Show season ring round-up: Cattle champions

With the show season drawing to a close, we are reflecting on the cattle that have won the ribbons across the country.

clock • 3 min read
Show season ring round-up: Cattle champions

We look at the inter-breeds from six notable shows across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.  

The cattle pictured below were all inter-breed champions at their relevant show.  

Who is your favourite champion from the 2023 show season?

 
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The Balmoral cattle inter-breed

Balmoral   

Balymyle Sandy  

Tapped out as this years individual beef inter-breed champion at Balmoral show by judge Andrew Hughes, Halifax, was the Charolais bull, Balmyle Sandy, from father and son James Albert and William David Connolly, Ballynahinch, Co. Down.  

Son of Maerdy Onedirection, the May-2021 old bull was purchased for 28,000gns at Stirling bull sales this February from Bill Bruce, Perthshire.  

It marked the Connolly familys first inter-breed win at Balmoral since 1982, having taken home seven reserve interbreed titles since.  

  

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The Royal Cornwall cattle inter-breed

 

Royal Cornwall  

Koojan Sugarbabe 

In a record-breaking year for cattle entries at the Royal Cornwall show, beef inter-breed champion, Koojan Sugarbabe, bred and exhibited by Michael Kirby, from Holsworthy.  

The February 2021-born heifer, by Trueman Idol out of Koojan Foxylady, is in-calf to Uptonley Living the Dream and was also inter-breed champion at Devon County.   

She won the continental championship, bred and fed and was part of the group of five before taking the title.    

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The Three Counties show cattle inter-breed

Royal Three Counties  

Teme Stardust 

Claiming the overall beef inter-breed and continental titles at the Royal Three Counties was the Charolais champion, Teme Stardust, a home-bred two-year-old heifer from Vince Corbett, Knighton, shown by Grace Corbett. 

The daughter of Barnsford Ferny out of Teme Magnolia, which was breed champion at the Royal Welsh Show in 2018, is in-calf to Lochend Shell and was breed champion and reserve inter-breed champion at Shropshire County Show earlier in the year.  

 See also: Show season ring round-up: Sheep champion

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The Royal Highland and Royal Welsh cattle inter-breed

  

Royal Highland and Royal Welsh 

Grahams Ruth 

It was the Limousin champion Grahams Ruth, a three-year-old cow from Robert and Jean Graham, Bridge of Allan, Stirling which clinched the overall beef inter-breed title at this year's Royal Highland show and the Royal Welsh show later in the season.  

Brought out Lynsey Bett, the home-bred Claragh Franco daughter was shown with its October-born heifer calf at foot, Trixie. The outfit is no stranger to the titles, winning rosettes at Drymen, Gargunnock and Stirling on the circuit so far this summer. She will head to the Great Yorkshire and Royal Welsh next.     

  

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Great Yorkshire Show inter-breed champion

Great Yorkshire   

Popes Princess Immie 

It was the Simmental champion from the Wood family, Preston which won the supreme individual beef championship at this year's Great Yorkshire Show. From the Wood family, Preston, the six-year-old cow was shown with its January-born bull calf at foot, Popes Premier.  

Brought out by brother and sister duo, Hannah and Harry Wood, the Kilbride Farm Comber daughter was shown as a calf at foot with its dam Popes Princess Cleo when they won the inter-breed title at the Great Yorkshire Show in 2017.    

She was also crowned this year's overall champion at the British Simmental national show at Royal Norfolk Show.  

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