AN ALMOST flawless show record continued for the Irish-bred heifer, J-Lo at Agri Expo, when she came out top again after a marathon judging session which ended just before 7.00pm.

A huge crowd looked on as some fine show cattle put the stamp on Harrison and Hetherington's Agri-Expo's 10th anniversary show. Ten years down the line, this looks to be a fitting replacement for the old style Smithfield Show.

Judge, Jimmy Mulholland, Great Orton, Carlisle, put in a near 12-hour-plus judging stint picking his way through some huge classes before sorting out his championships.

In the end, it was not an easy decision, he said. "It was very close. There's barely a hairs-breadth between the champion and reserve, a Limousin cross and a Charolais cross. In the end, it was probably the way that the winning heifer showed herself," he told The SF.

J-Lo has had an unbelievable year for her owners who show under the JCB Commercials banner. They are Johnny Neill, Gareth Corrie and Charles Beverland, and their £1100 purchase from Hilltown market last year is beginning to look cheap given the prize money she has earned.

Shown by stockman, Eamon McGarry, she won the commercials at Balmoral, before going on to be reserve inter-breed beef champion; she was champion at the Royal Highland in June and then was reserve commercial at the recent Limousin 'National' Show.

The champion is by the Limousin bull, Norman Ely and out of a Limousin cross British Blue dam.

Speaking for JCB Commercials, a delighted Gareth Corrie commented: "J-Lo is a once in a lifetime heifer. We are over the moon winning the championship at such a highly regarded event. Agri-Expo is so well run and the quality of cattle on show was second to none. This win really did top what has been a fantastic year for us with J-Lo at all the major shows."

Keeping the main awards in the heifer section, the reserve overall was a home-bred Charolais cross from Wilson Peters, Cuilt Farmhouse, Monzie, Crieff.

His Honey Dime is another prolific shown winner, having been champion at Cally Marts' spring show, after which she was retained and then went on to be third at the Highland, placed Perth's commercial champion and reserve inter-breed. Next outing will be LiveScot.

She is by Carwood Elgin and out of a Limousin cross BB, one of a few cows kept by Wilson at Monzie.

Heading up the steer section was Rachel Mudd and Craig Bentley's Billy Whizz, a Limousin cross by Ananas out of a Limousin cross dam.

This 19-month-old Carry House-bred heifer was steer champion at the Limousin 'National' and at the Great Yorkshire after the pair bought her at a spring sale in Hexham for £2000.

Chasing Billy Whizz for the steer title was TomThumb, another Limousin-sired animal, from Miss Jennifer Hyslop, Balluskie, Girvan, Ayrshire. A month younger than the champion, this home-bred steer is by Lodge Hamlet and out of a Limousin cross dam.

Another with rosettes and silverware already on the sideboard, he was champion of champions at Newmilns, reserve steer at the Great Yorkshire and second at the National. His final outing will be at Smithfield.