Results: NI Limousin Championships at Antrim Show
A report by Julie Hazelton outlined that the one-day event, held within the Shane's Castle Estate on the shores of Lough Neagh, attracted an entry of over 50 pedigree and commercial Limousin cattle.
Scottish judge Ian Nimmo described this year's Northern Ireland Limousin Championship at Antrim Show as "an outstanding show with quality and consistency in every class".
Ian Nimmo was the judge on the day
'There were strong classes throughout, with strength and depth, and really outstanding animals,' explained Nimmo, who runs the noted 140-cow Maraiscote herd based at Wishaw in Lanarkshire.
'The first prize winners in every class were top-notch. I had a really nice line-up of animals for the championship.'
Catching the judge's eye to secure the senior, female, and supreme overall championship honours was the outstanding young cow Deerpark Shakira, shown with her bull calf at foot.
Later in the day, she impressed interbreed judge, Cyril Millar from Coleraine, to claim the show's interbreed beef cow award and supreme overall championship ribbons.
Bred by brothers Connor and Ryan Mulholland from Aghalee, this much-admired cow will be four-years-old in December.
She was sired by Wilodge Vantastic, and is out of the home-bred Ampertaine Gigolo daughter, Deerpark Missmoneypenny.
'This fantastic young cow is an easy winner. She is doing a great job rearing her first calf, and is a very stylish female with power, size and width throughout,' explained Ian Nimmo.
'The female and supreme overall champion is feminine, has a lovely head, and really oozes breed character.'
Sharkira's bull calf, Deerpark Viking, was born in October 2024 and is a son of 25,000gns Glenrock Redemption. He stood first in his class and went on to claim the reserve junior and male championship ribbons.
Deerpark Shakira won eight Limousin championships and five interbreed awards as a maiden heifer in 2023.
As the 2025 show season draws to a close, Shakira has won an additional six breed championships for Connor and Ryan Mulholland:
Balmoral;
Lurgan;
Ballymena;
Armagh;
Castlewellan;
Antrim.
She also claimed the interbreed championships at Lurgan, Ballymena, Armagh, Castlewellan, and the reserve interbreed award at Balmoral Show in May.
The reserve overall championship went to the six-month-old heifer calf Drumhilla Alice, bred by Gareth Corrie, and shown by his seven-year-old son Gareth, from Newtownards, Co. Down.
The reserve overall championship went to Drumhilla Alice, bred by Gareth Corrie, and shown by his seven-year-old son Gareth, from Newtownards, Co. Down
Drumhilla Alice also picked up the calf championship and the reserve female championship.
Sired by Trueman Idol, her dam is Sarkley Odelisha.
Odelisha is a daughter of the Plumtree Fantastic son, Sarkley Jaguar.
She was reserve overall champion and purchased for 20,000gns at the Red Ladies sale at Carlisle in December 2019.
'The reserve champion is a very flashy heifer calf with a bright future ahead of her.
"She is sweet, very correct and full of breed character," Nimmo said.
The reserve calf champion and reserve male champion was Jalex Awesome, a six-month-old Pablo Superspice son bred by James Alexander, Randalstown, Co. Antrim.
The junior champion was Derriaghy Vogue, an 11-month-old Gunnerfleet Lion heifer bred by David Green from Lisburn.
'Another very correct, feminine heifer, with style and character,' added the judge.
Shauna Killen from Crossgar, Co. Down won the intermediate championship with Jalex Vabulous purchased for £14,000 at the Jalex Jaw Droppers sale at in April.
Sired by Huntershall Nutcracker, this maiden heifer is a foundation female for Shauna's newly established Down Royal herd.
She was reserve junior champion at Balmoral and breed champion at Newry.
Nimmo added: "Another nice, square, and shapely heifer with plenty of style and ring presence.'
Runner-up for the intermediate championship was the second-placed Millgate Vision from Seamus Branniff's Croob Herd at Ballynahinch.
Sired by Kilcor Sylvester, she was purchased for £6,300 at the Millgate Marvels online sale in March.
The reserve senior champion was Clydevalley Topclass, a two-year-old Claddagh McCabe daughter exhibited by Robert Clyde, and grandson Sammy, who run a herd of 40 pedigree cows at Templepatrick, Co. Antrim.
She is in-calf to the home-bred Lodge Hamlet son, Clydevalley Usain.
Nimmo was also said he was impressed with the quality line-up of commercial cattle.
'The quality was superb in every class. The top two were easy winners, well-matched, with very little between them.'
The championship plaudits went to Knocklayde Girl, a 13-month-old Trueman Idol daughter from the Hillside commercial herd owned by Ivan Lynn, and sons, Conal, Liam and Dan, from Armoy.
Knocklayde Girl
Taking the reserve award was the January-2024-born heifer Take a Chance, a Trueman Idol daughter, from James Alexander's Jalex herd.
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