It was a day to remember for John Killen, and daughters, Shauna, age nine, and Katrina, age eight, from Crossgar, County Down. They scooped the prestigious Gary Pickering Memorial Perpetual Cup, and a £500 cash prize sponsored by Corby Rock Mill in Monaghan, for the supreme overall champion of the show.

Earlier in the day the Killen trio lifted the award for the best heavy-weight heifer, the best heavyweight steer, the Limousin championship and the reserve Charolais championship.

The show stopper was a home-bred 540 kilo Limousin heifer, bred from a Limousin cross Belgian Blue cow. John Killen has been producing prime beef cattle for over 20 years, and claimed the reserve supreme championship at last year’s event.

 John Killen runs a herd of 13 commercial cows and has a few pedigree Belgian Blues.  John, Shauna and Katrina are no strangers to success in the commercial beef show ring. They scooped the commercial beef championship awards at Saintfield and Castlewellan, as well as the male championship at Balmoral, and the reserve championship at Saintfield.

“The supreme champion has great style, length, mobility and conformation,” said judge, Richard Rettie, from Alloa in Clackmannanshire, Scotland. “This animal is my type of beast, and she just shone on the day.  “

Mr Rettie is a freelance stockman, and he and wife, Carol, run Rettie’s  Pedigree Services, offering livery, and a show and sales advisory service to pedigree and commercial cattle herds throughout the UK and Ireland. They also keep pedigree Aberdeen Angus, Beef Shorthorn and Charolais cattle.

The reserve supreme championship, and £250 cash award sponsored by Natural Stockcare Ltd, was won by a 524 kilos medium-weight Belgian Blue heifer shown by Clive Hoey from Fivemiletown. 

Clive Hoey made his debut in the fatstock show ring last year. His home-bred heifer also took the Dunbia Cup for the best butchers’ heifer, and the Belgian Blue championship honours.  The Hoey family farm is home to a herd of 50 commercial suckler cows.

“The reserve champion is a similar type of animal to the champion. They both have tremendous backends,” added the judge.

Mr Rettie continued: “It has been a very strong show of quality cattle, and many of the animals on display could compete successfully at national level.  It has been a privilege to judge the event, and I would especially like to thank the exhibitors for taking part. Thanks also to the stewards for their help throughout the day.”

Claiming the Farlow Engineering Cup, and the £300 Ulster Bank cash prize, for the champion in the calf section were brothers, Fergal and Declan McKenna from Clogher.  They also won the Decotmax Shield for the best exhibitor-bred calf, and the Charolais championship.

Their winning entry was a Charolais bull calf, bred from a Limousin cross Belgian Blue cow, and sired by the Doonally New son, Carrigans Robust. This eye-catching calf also claimed the commercial calf championship awards at Clogher and Enniskillen Shows.

Alan Veitch from Lisbellaw claimed the £200 cash award, sponsored by AI Services (NI) Ltd, for the reserve champion in the calf section.  His winning entry was a Charolais heifer. Alan Veitch, and his father, Kenny, also took first prize rosettes in the light-weight and medium-weight steer classes.

The breed championship classes were judged by noted fatstock producers, Joshua Miller and Martin Harold from Letterkenny, County Donegal, who have both exhibited several All-Ireland championship winners.

They said:”We would like to thank the club for inviting us to judge, it has been a great honour. This has been a well organised event, and the exhibitors have put on an excellent show of cattle.”

McKenna brothers, Declan and Fergal, exhibited the Charolais champion, with the reserve award going to John Killen, Crossgar.

John Killen also claimed the Limousin championship, while the reserve Limousin award went to the father and son team of John Paul Rainey from Kilrea.

The Belgian Blue champion was exhibited by Clive Hoey, Fivemiletown, with Alan Veitch claiming the reserve breed championship honours.

The Blonde d’Aquitaine championship went to Louise Breen, Augher, while Alan Farlow, Garvagh, took the reserve breed title.

Alan Lecky from Castlederg, owned the Aberdeen Angus champion, with the reserve title going to James Alexander from Randalstown.

Brothers Derek and Alan McCrea, Strabane, claimed the native breed championship award, with the reserve honours going to James Porter, Upper Ballinderry, Lisburn.

The young handlers’ classes were placed by Mrs Carol Rettie. First prize in the under 12-year-old class went to Christopher McCrea from Strabane; while Louise Breen from Augher, stood first in the 13 to 16-year-old section.

“It has been a good show, with very keen young stockmen and women, and well presented animals, in each class. The top-placed handlers were professional, and kept their animals well under control. They never took their eyes of the judge,” said Mrs Rettie.

Speaking after the event, John McSorley, chairman of the NI Commercial Cattle Exhibitors Club said: “I would like to thank the organising committee, the exhibitors, judges, stewards and spectators, for making our fourth annual show a great success. Thanks also to our sponsors, without whom our event would not be possible.”

John McSorley added:” I would also like to take this opportunity to extend a sincere thank you to Willie Wilson, and the staff, at R A Noble and Co, for all their help, and for putting the Pedigree Sales Arena at our disposal. “

Results from the judging ring....

Specials

• The Gary Pickering Memorial Perpetual Cup, for the supreme overall champion of the show, and Corby Rock Mill £500 Award: John Killen.

• Natural Stockcare Ltd £250 Award, for the reserve supreme champion of the show: Clive Hoey.

• The Farlow Engineering Cup and Ulster Bank £300 Award, for the supreme champion calf: P and E McKenna.

• AI  Services (NI) Ltd £200 Award, for the reserve champion calf: Alan Veitch.

• Dectomax Shield, for the best exhibitor-bred calf: McKenna Bros.

• Dunbia Cup, for the best butcher-type heifer: Clive Hoey.

Breeds

• Charolais champion: McKenna Bros, Clogher. Reserve: John Killen, Crossgar.

• Limousin champion: John Killen. Reserve: John and Paul Rainey, Kilrea.

• Belgian Blue champion: Clive Hoey, Fivemiletown. Reserve: Alan Veitch, Lisbellaw.

• Blonde d’Aquitaine champion: Louise Breen, Augher. Reserve: Alan Farlow.

• Aberdeen Angus champion: Alan Lecky, Castlederg. Reserve: James Alexander.

• Native breed champion: Derek and Alan McCrea, Strabane. Reserve: James Porter, Upper Ballinderry, Lisburn.

Classes

Heifer calf, under 300 kilos – 1, Alan Veitch, Drumlone, Lisbellaw, (Charolais); 2, Richard Hunter, Ederney, Co Fermanagh, (Belgian Blue); 3, Richard Hunter, (Simmental); 4, William McAllister, Kells, (Charolais).

Bull calf, under 300 kilos – 1, P and E McKenna, Clogher, (Charolais); 2, Martin Gallagher, Omagh, (Charolais); 3, Nigel and Sandra Cochrane, Portadown, (Limousin); 4, Eoin Loughran, Cookstown, (Belgian Blue).

Lightweight heifer – 1, Stephen O’Kane and Lynsey Laurence, Garvagh, (Belgian Blue); 2, McKenna Bros, Clogher, (Charolais); 3, James Alexander, Randalstown, (Limousin); 4, McKenna Bros, (Charolais).

Mediumweight heifer – 1, Clive Hoey, Fivemiletown, (Belgian Blue); 2, Richard Law, Kesh, (Limousin); 3, Harold Crawford, Newtownards, (Charolais); 4, Arthur and Alise Callaghan, Kilkeel, (Belgian Blue).

Heavyweight heifer – 1,  John Killen, Crossgar, (Limousin); 2, Louise Breen, Augher, (Blonde d’Aquitaine); 3, McKenna Bros., (Charolais); 4, Derek and Alan McCrea, Strabane, (Charolais).

Lightweight steer – 1, Alan Veitch, (Belgian Blue); 2, Eoin Loughran, (Charolais); 3, John Linton,Garvagh, (Limousin); 4, Harold Crawford, (Belgian Blue).

Mediumweight steer – 1, Alan Veitch, (Limousin); 2, Alan Farlow, Garvagh, (Blonde d’Aquitaine); 3, Robert Simpson, Aughnacloy, (Simmental); 4, Nigel and Sandra Cochrane, (Charolais).

Heavyweight steer – 1, John Killen, (Limousin); 2, James Alexander, (Charolais); 3, McKenna Bros, (Charolais); 4, Kieran Fox, Portadown.

Butchers’ Heifer, weighing between 470 and 540 kilos – 1, Clive Hoey, (Belgian Blue); 2, John Killen, (Limousin).

Young handlers

Young handler, under 12-years-old – 1, Christopher McCrea, Strabane; 2, Eimear McGovern, Clogher; 3, Martin Rodgers, Ballynahinch; 4, Tara O’Brien, Donegal.

Young handler, aged 13 to 16-years-old – 1, Louise Breen, Augher; 2, Aaron Shortt, Omagh; 3, Clodagh McGovern, Clogher; 4, Jack Smyth, Strabane.