A striking Charolais beef heifer has won the 2025 Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS) Commercial Beef Championship.
The recent event was held at the Society’s Balmoral Complex on the outskirts of Lisburn in Co. Antrim.
The winning animal was bred and exhibited by the McKenna family from Clogher in Co. Tyrone.
Championship judge, Stewart Dunlop from Ayrshire in Scotland, described the heifer as an almost perfect example of the Charolais breed.
He commented: “I noticed the animal as soon as she entered the ring to take part in her breed class. She really is very special.
“She would hold her own in any fatstock competition held in the UK.”
The Dunlop family specialises in the breeding of top quality beef cattle, many of which have won major livestock awards in Scotland and beyond.
Declan McKenna was at the halter as the final beef competition class of the evening was judged.
He told Agriland: “The heifer was sired by the Charolais bull: Doon Ultimate. She is out of a Limousin cross Blue cow.
“This is only her second outing of the year. The heifer took part in a commercial beef event held in Ballymena back in the summer.”
Co. Antrim specialist beef breeder David Alexander, owner of the Jalex Herd, also enjoyed tremendous success at the RUAS event.
He won the overall reserve with a black Limousin heifer, and also fielded a total of five animals in the final inter-breed championship class
The Balmoral Calf Championship was won by the very eye-catching Blue cross heifer: Knockagh Star.
She was exhibited by Laura Ervine, from Newtownabbey in Co. Antrim. The calf was bred by Laura and her partner Stephen McKeown.
The Knockagh herd comprises 50 Blue cross Limousin cows. The winning May-born calf was sired by the noted Limousin sire Truman Idol.
The auction, which followed the show classes, attracted very large crowds.
The Supreme Beef Champion sold for £16,500 to the McLaughlin family from Co. Donegal while Knockagh Star went under the hammer for £7,600 to Charlie Beverland from Portaferry in Co. Down.
However, the top price of the sale – £19,000 – was secured for a Blue cross Limousin heifer calf, bred by the Callaghan family from Kilkeel in Co. Down.
Meanwhile, the RUAS has confirmed a record entry of livestock for the combined 2025 Beef and Lamb Championship event.
The event attracts beef and sheep producers from across Northern Ireland.
