It was like the clash of the titans in the commercial cattle ring at the 2025 Oldcastle Agricultural Show on Sunday 20 July, as a number of show champions from different parts of the country met for the first time this year.
The numbers and quality throughout the cattle section was exceptional, especially in the commercial ring, leaving a red rosette hard to come by.
Getting the nod from judge John Lynch and rising above her competitors as she has done on so many occasions this summer to claim the overall commercial champion of the show was the stunning Limousin-cross heifer Ruby, exhibited by Kevin Devine.
Having won the all-Ireland beef heifer class sponsored by ABP, the Ballinloan Jaegerbomb daughter went on to claim the overall title, adding to her long list of championships already won this year.
Bullock champion
Local breeder Mark Smith came out on top in the all-Ireland beef bullock class with his tremendous black bullock Buster Douglas, which has also been making a name for itself on the scene this year, picking up red rosettes at Mullingar, Longford and Dundalk shows.
Best beef bullock was owned by Mark Smith. \ A Moore Media
Donal and Oliver McGowan had a successful trip east as they won the Carl Gilsenan Memorial Trophy for the best continental crossbred heifer calf with their stylish black Limousin calf sired by Graiggoch Rambo.
Donal, Oliver, Anthony, Iona and Eoghan McGowan won the Carl Gilsenan memorial trophy for the best continental crossbred heifer calf. \ A Moore Media
Adding to her collection of red ribbons this year was Conor Craig's black Limousin heifer calf sired by Larkhill Ludo, as she won the junior calf championship.
Meanwhile, Carlow breeders Owen and Sarah O'Neill took first prize in the continental heifer championship, while TJ Duffy and Dwayne Shields claimed first place in the best pairs class.
Pedigree section
Arguably the best display of pedigree cattle was in the Limousin ring, as a number of animals with championship ribbons under their belts clashed.
Judge Keith Vickary had the difficult task of sorting through these, as he awarded the overall champion to Karl and John Connell's heifer Carrickmore Uphoria.
This 21-month-old heifer is a daughter of Ampertaine Elgin and the great Baileys Ice Princess.
Carrickmore Uphoria, overall champion Limousin shown by John, Saoirse and Oisin O'Connell. \ A Moore Media
A cow and calf outfit shown by local breeder and show chairman John McEnroe was the pick of judge David Faughnan for the overall Angus champion of the show.
Liss Minree U799 with her bull calf at foot was Angus champion, shown here by John and Sean McEnroe. \ A Moore Media
Clinching the award for Mc Enroe and his son Sean was Liss Minree U799, a daughter of Liss Marty P417, which was shown alongside her classy bull calf sired by Liss Dingle.
Hereford
Winning the overall champion in the Hereford section was Sean and Gary McKiernan with Corlismorepoll 1 Sydney 233, the Solpoll 1 Real Good ET daughter which was following on from her championship success in Mullingar.
Corlismorepoll 1 Sydney 233 was champion Hereford, shown here by Gary McKiernan. \ A Moore Media
Rockvalley Vigour ET was crowned champion Charolais to the delight of breeders Niall and Simone Maguire. A son of the french sire Neptune, Vigour's mother is the successful show cow Birches Pretty Lady.
Rockvalley Vigour ET shown by Simone Maguire was champion Charolais. \ A Moore Media
It's been a fantastic year for Denis Foynes and his heifer Castlecuffe Stacia, winning the interbreed champion at Athlone Show and on Sunday she stood top of the line in the Belgian Blue category once again, taking the overall champion sash back to Co Laois.
Over in the Shorthorns, Tomas and Brièn Williams from Mullagh, Co Cavan, won the overall title with their rising two-year-old heifer Cormelton Lily, a daughter of the popular AI sire Creaga Dice.
Interbreed calf championships
Competition in the interbreed calf championships was savage, with Longford breeder Martin Davis winning the continental championship with the January 2025-born Limousin heifer calf Castlebrock Aintree ET, sired by Claddagh McCabe.
In the traditional interbreed calf championship, Pat and Finbar Cahill reigned supreme with Shankill Martha A373, a seven-month-old daughter of the herd's stock bull Lavally Ultra.
Pick up this week's Irish Farmers Journal to read all about it.
It was like the clash of the titans in the commercial cattle ring at the 2025 Oldcastle Agricultural Show on Sunday 20 July, as a number of show champions from different parts of the country met for the first time this year.
The numbers and quality throughout the cattle section was exceptional, especially in the commercial ring, leaving a red rosette hard to come by.
Getting the nod from judge John Lynch and rising above her competitors as she has done on so many occasions this summer to claim the overall commercial champion of the show was the stunning Limousin-cross heifer Ruby, exhibited by Kevin Devine.
Having won the all-Ireland beef heifer class sponsored by ABP, the Ballinloan Jaegerbomb daughter went on to claim the overall title, adding to her long list of championships already won this year.
Bullock champion
Local breeder Mark Smith came out on top in the all-Ireland beef bullock class with his tremendous black bullock Buster Douglas, which has also been making a name for itself on the scene this year, picking up red rosettes at Mullingar, Longford and Dundalk shows.
Best beef bullock was owned by Mark Smith. \ A Moore Media
Donal and Oliver McGowan had a successful trip east as they won the Carl Gilsenan Memorial Trophy for the best continental crossbred heifer calf with their stylish black Limousin calf sired by Graiggoch Rambo.
Donal, Oliver, Anthony, Iona and Eoghan McGowan won the Carl Gilsenan memorial trophy for the best continental crossbred heifer calf. \ A Moore Media
Adding to her collection of red ribbons this year was Conor Craig's black Limousin heifer calf sired by Larkhill Ludo, as she won the junior calf championship.
Meanwhile, Carlow breeders Owen and Sarah O'Neill took first prize in the continental heifer championship, while TJ Duffy and Dwayne Shields claimed first place in the best pairs class.
Pedigree section
Arguably the best display of pedigree cattle was in the Limousin ring, as a number of animals with championship ribbons under their belts clashed.
Judge Keith Vickary had the difficult task of sorting through these, as he awarded the overall champion to Karl and John Connell's heifer Carrickmore Uphoria.
This 21-month-old heifer is a daughter of Ampertaine Elgin and the great Baileys Ice Princess.
Carrickmore Uphoria, overall champion Limousin shown by John, Saoirse and Oisin O'Connell. \ A Moore Media
A cow and calf outfit shown by local breeder and show chairman John McEnroe was the pick of judge David Faughnan for the overall Angus champion of the show.
Liss Minree U799 with her bull calf at foot was Angus champion, shown here by John and Sean McEnroe. \ A Moore Media
Clinching the award for Mc Enroe and his son Sean was Liss Minree U799, a daughter of Liss Marty P417, which was shown alongside her classy bull calf sired by Liss Dingle.
Hereford
Winning the overall champion in the Hereford section was Sean and Gary McKiernan with Corlismorepoll 1 Sydney 233, the Solpoll 1 Real Good ET daughter which was following on from her championship success in Mullingar.
Corlismorepoll 1 Sydney 233 was champion Hereford, shown here by Gary McKiernan. \ A Moore Media
Rockvalley Vigour ET was crowned champion Charolais to the delight of breeders Niall and Simone Maguire. A son of the french sire Neptune, Vigour's mother is the successful show cow Birches Pretty Lady.
Rockvalley Vigour ET shown by Simone Maguire was champion Charolais. \ A Moore Media
It's been a fantastic year for Denis Foynes and his heifer Castlecuffe Stacia, winning the interbreed champion at Athlone Show and on Sunday she stood top of the line in the Belgian Blue category once again, taking the overall champion sash back to Co Laois.
Over in the Shorthorns, Tomas and Brièn Williams from Mullagh, Co Cavan, won the overall title with their rising two-year-old heifer Cormelton Lily, a daughter of the popular AI sire Creaga Dice.
Interbreed calf championships
Competition in the interbreed calf championships was savage, with Longford breeder Martin Davis winning the continental championship with the January 2025-born Limousin heifer calf Castlebrock Aintree ET, sired by Claddagh McCabe.
In the traditional interbreed calf championship, Pat and Finbar Cahill reigned supreme with Shankill Martha A373, a seven-month-old daughter of the herd's stock bull Lavally Ultra.
Pick up this week's Irish Farmers Journal to read all about it.
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