Drumhilla Superstar lives up to his name at Rising Stars 2022

Saturday, March 12^th, 2022, saw the return of the NI Limousin Cattle Club & NI Young Limousin Breeders’ “Rising Stars” show.

According to organisers, the event allowed attendees to see what Northern Ireland breeders have on their 2022 show teams for the society’s 51^st-anniversary.

It tasked Laura and Llyr Hughes of the Pabo herd with judging pedigree and commercial classes.

Entries were open to all 2021-born pedigree and Limousin-sired commercials. Classes were divided into a senior, junior, pedigree and commercial sections.

The pedigree and commercial went head-to-head for the supreme championship sponsored by Whinfellpark Limousins.

Llyr Hughes commented on the “exceptional show of extremely well-presented cattle, which made a feast for the eyes”.

“The title of the show is exactly what I had the privilege and honour to judge, and the champion is definitely a future star. This event will go from strength to strength.”

Senior championship 

The judges awarded the senior champion, pedigree champion and supreme overall champion titles to Drumhilla Superstar, which Gareth Corrie, Newtownards bred and exhibited.

April-2021 born, Drumhilla Superstar is by Gareth’s stock bull, Ampertaine Majestic, and out of the 15,000gns Glenrock Northernstar.

This young bull is a full brother to the 9,000gns Drumhilla Rambo, who was reserve intermediate champion at last year’s October bull sale in Carlisle.

Superstar will be destined for further showing throughout the summer and will be aimed for the sales later in the year.

The reserve supreme champion, reserve pedigree champion and reserve senior champion came in the form of Boleyn Sasha, who Michael Savage, Ballynahinch, bred and exhibited.

The January-2021-born Sasha is by Ampertaine Elgin and out of the Wilodge Vantastic dam, Drummin Libby.

Junior sector 

In the junior section, father and son duo, Trevor, and William Shields, scooped the junior champion title with Glenmarshal Snapper.

Snapper is by 26,000gns Foxhillfarm Ourbest and out of Homebyres Vanhee daughter, Homebyres Duplicity.

Following up with reserve junior champion was Claragh Sapphire, bred and exhibited by John & Paul Rainey. This young heifer is by Ampertaine Foreman and out of an Ampertaine Elgin daughter, Claragh Ignite, who goes back to the herd matriarch Haltcliffe Avon.

Commercial section

Meanwhile, retaining their Commercial Championship title from the 2020 Rising Stars show was JCB Commercials with their Ampertaine Elgin sired heifer, 50 shades of Grey.

Derrick Forde, Galway bred this blue/grey heifer, which JCB Commercials purchased last November at the ‘Elite Commercial Haltered Cattle Sale’ in Stranorlar.

Keith and Stephen Williamson claimed the reserve rosette with their Castleview Gazelle heifer, Déjà vu. Both these heifers have their spot booked into the 2022 RUAS Balmoral Show.

The pairs championships, sponsored by Norbrook Laboratories, attracted what organisers described as “strong” competition.

Made up of two animals from the same exhibitor and a combination of two males, two females or one male and one female, the winner of this championship was John & Paul Rainey’s pair of heifers, Claragh Sofia and Claragh Sapphire.

Following in reserve was Connor & Ryan Mulholland’s pair Deerpark Saffron and Deerpark Saturn.

Class results:Limousin show

Class 1: Senior Males sponsored by Firmount Veterinary Clinic

• 1^st: Blackwater Spartan exhibited by Keith & Stephen Williamson
• 2^nd: Ballyrickard Spongebob exhibited by Ian Davidson
• 3^rd: Johnstown Samson exhibited by Chris Johnston
• 4^th: Deerpark Saturn exhibited by Connor & Ryan Mulholland

Class 2: Senior Males sponsored by Portglenone Refrigeration Services

• 1^st: Drumhilla Superstar exhibited by Gareth Corrie
• 2^nd: Millgate Speedy exhibited by Michael Loughran
• 3^rd: Bernish Sportsman exhibited by Kieran McCrory
• 4^th: Ballyrickard Scooby exhibited by Ian Davidson

Class 3: Senior Females sponsored by Fane Valley Stores

• 1^st: Boleyn Sasha exhibited by Michael Savage
• 2^nd: Deerpark Saffron exhibited by Connor & Ryan Mulholland
• 3^rd: Spage Sally exhibited by Paul Campbell

Class 4: Senior Females sponsored by Lifeline – Uniblock

• 1^st: Claragh Sofia exhibited by John and Paul Rainey
• 2^nd: Spage Stella exhibited by Paul Campbell
• 3^rd: Ronick Sopretty exhibited by Trevor Shields
• 4^th: Birchwood Sarah exhibited by Marty & Ronan McGurk

Class 5: Junior Males sponsored by Bothwell Farm Supplies

• 1^st: Millim Scania exhibited by Michael Loughran
• 2^nd: Millim Streamline exhibited by Michael Loughran
• 3^rd: Frewstown Springtime exhibited by Derek Frew

Class 6: Junior Males sponsored by Walter Watson

• 1^st: Glenmarshal Snapper exhibited by Trevor Shields
• 2^nd: Pointhouse Sircolm exhibited by Michael & Kile Diamond
• 3^rd: Spage Sidney exhibited by Paul Campbell
• 4^th: Seanita Superhero exhibited by Sean & Anita McKeown

Class 7: Junior Females sponsored by Abbeyautoline

• 1^st: Claragh Sapphire exhibited by John and Paul Rainey
• 2^nd: Keenaught Salmanella exhibited by Niall Quinn
• 3^rd: Millim Sparkle exhibited by Michael Loughran
• 4^th: Ashview Sally exhibited by Chris Johnston

Class 8: Junior Females sponsored by A Hyde Feeds

• 1^st: Slieve Sabrina exhibited by Gareth Wilson
• 2^nd: Doogary Star exhibited by Oliver McDonald
• 3^rd: Seanita Shellie exhibited by Sean & Anita McKeown
• 4^th: Birchwood Supersonic exhibited by Marty & Ronan McGurk

Class 9: Commercial Males sponsored by Rutledge Contacts Ltd

• 1^st: Barney exhibited by Denzel Johnston
• 2^nd: Blackjack exhibited by Adam Hall

Class 10: Junior Females sponsored by Beatty Fuels & Farm Feeds

• 1^st: 50 shades of Grey exhibited by JCB Commercials
• 2^nd: Déjà vu exhibited by Keith & Stephen Williamson
• 3^rd: Whitney exhibited by Neil Megarry
• 4^th: Bellamianta exhibited by OMC Commercials

Sponsors of Limousin show

In a statement, the spokesperson, on behalf of NILCC & NIYLB, thanked all sponsors of this year’s show:

• A Hyde Feeds;
• Abbeyautoline;
• Beatty Fuels and Farm Supplies;
• Bothwell Farm Supplies;
• British Limousin Cattle Society;
• Fane Valley Stores;
• Firmount Veterinary Clinic;
• Harrison and Heatherington;
• Moocall;
• Norbrook Laboratories;
• Parklands Veterinary Group;
• Portglenone Refrigeration;
• Rutledge Contracts Ltd;
• Uniblock – Lifeline;
• Walter Watson;
• Whinfellpark Limousins.

Concluding, they said: “Thank you to all our volunteers who helped in any way and thank you to Llyr and Laura Hughes for coming over and judging the 2022 Rising Stars show. Thank you to Dungannon Farmers’ Mart for the use of their facilities.”

Other articles on That’s Farming:

• Top 8 ‘rising stars’ of young handlers’ competition named