Heifers led the supreme judging as the Borderway Agri-Expo event returned to Carlisle for the first time since 2019.
The overall beef championship at this year's Agri-Expo was claimed by Mark and Sarah Harryman, Pickering, with their Limousin-sired heifer champion, Miss Dynamite.
Bred by Brian Harper, Falkirk, the 14-month-old heifer secured secured the supreme commercial beef animal at the Great Yorkshire show this summer. It crossed the weigh bridge at 601kg.
Reserve overall
Taking the reserve overall rosette in the beef judging was the reserve heifer champion, Atomic Blonde, from Dermot, Mark and Gareth Small, Kilkeel, Co Down, and Beth Wilkinson, Leyburn.
The home-bred 13-month-old heifer is by Limousin sire, Gerrygallen Kingbull, with its dam, Charolais cross Strawberry Blonde, having stood overall beef champion at Agri-Expo in 2018. Weighing in at 676kg, it heads to the English Winter Fair and LiveScot next.
Judge James Crichton, Egremont, Cumbria, praised exhibitors for turning out well-handled animals in what had been another year of few shows. He described his champion as ‘all in proportion and level right through', with its ‘smoothness over the tail' putting it above his reserve placing.
Baby beef
In the baby beef championship, seven-month-old Aberdeen-Angus cross steer, Fred, claimed the top spot to mark a first-time section win for David and Pat Blair, Newport-on-Tay. Home-bred by McCornick Panther and out of a show-winning cow, it weighed in at 319kg.
Reserve baby beef went to Luke and Beth Wilkinson, Leyburn, and John Smith-Jackson, Haltwhistle, with their February-2021 born Limousin cross heifer, Hightown Sarah. By Shire Apollo and out of show-winning dam Garnedd Model, it weighed in at 330kg.
Steer championship
The steer championship went to Katrina Little and Hannah Donaldson, Wigton, Cumbria, with 15-month-old Limousin cross, Black Bomber. Bought from breeder P. and A. Jarman, Branthwaite, Cumbria, in March, it weighed in at 595kg and heads to LiveScot and the Welsh Winter Fair next.
Reserve steer was 16-month-old Limousin cross Call the Cops, a Rossignol son from Christine Williams and Paul Tippetts of the Wilodge herd, Shifnal, Shropshire. Also bred by P. and A. Jarman and purchased in March, it crossed the bridge at 623kg and will go to LiveScot and the Welsh Winter Fair next.
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Steer champion, Limousin-sired Black Bomber from Katrina Little and Hannah Donaldson, Wigton.
sheep
Sheep
In the sheep section, it was a clean sweep for the Hall family from Dalston, Cumbria, who took the overall championship with their Beltex pair and reserve placing with their Texel duo.
Weighing in at more than 40kg each, the April-born Beltex pair were by a Faughill ram from Grant Maxwell, Melrose. Their Texel duo, again weighing in at more than 40kg, were by a Dutch Texel ram from Robin Slade, Herefordshire.
The hill-bred lamb championship went to a home-bred pair of North Country Cheviots from Dougie Crew, Lockerbie. Reserve hill-bred lambs were a Hindhope Showman-sired South Country Cheviot duo from Tom, Alan and Scott Frame, Strathaven.
Topping the lambs bred from a hill ewe championship were a pair of Suffolk-sired lambs out of a South Country Cheviot ewe from Ed and Karl Fawcett, Morpeth, with reserve going to Ioan Jones, Llanelli, with a Mule pair out of a Cheviot ewe.
The best pair of Mule gimmer lambs went to James Robinson and Zac Ward, Carnforth, and reserve to J. Wilson and J. Dunning, Settle.
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Overall and continental sheep champions, a pair of Beltex lambs from R. Hall and Son, Dalston.
Results
Beef:
Inter-breed (Judge, J. Crichton, Cumbria) Supreme and female., M. and S, Harryman, Miss Dynamite; reserve and res. fem., D. Small and B. Wilkinson, Atomic Blonde; male, Messrs Little and Donaldson, Black Bomber; res. male, Wilodge, Call the Cops.
Baby Beef (D. Semple, Argyll) Sup., D. and P. Blair, Fred; res., B. and L. Wilkinson and J. Smith-Jackson, Hightown Sarah.
Sheep:
Inter-breed (S. Wood, Aberdeenshire) Sup. and continental and res. and res. continental, R. Hall and Son.
Continental (S. Wood) Sup. and res., R. Hall and Son.
Hill-bred lambs (S.Wood) Sup., D.F. Crew, res., J.J. Frame and Co.
Lambs bred from a hill ewe (S. Wood) Sup., Messrs Fawcett; res., Ioan Jones.
Pair of Mule gimmer lambs (V. Brown, North Yorkshire) Sup., J. Robinson and Z. Ward; res., J. Wilson and J. Dunning.
Hereford calf show champion
Champion (pictured) was grand female champion, Rempstone 1 Curly N604, from M. Ludgate, Thame. Reserve was grand male champion, Moralee 1 Valuabull RK V19, from Tom and Di Harrison, Northumberland
Border British Blue Club open calf show champion
Champion (pictured) was male champion, Solway View Pug, from Kevin Watret, Dumfriesshire. Reserve was female champion, Solway View Rosie, from Kevin Watret.
North West Simmental Club calf show champion
Champion (pictured) was junior champion Springfield Major 21, from G. Brown, Penicuik. Reserve was reserve junior champion, Denizes Monty 21, from Barlow Brothers, Lancashire.
Beef Shorthorn open calf show champion
Champion (pictured) was female champion, Runleymill Roxburgh Lass Pam, from, J.H. Wilson and J. Dunning, Settle. Reserve was male champion, Highlee Rafferty, from Mark and Tracy Severn, Halifax.
Aberdeen-Angus winter national show champion,
Champion (pictured) was heifer champion, Tonley Ester W786, from Neil Wattie, Aberdeenshire. Reserve was reserve heifer champion, Retties Lady Ruth W148 Jamie Rettie, Stirling.
