Baileys Aubergine wins Reserve Overall Limousin Champion at Balmoral Show
The damp weather conditions failed to dampen the atmosphere at the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society Show in Balmoral on Wednesday (16th May) 2007 when in the early afternoon Limousin judge Chris Pennie of the Sarkley herd in Wales tapped Baileys Aubergine as his Reserve Overall Limousin Champion.
It was a remarkable achievement for the Baileys herd and in particular Baileys Aubergine who was earlier in the day placed second in a very strong senior heifer class to the eventual Overall Limousin Champion Carmorn Vonex. In the Limousin section Carmorn Vonex was followed all the way from her class in the Senior Female Championship, Female Championship & Overall Limousin Championship by Baileys Aubergine. The accolades collected by Aubergine on the day also included best exhibitor bred Limousin in the show collecting the Jim Scott Perpetual Challenge Cup. This was the first time in ten years that Southern Ireland cattle participated at the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society Show at Balmoral which is the highlight of the show calendar in Ulster The Limousin Champion Carmorn Vonex came from Peter Smyth, Blackhill, Coleraine, Co. Derry. It was a remarkable day for Peter winning the Overall Limousin Championship for the second time in sucession with the same heifer but also going one step better in 2007 winning the Overall Interbreed Beef Champion of the show. Peter now plans to take his heifer to the Highland Show in June.
Baileys Aubergine is owned by Tom Bailey, Batterstown, Co. Meath who has established a top class pedigree herd under the guidance of farm manager Pat Greaney. She is a homebred January 2005 born heifer sired by the well known Grahams Samson and the dam is Pelletstown Perfume, a Genereux daughter purchased at a Pelletstown Production Sale as a maiden heifer. Aubergine is the first calf born from Pelletstown Perfume. The plan for Aubergine is to be shown at the National Livestock Show in Tullamore and the National Limousin Show at the Ploughing Championships. This was Aubergines finest hour in the showring with other wins came previously in the form of a first and second prize at the 2005 & 2006 National Limousin shows respectively
A delighted owner Tom Bailey commented ‘We’re pleasantly surprised and delighted as this is new terrority for us. The achievement of Reserve Overall Limousin by our heifer to the Overall Interbreed Champion is fantastic. We’re delighted with the reception we have received from the personnel in Balmoral Show who made every effort to accommodate us. A special thanks also to the Northern Ireland Limousin Club for their welcome and hospitality’
