Willy Barron bull reigns supreme at Northern Limousin Extravaganza
A standout 14-month-old bull from County Durham breeder Willy Barron’s pedigree herd was crowned champion at the 2019 Northern Limousin Extravaganza (NLE), the opening day of Skipton Auction Mart’s annual two-day breed showcase. (Tues, May 14)
Showing for the first time at the showcase for up-and-coming 2018-born youngsters, Mr Barron, of Morrow Edge, Farm, Burnhope, secured the overall title with his only entry, the first time-shown Barrons Oslo, which had earlier won its show class, before progressing to become first male, then pedigree champion.
He is a son of Homebyres Jamie, a well-utilised stock bull sold by Mr Barron for 6,200gns in February, who was also responsible for a 3,800gns pedigree bull calf and has sold heifer calves to 3,000gns.
Mr Barron, who established his Barrons Limousin herd some 40 years ago and now has 26 pedigree cows at home, is no stranger to success in the breed show arena. In five of the past six years he has won the annual herd competition run by the North East Limousin Breeders Club, who again supported the NLE and once more presented the club salver to the title winner.
Mr Barron said he planned to parade his Skipton supreme champion on this year’s summer show circuit in the hope of picking up further accolades, a path likely to be followed by other leading performers at the NLE, which continues to provide valuable first-time experience in the show arena for breed newcomers.
Cumbrian show judge Craig Ridley, who runs Haltcliffe Limousins at Hesket Newmarket, near Brompton, remained in the pedigree bull classes for his chosen overall reserve show champion, the reserve male and reserve pedigree champion from local breeders John and Claire Mason, who run the Oddacres herd in Embsay.
Their Oddacres Otto is an April, 2018, son and the last bull by the family’s celebrated French import, Gallois, used with great success in recent years. The Masons also won the pairs show class with Otto and the second prize May, 2018, Limousin bull, Oddacres Oswald.
The female champion came from Richard Anderson’s Springs herd in Middleham. His April-born Springs Orangeina is a daughter of the legendary Gunnerfleet Hicks, bred by the Handley family in North Craven and in his time one of the top bulls in the country.
Mr Anderson, who established his small pedigree Limousin herd a decade ago and is in the process of building it up again – he also runs foot trimming firm RDA Cattle Services – was on the mark again when picking up a second red rosette in the commercial show classes with the first prize Limousin-sired bullock, known at home as Ed and a March-born son of another highly respected breed sire, Lodge Hamlet.
Reserve female champion was the winner of the first heifer show class from Michael Morley and Nicola Chappelow, who since 2007 have run the High Grounds herd in Penrith. Their January, 2018, High Grounds Olivia, by the Cogent sire, Netherall Jackpot, was one of the few NLE entries to have previous experience in the show arena when standing pedigree calf reserve champion at last year’s English Winter Fair.
Familiar faces from Cumbria, the Priestley family, who run the Brontemoor herd at Cracrop Farm, Kirkcambeck, Brampton, returned to claim a brace of pedigree and commercial show class wins.
First up was their red rosette-winning pedigree Limousin bull, Brontemoor Oasis, a ten-month-old AI son of Uptonley Living The Dream, immediately followed by the first prize Limousin-sired commercial heifer and section champion, the all-black March-born Tees Queen, acquired as a calf last year from the Lawson family at Buddle House, Richmond. She is by Gunnerfleet Interact.
Brother and sister, Luke and Bev Wilkinson, of Ivy Farm, Leyburn, won another heifer show class with their Hightown Olivia, shared in partnership with breeder John Smith-Jackson, of Haltwhistle. She is a February, 2018, daughter of Elite Forever Brill.
The reserve commercial champion also came from the Limousin-sired heifer show class, the second prize winner from NLE debutants Ian and Rachael Millard, of Old Hyton Farm, Bootle. Known as Ruby Red, their March-born daughter of Lodge Hamlet was bought as a calf from Ennerdale breeder Neil Hardisty.
The annual show-only fixture – full results are posted at www.ccmauctions.com – matched last year’s turnout when attracting a 74-strong entry and again offered £1,500 in prize money. Also sponsoring were Atlas Business, Ripon Farm Services, Ripon Select Foods, Yorkshire Agricultural Society, Bishopton Veterinary Group, New Lodge Contractors, PV Dobsons, WBW Surveyors, Coverall and Thornton Breakers.