WHEN people think of the show season, it is often the summer show circuit that first comes to mind, but at this time of year, now that bull sales fever is coming to a close, it is the back-end and winter shows that are becoming peoples' immediate priorities.

That is certainly the case for Ian and Wendy Callion who, although they aren't showing this year, have become stalwarts of the Stars of the Future Calf Show that has established itself over the past five years.

With their Lodge Limousin herd, based at Bolfornought, under the shadow of the Wallace Monument on the outskirts of Stirling, they have become firm supporters of the show, having lifted numerous championships and red tickets since the show started.

Last year was their most successful, lifting both the senior and junior inter-breed championships. One of the winning heifers, Lodge Indie, went on to take the reserve junior female title at this year's Highland Show, topping off a successful period for the Callions in the show ring.

"Winning the double last year was really something special with our two home-bred heifers, Lodge Indie and Lodge Jalise," said Ian. "We'd been successful over the years, first at Forfar, and since the show moved down to Stirling, but that was really special. It's not something we'll forget any time soon."

The Lodge herd of pedigree Limousins was established in 1980 at Lodge Farm, Great Clifton, Cumbria, they then moved to Bolfornought Farm, Stirling in 1993, where Ian, Wendy and their 16-year-old daughter, Christina, now run 38 pure Limousins and their followers, with the added help of experienced stockman, Dennis Gall.

Christina is currently studying for her Highers at school and enjoys singing with the National Youth Choir of Scotland, but she still likes to find time to work with the cattle, especially Lodge Indie, one of the herds' most successful current females, who she says actually belongs to her!

They run their cattle on their 300-acre arable farm, alongside growing wheat, barley, oats and Timothy hay, as well as taking on sheep wintering. The busy couple also run a holiday business, 'Gateway Cottages', which is proving to be popular due to it's location and the outstanding views from the farm.

The Stars of the Future Show is now in its sixth year, having been at Forfar for three before moving to the more central location at Stirling. With about 350 entries for this year's show from the length and breadth of the UK, it's going from strength to strength, and it's a set up the Callion's really enjoy.

"We go to a few summer shows early on in the year," explained Wendy. "We like to support our local shows, the National Limousin Show, and the Royal Highland Show."

"We also don't tend to show more mature stock - we mainly stick to our heifers and young bulls for the show ring. That's another reason we enjoy the Stars of the Future so much."

As much as they are keen on their showing though, Ian is realistic about it, and what it takes to get to the top.

"I always think that if you're there or there abouts at big shows - say in the top three - you're doing not too bad. We first showed at the Highland in 1983 and stood last and second last. We won our first class in 1988 and we were over the moon - it takes time and patience to work your way up."

The couple are realistic about the differences between calf shows and others.

"Calf shows are like any specialist event that attract a specific audience," Ian added. "They are really aimed at people who are interested specifically in the beef side of things."

"It's a good time of year to have a show of this nature" continued Ian. "There's a lot less going on so you have more time to devote to it, but having a show at this time for calves also means that the calves are worked with, and haltered trained etc, which gives you a head start if they continue through to the bull sales or summer shows!"

The multi-breed aspect of the Stars of the Future is also something of a draw.

"It's a cracking atmosphere," Ian said. "The mixed breeds mean the people involved with them come together, so the social side of things is as good as the business."

"A lot of people deal in more than one breed as well, so it's an opportunity for them to showcase them without having to take them to different shows."

As well as seeing success in the show ring with their heifers, Ian and Wendy have also done well with bulls, and many of these bulls have gone on to become prolific, well respected breeders.

Genus, which markets the semen for Lodge Hamlet and Lodge Hydro, actually spotted them as calves at the Stars of the Future Show in 2012, which proves that the show can have a serious commercial side to it.

Lodge Hydro, sired by Rossignol, won the junior inter-breed at Stars of the Future in 2012, and his first crop of calves are now on the ground. The couple already have an eye on a few as potential members of the 2016 Stars of the Future show team.

Lodge Hamlet also won his class at the show, and was the first bull sold from the herd to a semen company and has done a great job raising the profile of the herd within the breed. "We've had good reports coming back about his progeny, which is the main thing!" he added.

Selling stock on the back of the Stars of the Future Show is one of the many reasons it is held in such high regard.

"We like it for the shop-window aspect," explained Ian. "When you show calves, there is only so much you can do with them. They're more natural and can't be as pushed on as some older stock can be, because they don't have that same time!

"When you see calves out you can see what bulls are doing well, and this helps when it comes to buying semen and looking for new bloodlines, so it works well from a lot of points of view."

Ian does all of his own AI work, having done a course about four years ago. "It's given us so much more flexibility and control over our AI schedule," said Ian. "Even if it does mean inseminating a cow at unsociable hours!"

They've had a successful years flushing, with eight embryos out of Lodge Indie, and seven out of a Glenrock Spangle daughter, Glenrock Heroine. Finding recipients for these embryos is the next priority, and the Callions hope that they'll see successful progeny from these two females.

As far as its setup is concerned, Ian and Wendy couldn't speak more highly of the Stars of the Future calf show, but Ian does have one small concern: "To be perfectly honest, I think the age limit of the calves should maybe be lowered to 15 months," argued Ian. "I think they're pushing the limits at 18 months as these animals are that wee bit further forward - and have left the calf stage far behind!"

The setup of the show overall seems to be working well, though, and it is something that seems to be being replicated with some success in other areas of the UK.

The couple admit that they have four calves that they would definitely have ear-marked for Stars of the Future this year, but circumstances mean they are having to take a year out.

"It's not something we would ever do half-hearted," explained Wendy, "It takes a lot of work behind the scenes preparing these calves for the show and we just feel that this year, with other things going on, that we wouldn't have enough time to dedicate to bringing the calves out to a level we would be happy with.

"It'll be nice to watch the show from the other side though!"

There can be no doubt that the Lodge Limousin consignment will be missed at Stars of the Future this November, but the show is once again promises to be an excellent show of the best beef calves from up and down the country.