Simmentals crowned best breed on parade at Ballymena Show

The Simmentals impressed Scottish judge Alasdair Houston to secure the award for the best breed on parade at last weekend’s Ballymena Show.

The line-up of prize winning Simmental cattle was led by the day’s male and supreme overall champion Dermotstown Delboy, exhibited by the father and son team of Leslie and Christopher Weatherup, Ballyclare.

Fresh from success at Balmoral Show a few weeks ago, this twenty-month-old bull caught the eye of County Donegal judge Bertie Houston, to take his second successive breed title. Sired by Kilbride Farm Newry, he notched up a string of awards in southern Ireland last year, and was purchased privately by the Weatherup’s as a stock bull for their 35-cow Lisglass herd.

Claiming the reserve supreme honours was the female champion Ranfurly Weikel 11^th from David and Jonny Hazelton’s herd at Dungannon, County Tyrone. This February 2012 born Hillcrest Champion daughter is bred from the herd’s prolific brood cow South Park King Kong Weikel 2^nd.

The reserve male award went to the junior bull Slievenagh Emperor exhibited by Robin and Darla Boyd, and sons Christopher and Jamie, Portglenone. This  fourteen-month-old bull is by Curaheen Apostle, and out of a home-bred dam.

Later in the day Slievenagh Emperor, and herd mate Slievenagh Extra Special, won the interbreed pairs award under the expert eye of James Playfair-Hanney from Roxburghshire.

Runner-up for the female championship was the three-year-old cow Lisglass Clover 2^nd from Leslie and Christopher Weatherup. She was sired by the 10,000gns Slimero Victory, and is out of a dam carrying the Kilbride Farm prefix.

Ballymena Show is one of the NI Simmental Club’s nominated points shows for the Danske Bank-sponsored Male and Female of the Year Awards. It also hosted the second qualifying round of the Ivomec Super Simmental Pair of the Year Competition.

The qualifiers were Ashland Lady Ann 2^nd and Ashland Ella Beauty from Pat and Frank Kelly’s herd at Tempo, County Fermanagh.

Class results include:

Cow, born before 01/01/11 – 1, Mrs Thelma Gorman, Armagh, Woodford Paula by Ballintlea King.

Cow or heifer, born in 2011 – 1, Leslie and Christopher Weatherup, Ballyclare, Lisglass Clover 2^nd by Slimero Victory.

Heifer, born between 01/01/12 and 30/06/12 – 1, David Hazelton, Dungannon, Ranfurly Weikel 11^th.

Heifer, born between 01/07/12 and 31/12/12 – 1, Mrs Thelma Gorman, Woodford Paula 2 by Kilbride Farm Newry; 2, Michael and Eamon McCloskey, Kilrea, Drumagarner Diamond by Barnattin Wally; 3, Pat Kelly, Tempo, Ashland Lady Ann 2^nd by Ashland Brandy.

Heifer, born between 01/01/13 and 31/08/13 – 1, Pat Kelly, Ashland Ella Beauty by Kilbride Farm Ahoghill; 2, Richard Rodgers, Portglenone, Hiltonstown Emerald by Auroch Amos; 3, Raymond Porter, Omagh, Killynure Elsie by Omorga Volvo.

Bull, born on or before 31/12/12 – 1, Leslie and Christopher Weatherup, Dermotstown Delboy by Kilbride Farm Newry.

Bull, born between 01/01/13 and 31/08/13 – 1, Robin Boyd, Portglenone, Slievenagh Emperor by Curaheen Apostle; 2, Robin Boyd, Slievenagh Extra Special by Kilbride Farm Bantry; 3, Raymond Porter, Killynure Elvan by Omorga Murray.

Bull or heifer calf, born on or after 01/09/13 – 1, Mrs Thelma Gorman, Woodford Penny by Kilbride Farm Newry.

Pair, property of exhibitor – 1, Leslie and Christopher Weatherup; 2, Robin Boyd; 3, Pat Kelly.