Interbreed champion Trueman Lute calls the tune with multi-breed title win at 2017 Balmoral Show

From amidst some fine competition on a warm and sunny opening day the Trueman team emerged with thirteen out of 14 possible Limousin championships or reserves.

Over the following three days, and head to head with the best in show of other breeds, a further six Interbreed titles was added to the haul including the show’s blue riband overall supreme individual interbreed award.

The prize winning haul is thought to be perhaps the most dominant show by one breeder, and one breed, at any of the modern day summer ‘majors’ including Balmoral, The Royal Highland, Great Yorkshire and Royal Welsh respectively.

Five Trueman animals took the titles between them with Peter Murphy of Carrickaldreen nipping in to win the Junior Limousin male reserve and Derriaghy’s David Green having last year’s winner, Glenrock Inclusive, within the winning interbreed team of five.

The winning team of Trueman animals comprised of the heifers Trueman Lute, Melody, Madonna, and Minogue, along with the young bull Trueman Mozart.

In front of Limousin judge Michael Massie of the noted Elrick herd, Mains Of Elrick, Auchnagatt, Ellon, Aberdeenshire it was the stylish September 2015 born heifer Trueman Lute who came through a field of 62 Limousin entries to lift the female championship and Limousin overall supreme championship.

After three previous overall reserves this was the first time the Trueman herd had secured the breed championship title.

A twin to a heifer Trueman Lute is by the AI sire Haltcliffe Hitec, a Volcano son, who the Savages had seen and liked when being sold at Carlisle.

She is out of Trueman Foxtrot, a Wilodge Vantastic daughter, who is described as one of the three foremost females in the 18 cow herd.

Come Friday, and the third day of the show, Trueman Lute strutted her stuff against her fellow breed champions before being given the highest accolade of supreme individual interbreed champion by the judge this time in the shape of the well-known Terry Coghill, Birsay, Orkney.

Following the Limousin judging Michael Massie said of his champion: “This was just a super heifer. She’s very correct with a leg in each corner, she has a great top on her, a full body, and a lovely Limousin head. There’s so much potential there and I’m sure that she’ll make a great cow.”

Of the Limousin show generally Michael Massie went on to say: “It was a very good show of cattle featuring some great class winners. It’s easy to see the quality of the Limousin breed in Northern Ireland. The stockmanship across the board was fantastic and I’d like to congratulate all the exhibitors.”

The show marked another landmark achievement for the Savage team of Henry Snr, Henry Jnr, Phelim, Benedict and Dermot.

In recent years Team Savage has sold the heifer Trueman Duet for 38,000gns, won the 2011 National Limousin Show with Trueman Euphonium, and in 2015 lit up the pedigree sector when selling the world record priced bull Trueman Jagger for £147,000.

Commenting Henry Snr said: “Each of these achievements has been fantastic in its own right but to win your home show and have such success in the Interbreeds and against the quality of cattle here is really something as special as it was unexpected.”

Of the herd’s breeding philosophy Henry Snr went on to say: “Our simple aim is to concentrate on the three or four best cows in the herd to produce the highest quality calves that we can. In recent years those cows have been Trueman Euphonium, Indie, and Foxtrot. We’re still a small herd but moving forward we are looking to increase in size but keep the emphasis on quality.”

Breeding of the influential Wilodge Vantastic was also evident through the team and featuring as a grandparent in all bar one of the Trueman cattle.

For the record Trueman Lute won: Limousin female champion; Limousin supreme overall champion; individual interbreed supreme champion; M&S Signet beef interbreed heifer champion; was part of champion Limousin pairs; Champion Limousin Group of Three; Champion Interbreed Team of Five; and interbreed reserve pairs.

Asked what the future of Trueman Lute holds, Henry Snr said: “She’ll be going home with the team and back to the grass on Sunday.”

A similarly impressive haul was achieved by the young bull Trueman Mozart who lifted the Limousin male championship; reserve Limousin supreme overall; junior male champion; overall Limousin junior champion; Limousin pairs and group of three; overall junior interbreed champion; M&S Signet beef interbreed bull champion; featured in the winning interbreed groups of three and five; and reserve in the interbreed pairs.

The May 2016 born Trueman Mozart is an embryo calf and is the first bull, and the first to be shown, by the aforementioned Trueman Jagger.

He is out of Trueman Honey who is herself a past overall reserve supreme at Balmoral Show.

Aimed at the October Bull Sale in Carlisle, Trueman Mozart weighed in at 682kgs. Trueman Mozart picked up the prestigious junior overall interbreed title again in front of Terry Coghill.

Nipping in to lift the reserve junior Limousin male title was the smart June 2016 born Carrickaldreen Maverick from Peter Murphy, Mullaghbawn, Newry, Co Armagh.

Another with a Savage connection, this young bull is by the 12,000gns Trueman Jukebox and is out of Sarkley Francesca, a Haltcliffe Ullswater daughter.

Francesca was herself purchased for the Carrickaldreen herd for 5000gns at the Sarkley herd’s production sale.

Moving forward, and keen on the mating, Peter Murphy aims to flush Francesca to Trueman Jukebox.

Carrickaldreen Murphy is himself another bull being aimed at the Carlisle October 2017 sale.

No stranger to show awards the presently ten breeding female Carrickaldreen herd has previously placed junior champion and junior heifer champion at Balmoral whilst picking up major awards at the All Ireland Limousin Derby and Northern Ireland Limousin championships respectively.

Trueman Melody sired by Ampertaine Abracadabra and out of Trueman Indie picked up the reserve overall female championship and was also junior female champion and reserve overall junior.

Melody is an April 2016 born maiden heifer calf who picked up the first red ticket of the day.

Taking first prize in the second class and lifting the reserve female championship was Trueman Madonna.

An embryo calf Madonna is by Ampertaine Elgin and is out of the 2011 National Limousin Show champion Trueman Euphonium.

This January 2016 born calf also featured in the winning interbreed groups of three and five as well as the winning Limousin group of three.

Last year’s Limousin supreme champion at Balmoral was Glenrock Inclusive from close local breeders Messrs D G Green and Son, Derriaghy Road, Lisburn, Co Antrim.

Originally bred by Stephen Illingworth, Lockerbie, the November 2013 born heifer was back in the 2017 prizes when she featured in the winning interbreed group of five along with her January 2017 born heifer calf Derriaghy Noodles sired by Wilodge Tonka.

Glenrock Inclusive was originally purchased by the Greens for 14,000gns at the Glenrock Herd sale held in Carlisle in August 2014.

She is by the Nenuphar son Bremore Artist and is another embryo calf out of the renowned Glenrock Spangle.

The interbreed team of five, a new competition within the four day format, was judged by Martin Ryan.

The winning Limousin Team comprised of Glenrock Inclusive, Trueman Mozart, Trueman Lute, Trueman Madonna, and Trueman Minogue.

Three of those five also combined to win the Interbreed group of three, in front of the judge Albert De Cogan, in the form of Trueman Mozart, Trueman Lute, and Trueman Madonna.

The same judge oversaw the interbreed pairs where the Limousin team of Trueman Mozart and Trueman Lute picked up the reserve championship.

In the keenly contested commercial beef championships on the Thursday morning it was another championship for Limousin sired cattle before the judge Drew Hyslop, Boquhan Home Farm, Kippen, Stirling.

The February 2016 born heifer Valentine, from K and S Williamson, Benburb, Co Tyrone won the medallion plaque for best commercial beef heifer, Junior commercial beef champion, supreme champion commercial beef animal and best commercial animal bred by exhibitor.

By Elite Forever Brill, this heifer is a full sister to Donald MacPherson and Jock Currie’s Scottish Winter Fair 2015 winner Price Tag which was bred by the Williamsons.

Balmoral Show results 2017

Limousin classes

Class 604: 1st Trueman Melody born April 2016, by Ampertaine Abracadabra and out of Trueman Indie, 2nd Deerpark Missmoneypenny born July 2017 by Ampertaine Gigolo and out of Ampertaine Isadora, 3rd Trueman Mumba born May 2016 by Trueman Jagger and out of Trueman Honey

Class 605: 1st Trueman Madonna born January 2016, by Ampertaine Elgin and out of Trueman Euphonium, 2nd Jalex Mya born January 2016, by Bassingfield Hobama and pot of Norman Indulgent, 3rd Trueman Minogue born January 2016, by Ampertaine Elgin and out of Trueman Euphonium

Class 606: 1st Trueman Lute born Sept 2015 by Haltcliffe Hitec and out of Trueman Foxtrot, 2nd Ardnacrusha Kylie born sept 2015 by Sympa and out of Ardnacrusha Hilarious, 3rd Knockcroghery Kimkardashian born Sept 2015 by Lowerffrydd Empire and out of Millbrook Ester

Class 607: 1st Goldies Liz born Jan 2015, by Goldies Fortress and out of Goldies Dynasty, 2nd Brideview Libby born May 2015 by Donnelly Hernando and out of Pennys Urania

Class 608: 1st Clydevalley Jessie born July 2014 by Limo Esso and out of Clydevalley Bessie, 2nd Erne Julieann born February 2014 by Sauvignon and out of Oldhouse Didi

Class 609: 1st Glenrock Inclusive born November 2013, by Bremore Artist and out of Glenrock Spangle

Class 610: 1st Trueman Mozart born May 2016, by Trueman Jagger and out of Trueman Honey, 2nd Carrickaldreen Maverick born June 2016 by Trueman Jukebox and out of Sarkley Francesca, 3rd Drumard Marksman born April 2016 by Djerk and out of Glenrock Elusive

Class 611: 1st Cowporation Macferide born January 2016 by Ampertaine Gigolo and out of Claeys Ferdie, 2nd Newferry Mufasa born January 2016 by Sympa and out of Newferry Irene

Class 612: 1st Brookmill Klunk born October 2015 by Wilodge Tonka and out of Millbrook Enya

Class 613: 1st Slieve Leonardo born February 2015

Class 614: 1st Norman Inventor born October 2013 by Claragh Franco and out of Norman Crystal

Class 615 – group of three animals: 1st Trueman Mozart, Trueman Lute and Trueman Madonna

Special classes

S270 Champion Limousin – Trueman Lute, Reserve – Trueman Mozart

S271 Junior breed champion (male or female) -Trueman Mozart, Reserve – Trueman Melody

S272 Champion junior heifer - Trueman Melody, Reserve - Trueman Madonna

S273 and S274 female champion and William Mulligan Memorial Rosebowl – Trueman Lute, Reserve - Trueman Melody

S275 Champion junior bull – Trueman Mozart, Reserve – Carrickaldreen Maverick

S276 Overall junior champion and John Gordon President’s Cup – Trueman Mozart, Reserve – Trueman Melody

S277 Male champion Limousin and Peter Smyth Cup – Trueman Mozart, Reserve – Carrickaldreen Maverick

S278 Best Limousin and Norman McBriar Perpetual Challenge Cup – Trueman Lute, Reserve – Trueman Mozart

S279 Breeder of the best Limousin and Broadmeadows Breeders Cup – Henry Savage and Sons

S280 Best Limousin on show bred and owned by exhibitor – Trueman Lute, Reserve – Trueman Mozart

S281 Best pair of Limousin cattle owned by and bred by exhibitor – Trueman Lute and Trueman Mozart, Reserve – Deerpark Missmoneypenny and Deerpark Maisie

S282 and S283 Best group of three Limousins bona fide the property of one exhibitor and Herbert Lusby memorial Perpetual Challenge Cup – Trueman Lute, Trueman Mozart and Trueman Madonna

Commercial classes

Class 636 Commercial beef heifer: 1st Kim K, born October 2016, by Carmorn Cantona

Class 637 Commercial beef heifer: 1st A Heifer exhibited by Strathearn Livestock born July 2017 by Swarland Eddie

Class 638 Commercial beef heifer: 1st Valentine, born February 2016 by Elite Forever Brill

Valentine also won medallion plaque for best commercial beef heifer, junior commercial beef champion, champion commercial beef animal and best commercial animal bred by exhibitor.

She is a full sister to the Scottish Winter Fair 2015 winner.

Breeders K and S Williamson, Benburb, Co Tyrone.

Class 639 Commercial beef steer and medallion plaque for the best commercial beef steer: 1st The Hulk, born August 2016 by Elite Forever Brill

Interbreed

Overall junior beef champion of champions - Trueman Mozart

President’s trophy and special prize for the overall beef breed champion of champions – Trueman Lute

Champion Signet performance beef recorded heifer – Trueman Lute

Champion Signet performance beef recorded bull – Trueman Mozart

Champion and reserve champion beef breed continental pair - Reserve champions, Limousins - Trueman Mozart and Trueman Lute

Best group of three in the beef group competition, continental breed - Champions, Limousins – Trueman Mozart, Trueman Lute and Trueman Madonna

Best team of five in the beef team competition, continental breed – Champions, Limousins – Trueman Mozart, Trueman Lute, Trueman Madonna, Trueman Minogue and Glenrock Inclusive