest classes of the day came from the Limousin section, with up to 76 entered in some classes. Taking the senior breed championship was Shane Giltinane with his 13-month-old bullock out of Craigatoke Jack. This bull was only shown three times, unbeaten at each.

In the hotly contested junior Limousin section judge Garreth McGuinness selected Derrick Forde stylish young heifer in the 350kg class or under as his overall.