There is a return to native cattle and sheep breeds at agricultural shows but for the many breeders and exhibitors involved at Omagh Show, there were classes for the conventional breeds of cattle but also for Dexter and Galloway.

In the native and traditional breeds section, there was another breed making their debut – Highland cattle.

The Mayne Curragh herd of Highland cattle was established at Mayne Road, Omagh by Alastair and Linda Moore a few years ago but this year was their first time exhibiting at a show.

And what a debut for them! With two cattle, a bull and a heifer, they took first prize rosettes for each in their respective classes, and then in the Native and Traditional Breed Championship, taking the Champion and Reserve awards, with the heifer, Gruagach 5th of Caradog, beating the bull, Eoin Mhor 1st of Balmoral.

The Moores have built up a herd of around 40 head and are one of around 20 Highland herds in Northern Ireland.

The Highland breed is extremely hardy and adaptable to difficult terrains and weather conditions and outwintered.

Among the judges in the livestock section was local man, Keith Nelson from Rosslea, who was the judge of the Simmental section.

Visiting judges included Alex Brown from Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland who was in charge of finding the winners in the sheep interbreed and specials.

At home he manages flocks of Blackface, Blue-faced Leicester and Mules.

He has previously travelled to Omagh Show and this year has been judging at Wigtownshire and other shows in Scotland.

Among the successes were Percy Lindsay, lifting the Beef Shorthorn breed championship; Stephen Crawford, who won the Limousin championship; and Roger Johnston, winning the Blonde championship.

Results are as follows.

 

Aberdeen Angus

Bull – 1, Adrian and Graeme Parke; 2, Willam Dodd.

Heifer born after January 2021 and before December 2022 – 1, Sara Ferguson.

Heifer born on or after December 2022 and before December 2023 – 1, William Dodd; 2, Sarah Ferguson.

Bull or heifer calf – 1, Sara Ferguson.

Champion – Adrian and Graeme Parke; Reserve – William Dodd.

 

Hereford

Cow or heifer – 1, Ciara Fitzpatrick.

Heifer – 1 Ciara Fitzpatrick; 2, Alan Shaw; 3, Ryan and Russell Kelly.

Heifer born on or after January 1, 2023 – 1, Alan Shaw; 2, Ciaran Kerr; 3, Nathaniel

Shaw.

Bull born on or after April 1, 2022 and before December 2022 – 1, Alan Shaw.

Bull born after January 2023 – Ciaran Kerr.

Progeny Pair – 1, Ciaran Kerr; 2, Alan Shaw; 3, Ryan and Russell Kelly.

Champion – Ciaran Kerr; Reserve – Alan Shaw.

 

Limousin

Cow – 1, Stephen Crawford.

Heifer born between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022 – 1, Stephen Crawford; 2, Trevor Shields; 3, Julie-Anne Cairns.

Heifer born between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023 – 1, Trevor Shields; 2 and 3, Ronan McGurk.

Senior bull – 1, Stephen Crawford.

Junor bull – 1, Stephen Crawford; 2, Trevor Shields; 3, Ian Robb.

Bull or heifer born on or after January 1, 2024 – 1 and 2, Stephen Crawford.

Group of two – 1, Stephen Crawford; 2, Caitlin Kernan; 3, Julie-Anne Cairns.

Champion – Stephen Crawford; Reserve – Trevor Shields.

 

Salers

Bull any age – 1 and 2, Stephen Maginn.

Cow – 1, J and E.A Elliott.

Heifer, born before January 2024 – 1, Stephen Maginn; 2, Pearse O’Kane; 3, Seamus Connell.

Heifer, born after January 1, 2024 – 1, Pearse O’Kane.

Pair of animals – 1, Seamus Connell; 2, Stephen Maginn; 3, Pearse O’Kane.

Champion – Stephen Maginn; Reserve – Pearse O’Kane.

 

British Blue

Heifer – 1, Joshua Arrell; 2, Gareth Elliott.

Champion – Joshua Arrell; Reserve – Joshua Arrell.

 

Blonde

Heifer born in 2022 – 1, Molly Bradley; 2, Odhran O’Neill.

Heifer born in 2023 – 1, Gerard McClelland; 2 and 3, Roger Johnston.

Senior bull – 1, Roger Johnston.

Junior bull – 1, Gerard McClelland; 2 and 3, Roger Johnston.

Bull or heifer – 1, Gerard McClelland.

Group of two – 1 and 2, Roger Johnston; 3, Gerard McClelland.

Champion – Roger Johnston; Reserve – Molly Bradley.

 

Galloway

Bull yearling and upward – 1, Brooke Huey; 2, Brendan Douglas.

Young bull/heifer – 1, Brendan Douglas.

Maiden Heifer – 1, Dessie Huey; 2, Brendan Douglas.

Cow – 1, Dessie Henry; 2, Brendan Douglas.

Champion – Dessie Henry; Reserve – Brooke Huey.

 

Native and Traditional Breeds

Senior cattle derby – 1, Linda Moore.

Junior cattle derby – 1, Linda Moore; 2 and 3, Glyn Surgenor.

Calf derby – 1, Glyn Surgenor.

Champion – Linda Moore; Reserve – Linda Moore.

 

Charolais

Heifer born between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022 – 1, Thomas Devine.

Heifer born between January 2023 and December 2023 – 1, Thomas Devine; 2, Percy Lindsay.

Bull – 1 and 2, Trevor Phair.

Best pair of cattle – 1, Trevor Phair.

Champion – Thomas Devine; Reserve – Trevor Phair.

 

Beef Shorthorn

Bull any age – 1, Ivan Walmsley.

Heifer – 1, Percy Lindsay; 2, Adrian and Aoife Carson.

Heifer or bull – 1, Percy Lindsay; 2, Adrian and Aoife Carson; 3, Ivan Walmsley.

Pair of animals – 1, Percy Lindsay.

Champion and Reserve – Percy Lindsay.

 

Simmental

Heifer born between May 1 and December 31 2023 – 1, H and A Burleigh; 2, William Dodd.

Heifer born between January 2022 and December 2022 – 1, Alan Wilson; 2 and 3, Nigel Glasgow.

Bull – 1, William Dodd.

Bull, born on or after January 1, 2023 and before April 30, 2023 – 1, W. D. and J.D. Hazelton.

Pair of animals – 1, William Dodd; 2, Nigel Glasgow.

Champion – Alan Wilson; 2, W. D. and J.A. Hazelton.

 

Commercials

Store heifer – 1, Cochrane family; 2, Jade Tumilty; 3, James Leonard.

Beef heifer – 1, Ivan Lynn.

Beef bullock – 1, Cochrane family.

Suckler calf – 1 and 2, Laura Simpson; 3, Ivan Lynn.

Champion and reserve – Cochrane family

 

Goats

Female goat – 1, Danielle Lennox.

Pygmy goat, female over two years old – 1, Danielle Lennox; 2, Cleona McSwiggan.

Pygmy goat, male over one year old – 1, Teri Acheson.

Pygmy goat, female over one year old – 1, Danielle Lennox; 2 and 3, Teri Acheson.

Pygmy goat, male under 1 year old – 1, Danielle Lennox; 2, Teri Acheson.

Champion pygmy goat – Danielle Lennox

Champion goatling of show – Teri Acheson

Champion kid of show – Danielle Lennox.

Champion goat of show – Danielle Lennox.

 

Omagh Show shots continue elsewhere on the site.