Limavady show results: Tremendous turnout of exhibitors and competitors despite the rain
The poor weather in no way diminished what was a tremendous turnout of exhibitors and visitors at this year’s Limavady Show.
Competition as particularly keen in the livestock rings with the inter-breed champion secured by the Crawford family form Co Fermanagh with their elite Limousih heifer: Rathkeeland Tendresse.
The 29-month old heifer looked an absolute picture in the ring. She is in calf to the elite Limousin bull - Toplimmymaverick
Tendresse has been catching the eye of judges for the past two years. The heifer had a tremendous career as a calf and has carried this momentum into 2024 with excellent performances at Balmoral and Lurgan Shows. She also won the beef inter-breed title at this year’s Newry Show. She is due to calve down for the first time next January.
The Crawfords’ pedigree Limousin herd comprises 100 breeding cows. Already in 2024, they have secured many of the top prizes and accolades, which agricultural show societies across Northern Ireland can offer.
A case in point was the family’s winning of the Northern Ireland Shows’ Association (NISA) inter-breed bull championship at this year’s Castlewellan Show.
The inter-breed dairy champion at Limavady Show is: Slatabogie Kandie. The red and white Holstein second calver immediately caught the eye of the judge: Karl Munden, from Victoria in South Australia.
He described his champion as an excellent example of the Holstein breed, adding: “She has tremendous ring presence, excellent mobility and an excellent mammary system.”
The victory secured at Limavady now means that Slatabogie Holsteins now has four cows qualified for the NISA daisy cow of the year final, taking place at next Saturday’s LImavady Show.
The Garvagh based herd is owned by the Paul family. Alan Paul commented: “Kandie calved for the second time four months ago. She is home-bred and is giving 42L of milk per day. We are delighted with her performance over recent months. Kandie also won her class at this year’s Balmoral Show.”
Limavady Show always attracts a tremendous turnout of sheep. And the 2024 event was no different in this regard.
The inter-breed championship was awarded to a North Country Cheviot, owned by Mark and Lorraine Warnock, from Plumbridge in Co Tyrone.
Judging the final sheep class of the day was Jim Aiken, form Dromara in Co Down.
He described his champion as an outstanding sheep with great ring presence and significant physical stature, adding: “He is a ram with a tremendous breeding future.”
The Warnocks are new entrants to the sheep sector. The inter-breed championship victory, secured at Limavady, represents an extremely positive start to their new enterprise.