Finance brokers, Noel and Mary Kilpatrick and son Richard, went all the way to land the junior championship and supreme overall amongst the Simmentals at United Auctions' Stirling Bull sales.

The team, from Banbridge, Northern Ireland, won their first supreme, with Ballymoney Leonard, a 17-month-old son of the 14,000gns AI sire, Saltire Impressive, bred from the Dermotstown Delboy daughter, Ballymoney Orla.

"I couldn't fault the champion," said the judge, Andrew Clarke, who owns the Breaghey herd from Tynan, Northern Ireland. "He is just so correct with great feet and legs, a good top line and style," Mr Clarke said adding that the bulls were better than he had expected, with many entries suitable for pedigree and commercial herds.

Just pipped at the post was the intermediate champion, which went on to land the runner-up overall. This was the Barlow family's Denizes Logic, a 20-month-old from Four Oaks, Leyland, Lancashire. Producing a best ever show result at Stirling for the family who have been selling here for 12 years was a grand-son of the 10,000gns Denizes Fantastic. He is by Denizes Impeccable and out of Raceview Fenella, a cow bought privately that is a daughter of the former Tullamore champion, Raceview Beauty Matilda.

The Stronach family's Islavale herd from Berryleys, Keith, was again in the tickets too, winning both the champion and reserve honours amongst the senior bulls with sons of the privately purchased Corskie Highlander Ex92. Supreme senior was the Islavale London, bred from the Curaheen Vobster-sired cow, Islavale Benita VG88.

Islavale Leonardo, the second prize winner in his class, followed London all the way to take reserve. He is also bred from a home-bred Curaheen Vobster daughter.

The blue and white sash amongst the intermediates, was another that followed his first prize class mate. Northern Ireland breeders, David and Jonny Hazelton, won this award with Ranfurly Limelight L11, an AI son of Auchorachan ACDC, bred from Raceview Goldie Dreamer, an Ex92 cow purchased at Roscommon for €9000 in 2016, whose first son sold privately for a five-figure sum.

Reserve amongst the juniors also headed across the Irish Sea, to the Kilbride Farm herd of Billy Robson and sons Michael and Norman, Ballyclare, Co Antrim. Their 15-month-old, brought out by Allan Jackson of Headlind Livestock along with another five Kilbride Farm bulls which have been in livery at Headlind since November, is another by the 14,000gns Saltire Impressive. The dam, Kilbride Farm Eunice by Sneumgaard Imperator, has bred sons to 5000gns.