Balmoral Show 2019: Beef interbreed winners

The Beef Shorthorn took the interbreed trophy from a strongly-contested line-up of 15 breed champions and the commercial beef winner.

Judge Danny Wylie, from Staffordshire, did not hesitate in tapping out the “mighty” second calver, Ricketstown Lovely 191, from the all-female shortlist, making it a first for exhibitor Duncan McDowell.

Mr McDowell, who runs 40 pedigree Beef Shorthorns in Newtownards, Co Down, bought Lovely as a maiden heifer from Martin Kelly of Ricketstown Beef Shorthorns.

She was shown with her five-month-old, Elliot Matrix-sired daughter at foot.

See also: Balmoral 2019: Holstein interbreed winners

In reserve and returning to the show after a five-year absence, was William Smith, Oldcastle, Co Meath, with his January 2018-born, homebred heifer Millbrook Nelenya.

Sired by Wilodge Vantastic she is out of Millbrook Enya and is seven generations homebred.

Nelenya is the third generation of her dam line to win at Balmoral and takes Mr Smiths’ interbreed tally to six.

Her granddam, Millbrook Ullr, won the reserve interbreed sash in 2009. Nelenya’s aunt, Millbrook Celine, won the supreme champion title in 2011.

And their stablemate, Millbrook Ginger Spice, made it a hattrick when she won interbreed at Balmoral for the third consecutive year in 2014.