The Charolais classes at Balmoral Show 2024 were judged by Mr Kevin Thomas of the Moelfre Herd, Wales. Kevin was born and brought up on a west Wales dairy farm, he first ventured into beef cattle breeding at the age of 22 when he bought two pedigree Charolais heifers to establish his own herd. Originally developed as a hobby alongside his career as a carpenter and later a property developer, over the past thirty years the Moelfre Herd has developed into one of the leading Welsh Charolais herds, with up to a hundred head of cattle.
Show day can only be described as near perfect, there was a quality line-up cattle, a packed, enthusiastic, ringside, and overhead there was an occasional grey cloud, but these were frequently interspersed with sunny spells that were cheery and pleasant but not too hot, for both man and beast!
Kevin’s judging style can be compared to many of his own Country’s great rugby teams over the years, he was proactive and decisive when needed, but when faced with a more challenging class he was considered, tactical and methodical before advancing over the gain line to find his overall champion in the Devine Brothers’ March-2022, Brownhill Tara by Newhouse Bigal out of home bred Brownhill Mo. Tara earlier in the show had won her class, then went on to take the John Currie Perpetual Cup for heifers aged between 1 January 2022 and 7 July 2023. She then went on to secure the female championship before landing the coveted overall championship title.
Standing as reserve overall champion was H & H Heron’s Falleninch Sancerre born in May-2021 by Barnsford Ferny, out of Falleninch Nigella he was purchased from breeder Mr A B Hornall, Stirling, in Stirling Bull Sales February-2023 for 10,000gns. Sancerre had won his class and had also been presented with the male championship sash earlier in the day.
Reserve male champion went to Mr V J B Chesnutt & Mr R Beattie’s Crossane4 Unique ET a January-2023 imported bull bred by Eoin McGovern, Fivemilebourne, County Leitrim. Unique is a son of Goldstar Echo and was bred by a Thrunton Bonjovi dam going back to Texan Gie and Donally New (CF52). He also won the male junior championship and overall junior champion rosette.
Reserve junior male champion was Mr Patrick Gallagher’s imported Magheramore Ultan a Clenagh Lyle son out of Magheramore Olympia ET born in February-2023 and bred by Mr Michael Grant, Umrican, County Donegal.
Standing near perfect in the female line was W D & J A Connolly’s reserve female champion, Brigadoon Utopia, born in April-2023 by Newhouse Maxamus. She was also junior female champion and reserve overall junior champion.
The reserve junior female champion was H & H Heron’s, Loughriscouse Urania a February-2023 Goldies Icon daughter who as a calf had stood alongside her dam Loughriscouse Rosalva to take the Reserve Overall Champion title in Balmoral May-2023.
Winning the Orage Perpetual Challenge Cup for the Best Cow or Best Cow Heifer presented by Mrs G Orage in memory of her late husband W. Norman Orage was Loughriscouse Opium from H & H Heron, a July-2018 Whitecliffe James daughter out of Hollywell Latin. Standing reserve was W D & J A Connolly’s Brigadoon Paradise born in July-2019 by Newhouse Maxamus out of Brigadoon Lolly. The Connolly family also won the Charolais group of three animals that are the bona fide property of one exhibitor and standing reserve was H & H Heron of Loughriscouse.
On Friday (17 May 2024) Stewart Stronach (Islavale) travelled from Scotland to judge the interbreed classes at Balmoral. In the Beef Interbreed Groups he tapped out the Charolais as Reserve Interbreed Team of Three consisting of Falleninch Sancerre from H & H Heron bred by A B Hornall, Brownhill Tara from the Devine Brothers and Crossane4 Tayto from Mr Eoin McGovern.
Stewart also pulled out a Charolais Cross called Gingernut from the commercial classes from the Cochrane family in third place in the Overall Beef Champion of Champions and this heifer also starred in the Young Handlers competition where Matthew Cochrane took the title as Best Overall Young Handler.
Finally, to crown the 2024 Balmoral Show from a Charolais perspective, Mr Harry Heron, Loughriscouse, won the Best Beef Presentation stall.
The British Charolais Cattle Society would like to extend thanks to Kevin Thomas and his wife Sioned for venturing from West Wales to judge the classes, the various show stewards Alex Woods, Gary Hanna, Willie McIlroy, Randall Hayes, Barry Barr and everyone involved at Balmoral Show. A special thank you goes to the Northern Ireland Club and their representatives for organising the stand and running the show proceedings and in particular Robert McWilliams who built the Society show stand. We are also extremely to Robert Smith and MacGregor photography for capturing this magnificent event and last, but by no means least, we would like to thank each exhibitor for such a fantastic showcase of Charolais cattle.
Class 1 Cow born before January 2021 in calf or in milk having had at least one calf.
1st – Lot 102 Loughriscourse Opium
2nd – Lot 103 Brigadoon Paradise
Class 567 Cow or heifer in milk or in calf born in 2021
1st – Lot 105 Loughriscouse Savanna
2nd – Lot 107 Dreamteam Showqueen ET
3rd – Lot 106 Brigadoon Sunrise
4th – Lot 104 Brigadoon Serenity
Class 568 Heifer born on or after 1 January 2022 and before 30 June 2022
1st – Lot 110 Brownhill Tara
2nd – Lot 108 Crossane4 Tayto
3rd – Lot 114 Coolnaslee Tiffany
4th – Lot 111 Brigadoon Texas
5th – Lot 113 Loughriscouse Tamara
6th – Lot 109Drumlegagh Taliah
Class 569 Heifer born on or after 1 July 2022 and on or before 31 December 2022
1st – Lot 118 Loughriscouse Tannisha
2nd – Lot 116 Loughriscouse Tashara
3rd – Lot 120 Breaghwyhill Tia ET
4th – Lot 115 Sydenville Tallulah
5th – Lot 119 Limkiln Tanya
6th – Lot 121 Sydenville Truffle
7th – Lot 122 Hillview Tara
Class 570 Heifer born on or after 1 January 2023
1st & Junior Female Champion – Lot 126 Brigadoon Utopia
2nd & Res. Jun. Female Champion – Lot 124 Loughriscouse Urania
3rd – Lot 128 Brownhill Una
4th – Lot 125 Gallaran Unique
Best Charolais Heifer for the John Currie Perpetual Challenge Cup Classes 568 – 570
Lot 110 Brownhill Tara
Reserve Heifer Champion
Lot 126 Brigadoon Utopia
Winner of the Orage Perpetual Trophy for Best Cow or Best Cow Heifer
Lot 102 Loughriscouse Opium
Reserve Lot 103 Brigadoon Paradise
Female Champion
Lot 110 Brownhill Tara
Reserve Female Champion
Lot 126 Brigadoon Utopia
Bull Class 571 Bull born before 1 January 2023
1st – Lot 129 Falleninch Sancerre
Class 572 Bull born on or after 1 January and before 31 March 2023
1st – Lot 130 Crossane4 Unique ET
2nd – Lot 132 Maheramore Ultan
3rd – Lot 131 Stranagone Uppermost
4th – Lot 134 Brigadoon Ulsterman
Bull Class 573 Bull born on or after 1 April 2023
1st – Lot 138 Brigadoon Ultimate
2nd – Lot 139 Stranagone Unit
3rd – Lot 137 Stranagone Uber
4th – Lot 144 Coolnaslee Upshot
5th – Lot 142 Sydenville Unmatchab
6th – Lot 145 Ardmachree Ultan
Junior male champion
Lot 130 – Crossane4 Unique
Balmoral 2024 Reserve Junior Male Champion
Lot 132 – Magheramore Ultan
Male Champion
Lot 129 Falleninch Sancerre
Reserve Male Champion
Lot 130 Crossane4 Unique ET
Group of Three
1st – W D & J A Connolly
2nd – H & H Heron
3rd – H & H Heron
4th – W D & J A Connolly
5th – Mr R McWilliams
6th – Sydenville Charolais
Overall Junior Champion
Lot 130 – Crossane4 Unique ET
Reserve Overall Junior Champion
Lot 126 – Brigadoon Utopia
Overall Breed Champion
Brownhill Tara from the Devine Brothers
Reserve Overall Champion
Falleninch Sancerre
Reserve Interbreed Group of Three
Lot 129 Falleninch Sancerre
Lot 110 Brownhill Tara
Lot 108 Crossane4 Tayto
Third Place in Beef Champion of Champions
Charolais sired Gingernut (24/07/2023) from the Cochrane Family
Best Beef Presentation Stall
Harry Heron, Loughriscouse
Categories: Balmoral Show, Shows
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