Exhibitors pulled out all the stops for the Royal Ulster Beef and Lamb championships staged at Balmoral Park, Lisburn, which had more than 60 classes of judging and top Aberdeenshire showman, Blair Duffton at the helm amongst the cattle.

“This year’s Royal Ulster Beef and Lamb Championships was a tremendous show and sale of quality stock with the supreme champion being one of the best animals I have seen in years," said Mr Duffton.

"It really was an excellent show and all stock exhibited on the night were of a top standard.”

He found his champion in the aptly named Flash, a Limousin cross heifer from County Down based trio JCB Commercials. This May 2018-born entry is sired by Claragh Mufassa, and out of a British Blue cross Limousin dam, which Mr Duffton later purchased for £5300, on behalf of Kitson and Son Butchers, North Yorkshire.

The same buyers also parted with £2500 to secure the reserve champion from Lisbellaw-based farmer Alan Veitch. This home-bred bullock is by Ashleigh Admiral and out of a Limousin cross Blue cow.

One of the highlights of the day was the Ulster Housewife’s champion judged by David Moore, Country Meats, who gave the winning slap to On The Money, a fleshy Aberdeen Angus heifer from Jack Smyth, Newtownstewart. She is by Drumdow Primera N005 and realised £4700 to Corinne McAllister and daughter Peita for their award winning pub and restaurant, The Morning Star situated in Pottingers Entry, Belfast.

Country Meats, Aghagallon will serve up the Reserve Housewife’s Champion for their customers. This was a home-bred Simmental heifer brought out by McKenna Bros, Clogher which sold for £1800.

Best of opposite sex in the Housewife’s Championship was a 490kg Limousin cross from the Rodgers Family, Dromora, which made £2550 to Lynda Hamilton for further showing.

Mr Duffton was back in action to judge the baby calves, which also attracted a bumper entry and a champion in the the seven-month-old Charolais cross heifer, Tequila, from the O'Kane family from Carnlough. She later sold for £2000 for further showing to Tommy Williamson.

The O'Kanes also produced the second top priced calf at £1500 purchased by Kevin O'Hare, Hilltown.

Entry of calves were of exceptionally high quality with the Champion baby coming from the O’Kane family, Carnlough. The seven month old Charolais Heifer, Tequila, was snapped up for further showing by Tommy Williamson (aged five months) for the 2020 Show Season.

New to the event this year was the introduction of show classes confined to members of the Young Farmers Clubs of Ulster and it was from this well supported section that the champion pair of lambs hailed from. These were Beltex cross lambs from Zara Preston, Cappagh YFC. They were bid to £600 per head by the Mayfly Inn, Kesh, who also secured the reserve champion pen from William McAllister, Kells with his Texel-sired pair selling for £250 each.

The first prize pen of Blue Texels, ewe lambs from Allen and Shortt, also proved popular selling for £480 per head to Bowland Foods, Preston.