There was a strong entry of both pedigree and commercial cattle at the Northern Ireland Limousin Young Breeders’ Club’s Rising Stars Calf Show, held at Ballymena Livestock Market on Saturday, March 8.

The event was judged by Scottish-based Limousin, Hereford, and Blue Texel breeder, Sophie Harvey from the Harveybros Herd in Stirling.

Speaking ahead of the event, the judge said: “This is my first time judging in Northern Ireland. It has been a fantastic show and I would like to thank the NI club for inviting me to judge.”

Catching Sophie Harvey’s eye to secure the £1,000 cash prize for the 2025 Rising Stars supreme overall champion, was the 11-month-old Bernish Valentine ET bred by NI club chairman Kieran McCrory who runs a 20-cow herd at Sixmilecross in Co. Tyrone.

Junior champion, pedigree champion, and supreme overall champion was Kieran McCrory’s Bernish Valentine. Source: Alfie Shaw

Sired by the 19,000gns Maraiscote Lothario, her dam Bernish Rihannajuli is bred from the noted Bernish Julifortune – dam of the 22,000gns Bernish Memphis, and granddam of the May 2024 Carlisle champion, Bernish Toplad, that sold for 16,000gns.

Bernish Valentine was the best female under one-year-old in the club’s 2024 herd competition, an accolade won by her mother in 2020.

This much-admired heifer is a full sister to the 19,000gns Bernish Uptowngirl ET, reserve champion at the Ballymena Ladies in Red Sale last year.

Judge Sophie Harvey awarded the senior, pedigree, and supreme overall championships to Bernish Valentine.

She said: ”This calf oozes style and ring presence. She is very correct and boasts everything I love in a Limousin heifer. This is one I’d really like to take home.”

Claiming the day’s reserve pedigree and reserve supreme plaudits was the junior champion, Jalex Virile ET from James Alexander’s 10-cow pedigree Limousin herd at Randalstown.

James Alexander’s Jalex Virile was junior champion, reserve pedigree champion and reserve supreme champion. Source: Alfie Shaw

“This is a very classy bull with great width, style, and breed character. My overall champion and reserve are both on a par with each other,” commented the judge.

Jalex Virile ET is a full brother to the 35,000gns Jalex Transform – supreme champion at the 2023 NI National Show; and Jalex Superman – sire of the 2024 Carlisle Red Ladies champion, Mereside Unicorn, which sold for 12,000gns.

This 10-month-old bull is the result of an embryo by the 16,000gns Huntershall Nutcracker and Brockhurst Oriana.

His full brother Jalex Vabulous ET won the reserve junior championship.

The Rodgers family from Dromara exhibited the reserve senior champion Draperhill Vanessa.

A 10-month-old Huntershall Rodman daughter, she is bred from Millgate Pringles – one of 14 pedigree Limousin females in the herd, which is run alongside pedigree British Blonde, Charolais, British Blue, and Aberdeen Angus females, and 100 commercial cows.

Father and daughter Peter and Serena Murphy, from Newry won the award for the best pair of cattle owned by exhibitor.

Their winning duo were the 12-month-old heifer, Carrickaldreen Venus, and the March-born Claddagh McCabe son, Carrickaldreen Venison.

James Alexander also won the commercial championship with the 14-month-old heifer Take A Chance. Sired by Trueman Idol, she is out of a British Blue cross cow, and was bred by Derrick Forde from Co. Galway.

Limousin — Commercial champion Take A Chance from James Alexander. Source: Alfie Shaw

Runner-up was Baby Spice, a 10-month-old Claddagh McCabe daughter exhibited by Robert Miller from Moneymore.

Bred by Sam Matchett from Portadown, this heifer was champion calf and purchased for £16,500 at the Royal Ulster Beef and Lamb Championships last November.

Sophie Harvey said she was impressed with the line-up of young handlers taking part in the three classes.

“It is fantastic to see so many enthusiastic kids and young members coming through. I had some very difficult decisions to make. My champion handler was ‘perfection’ and a very worthy winner. The presentation of the handler and the animal is key.”

Niall Forsythe, chairman of the NI Young Limousin Breeders’ Club thanked the judge, spectators, exhibitors, and sponsors for supporting the event.

“The calf show gets bigger and better every year. It’s encouraging to see so many young members getting involved and enjoying the camaraderie. They are the ‘rising stars’ of the club,” Forsythe said.

“I’d also like to thank our willing volunteers and Ballymena Market for the use of its excellent facilities.”

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