Fantastic day of competition at Ballymena Show 2024

Making this happen was the tremendous number of Ayrshire cattle entered for the various competition classes.

The inter-breed championship class was a close run thing involving the top Holstein and Ayrshire cows from the event.

But it was George and Jason Booth, from Stewartstown in Co Tyrone, who came away with the main silverware. His Holstein fourth calver – Beechview Doorman Bridget - looked an absolute picture in the ring. She calved back in March and is currently giving 50 plus litres of milk per day.

Judge Andrew Patton described his champion as a tremendous example of the Holstein breed.

He added: “She has tremendous scope, an excellent udder and all-round dairy character.”

The reserve inter-breed rosette was awarded to another outstanding Holstein cow, exhibited by Geoffrey Patton from Carrowdore in Co Down.

George and Jason Booth are having a summer to remember in 2024. They picked up the dairy inter-breed title at last week’s Armagh Show. The pair also had a very successful Balmoral Show back in May.

Meanwhile, competition was equally strong within the beef classes, held at Ballymena Show 2024. The inter-breed championship was picked up by Alan Wilson with is superb Simmental heifer: Ballinlare Farm Nikita.

Judge, John Moore, described his champion as an immense heifer with fantastic breeding potential.

Ballymena saw a reversing of roles relative to Armagh Show seven days earlier, where the Limousin heifer of Kilkeel breeder, Trevor Shields - Glenmarshal Theduchess carried the day.

John Moore again: “I am aware that the Limousin heifer took the inter-breed at Armagh. In my opinion both animals are tremendous examples of their respective breeds. And there really is only the toss of a coin between them.

“However, I thought the Simmental had that little bit of extra show presence when she came into the ring."

Ballymena Show always attracts a tremendous turnout of sheep. And 2024 did not disappoint in this regard.

The man charged with the responsibility of judging the inter-breed classes was Johnny Aiken, from Cumbria, but a native of Banbridge in Co Down.

He selected a Suffolk shearling ewe, exhibited by the Watson family, as his champion of the show.

Also catching the eye on the day was a marvellous Border Leicester shearling ewe, shown by the Dickey family, from Ballymena

Aiken described his champion as a very balanced young animal, adding: “The ewe caught my eye as soon as she entered the ring. But she was up against some very stiff competition. The overall standard of the sheep entered for the event was tremendous.”

Aiken paid particular tribute to all those taking part in the sheep young handers’ competitions.

“It was great to see so many young people getting involved in such a proactive manner,” he said.

Commenting on the current state of the sheep sector, Aiken confirmed that farmgate prices are strong at the present time.

“But they need to be at these levels, given the costs confronting farmers right now,” he added.