A large crowd was in attendance for the array of events taking place at the Midland and Western Livestock Centre in Leitrim over the weekend.
Saturday saw the pedigree and commercial show, elite heifer sale and Mega Moo competition take place under the roof of the renowned Carrick-on-Shannon Showgrounds.
The Millbrook Herd, owned by William Smith, saw tremendous success in the female section. Millbrook Nikkiespice ET, a 2018-born cow with bull calf at foot, went on to win a string of accolades, starting with first in the cow and calf class, as well as the senior female champion, overall female champion and capping the success by claiming the overall show champion on the day.
Carrickmore Schumacher ET, intermediate male champion, overall male champion and reserve overall show champion. He later sold privately in the yard for €30,000.
Not finished there, Millbrook Senorita ET, an April 2021-born heifer from the herd, claimed intermediate female champion and reserve female champion.
Senorita later went under the hammer at the elite heifer sale, with auctioneer George Candler’s hammer falling at €9,100 for the heifer.
Smith’s Spice cow family again produced the goods with Millbrook Sexyspice ET acting as the herd’s second entry to the heifer sale. She went on to break the five-figure barrier when the hammer fell at €10,000 for the Ideal 23 daughter, the second highest price on the day.
Young breeder Ben Lynch was at the halter for the Ernevalley Limousin Herd when the young heifer Ernevalley Sweetheart ET took the junior female champion of the day.
The Lynch family, Co Cavan, Maria, Ben, Zara and Eddie Lynch, with their junior female champion Ernevalley Sweetheart who achieved the top price of the sale at €11,000. \ Alfie Shaw
The aptly named Sweetheart was tapped forward by judge Rikke Benoit, with buyers around the ring agreeing with her call later in the day. Sweetheart went on to achieve the top price in the heifer sale when she sold for €11,000 for the Lynch family at less than 10 months of age.
Males
Not to be overshadowed by the quality of females, breeders displayed an array of top-end bull calves and bulls at the 50th celebrations.
The Connell brothers saw their efforts bear fruit once again with their entry, Carrickmore Schumacher ET, scooping an array of prizes before changing hands.
Schumacher, sired by Sympa from the famed Baileys Ice Princess, herself a two-time Tullamore Show champion, collected the junior male champion gong, before pipping the other entries to win the overall male champion, only being bested by the female champion to finish the day with reserve overall champion of the show.
Although there was no male sale on the day, that didn’t deter breeders from striking deals. Schumacher sold post-sale for a sum of €30,000 to the Glenmarshal Herd, Co Down, in what is one of the highest known prices for a private Limousin sale in Ireland.
Messrs A and P Kelly of the Killcastle Herd in Co Westmeath saw their 2019 homebred bull Kilcastle Pierson tapped forward by Welsh judge Chris Pennie as his senior male champion.
Senior male champion Kilcastle Pierson.\ Alfie Shaw
The powerful Ampertaine Elgin son was exhibited on the day by the new Limousin society president Dr Alan Kelly.
Completing the pedigree male lineup of champions was the junior champion Castlebrock Trafford ET. The sweet March 2022-born bull sired by Mereside Godolphin was exhibited by breeder Gerard Davis and family.
Coco crowned commercial champion
It was a day to remember for Donegal breeder Eoghan Breslin, with his Elite Ice Cream heifer Coco crowned commercial and Mega Moo champion. The society ran the special Mega Moo raffle as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations, whereby 100 tickets were sold for €100 each.
Commercial champion and Mega Moo heifer Coco with the Breslin family and raffle winner Donal Molloney (left of heifer). \Alfie Shaw
Ten tickets were drawn in total, with nine runner-up prizes made up of generously sponsored prizes.
It was the lucky winner Donal Molloney who had the choice of the under-460kg Mega Moo heifers as his first prize. He tapped out Breslin’s Coco as his pick, with Molloney travelling home with the heifer while Breslin received a cheque for €10,000 as part of the raffle.
Reserve commercial champion was awarded to Gareth McGuinness’s heifer Merciana. The stylish Elgin daughter had earlier won the no permanent teeth heifer class.
The quality of both the commercial and pedigree cattle was second to none, with the international breeders who were in attendance highly impressed by the stock on display.
Junior male champion Castlebrock Trafford ET pictured with handler Conor Craig and breeder Gerald Davis.\ Alfie Shaw
A large crowd was in attendance for the array of events taking place at the Midland and Western Livestock Centre in Leitrim over the weekend.
Saturday saw the pedigree and commercial show, elite heifer sale and Mega Moo competition take place under the roof of the renowned Carrick-on-Shannon Showgrounds.
The Millbrook Herd, owned by William Smith, saw tremendous success in the female section. Millbrook Nikkiespice ET, a 2018-born cow with bull calf at foot, went on to win a string of accolades, starting with first in the cow and calf class, as well as the senior female champion, overall female champion and capping the success by claiming the overall show champion on the day.
Carrickmore Schumacher ET, intermediate male champion, overall male champion and reserve overall show champion. He later sold privately in the yard for €30,000.
Not finished there, Millbrook Senorita ET, an April 2021-born heifer from the herd, claimed intermediate female champion and reserve female champion.
Senorita later went under the hammer at the elite heifer sale, with auctioneer George Candler’s hammer falling at €9,100 for the heifer.
Smith’s Spice cow family again produced the goods with Millbrook Sexyspice ET acting as the herd’s second entry to the heifer sale. She went on to break the five-figure barrier when the hammer fell at €10,000 for the Ideal 23 daughter, the second highest price on the day.
Young breeder Ben Lynch was at the halter for the Ernevalley Limousin Herd when the young heifer Ernevalley Sweetheart ET took the junior female champion of the day.
The Lynch family, Co Cavan, Maria, Ben, Zara and Eddie Lynch, with their junior female champion Ernevalley Sweetheart who achieved the top price of the sale at €11,000. \ Alfie Shaw
The aptly named Sweetheart was tapped forward by judge Rikke Benoit, with buyers around the ring agreeing with her call later in the day. Sweetheart went on to achieve the top price in the heifer sale when she sold for €11,000 for the Lynch family at less than 10 months of age.
Males
Not to be overshadowed by the quality of females, breeders displayed an array of top-end bull calves and bulls at the 50th celebrations.
The Connell brothers saw their efforts bear fruit once again with their entry, Carrickmore Schumacher ET, scooping an array of prizes before changing hands.
Schumacher, sired by Sympa from the famed Baileys Ice Princess, herself a two-time Tullamore Show champion, collected the junior male champion gong, before pipping the other entries to win the overall male champion, only being bested by the female champion to finish the day with reserve overall champion of the show.
Although there was no male sale on the day, that didn’t deter breeders from striking deals. Schumacher sold post-sale for a sum of €30,000 to the Glenmarshal Herd, Co Down, in what is one of the highest known prices for a private Limousin sale in Ireland.
Messrs A and P Kelly of the Killcastle Herd in Co Westmeath saw their 2019 homebred bull Kilcastle Pierson tapped forward by Welsh judge Chris Pennie as his senior male champion.
Senior male champion Kilcastle Pierson.\ Alfie Shaw
The powerful Ampertaine Elgin son was exhibited on the day by the new Limousin society president Dr Alan Kelly.
Completing the pedigree male lineup of champions was the junior champion Castlebrock Trafford ET. The sweet March 2022-born bull sired by Mereside Godolphin was exhibited by breeder Gerard Davis and family.
Coco crowned commercial champion
It was a day to remember for Donegal breeder Eoghan Breslin, with his Elite Ice Cream heifer Coco crowned commercial and Mega Moo champion. The society ran the special Mega Moo raffle as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations, whereby 100 tickets were sold for €100 each.
Commercial champion and Mega Moo heifer Coco with the Breslin family and raffle winner Donal Molloney (left of heifer). \Alfie Shaw
Ten tickets were drawn in total, with nine runner-up prizes made up of generously sponsored prizes.
It was the lucky winner Donal Molloney who had the choice of the under-460kg Mega Moo heifers as his first prize. He tapped out Breslin’s Coco as his pick, with Molloney travelling home with the heifer while Breslin received a cheque for €10,000 as part of the raffle.
Reserve commercial champion was awarded to Gareth McGuinness’s heifer Merciana. The stylish Elgin daughter had earlier won the no permanent teeth heifer class.
The quality of both the commercial and pedigree cattle was second to none, with the international breeders who were in attendance highly impressed by the stock on display.
Junior male champion Castlebrock Trafford ET pictured with handler Conor Craig and breeder Gerald Davis.\ Alfie Shaw
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