Beef Expo Ireland 2008 will long be remembered as a showcase for Irish Pedigree Breeding, of course this is the purpose for which it was conceived. It gave the Irish Limousin Cattle Society the opportunity to demonstrate that Irish Limousin Cattle are among the best in the world.
The 19th National Limousin Show at Beef Expo staged nearly 100 top quality Limousin cattle from the four corners of Ireland viewed by the huge crowd of interested onlookers from home and abroad.

With a total of 11 classes catalogued it was the job of Jim Goldie from Dumfries, Scotland to adjudicate in the ring – not an easy job as it transpired given the consistency and depth of most of the classes. Well known in judging circles in UK, this was Jim’s first time judging in Ireland.

The most impressive class of the day was the Senior Limousin Cow class with ten superb specimens of maternal Limousin on display, some with calves at foot. It was from this class that the judge selected the highest honours of the show. Taking top prize of Overall Limousin Champion was the superb Drummin Veronica from the herd of John McInerney, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co. Clare. Veronica was a September 2004 born cow shown on the day with her stylish Shire Milton calf and had earlier taken the Female Championship. This home-bed daughter of Mas du Clo was no stranger to the showring during her younger years, taking the All-Ireland Intermediate Heifer Final in Tullamore in 2007 and the Reserve Female Championship on the same day. She is out of Drummin Peach (by Moustic), a superb foundation cow in the Drummin herd, who is also dam of Veronica’s full brother Drummin Candy Man who was Junior Male Champion at Roscrea Premier Sale the next day.

Drummin Veronica

The Reserve Overall Champion went to another super senior cow – Milbrook Ulla from the Milbrook herd of William Smith, Oldcastle, Co. Meath. Again no stranger to the show circuit, this daughter of former stock bull Poker, was the Senior Heifer Champion and Overall Reserve Female Champion in Tullamore in 2006. Born in May 2003, Ulla was bred from another homebred cow, Milbrook Petal by Dauphin.

With top overall honours going to the females it was left to the males to make up the other half of the championship section. For judge Jim Goldie, two bulls stood out from the classes earlier in the day and a some time was given to separating the two.

Getting the nod as Male Champion on the day was Mullary Caesar, a 14-month bull from the herd of Michael Molloy, Dunleer, Co. Louth. This was a remarkable achievement for Michael given that his herd is made up of 4 cows. Caesar is a son of Cloughhead Lord and out of Pelletstown Katie (by Generaux)

Mullary Caesar

Following close behind Reserve Male Champion was another son of Cloughhead Lord – Milbrook Croker again from the herd of William Smith. This home bred bull is out of a Ferry daughter – Milbrook Rhyme.

Milbrook Croker

In a change from previous National Championships, there was only one special class for the best pair from the same exhibitor. This went to Richard O’Beirne, Tuam, Co. Galway for a pair of full sisters by Mas du Clo. Second place went to Dan Tynan, Mountrath Co. Laois.

Full Class Results as follows:

Class	Name	Owner	Sire
Overall Limousin Championship
Champion	Drummin Veronica	John McInerney	Mas du Clo
Reserve	Milbrook Ulla	William Smith	Poker
Female Championship
Champion	Drummin Veronica	John McInerney	Mas du Clo
Reserve	Milbrook Ulla	William Smith	Poker
Male Championship
Champion	Mullary Caesar	Michael Molloy	Cloughhead Lord
Reserve	Milbrook Croker	William Smith	Cloughhead Lord
Senior Cow born before 31/12/2004
1st	Drummin Veronica	John McInerney	Mas du Clo
2nd	Milbrook Ulla	William Smith	Poker
3rd	Curraghree Sensation	Crawford Bros.	Geant
4th	Roundhill Vanya	Timothy Corridan	Nenuphar
Junior Cow born or Uncalved Senior heifer born in 2005
1st	Ballinahinch Alexandria	Shay Cullen	Ardnacrs. Phillip
2nd	Elite Alero	Dan Tynan	Grahams Samson
3rd	Milbrook Ainsi 2	William Smith	Mas du Clo
4th	Alizee	Dan Tynan	Utah
All Ireland Senior Heifer Final
1st	Milbrook Baby	William Smith	Brookmill Useful
2nd	Pelletstown Blossom	Roger McCarrick	Ocean
3rd	Ardnacrusha Bernie	Donol Moloney	Grahams Samson
4th	Roundhill BDalida	Timothy Corridan	Nelson
All Ireland Intermediate Heifer Final
1st	Milburn Bobby Dazzler	Richard O’Beirne	Mas du Clo
2nd	Curraghree Beyonce	Crawford Bros.	Grahams Samson
3rd	Milburn Bewitched	Richard O’Beirne	Mas du Clo
4th	Roundhill BNescoteB	Timothy Corridan	Otan
All Ireland Junior Heifer Final
1st	Ballinascraw Classic	John Lynch	Ronick Hawk
2nd	Baileys Countess	Tom Bailey	Ronick Hawk
3rd	Castleview Camelia	Sean O’Sullivan	Ronick Hawk
4th	Barryroe Coleen	James Wycherley	Ronick Hawk
Heifer Born between 01/07/2007 & 31/09/2007
1st	Curraghree Colette	Crawford Bros	Scoroboro Regius
2nd	Mullary Chantelle	Michael Molloy	Shire Milton
3rd	Roundfield Chamazon	Brian Kileen	Nestor
4th	Killmactransa City	Jimmy McHugh	Rocky
Heifer born between 01/10/2007 & 30/11/2007
1st	Milbrook Celine	William Smith	Greensons Gigolo
2nd	Ballyquirke Candi	Ollie Byrne	Mas du Clo
3rd	Ardnacrusha Christine	Donal Moloney	Ramses
4th	Ardnacrusha Camille	Donal Moloney	Ramses
Bull born between 01/09/2006 & 30/04/2007
1st	Newtown Clive	S & M Richardson	Ramses
2nd	Pelletstown Brave	Roger McCarrick	Mas du Clo
3rd	Carrickmore Canon	John Connell	Rocky
4th	Baileys Canon	Tom Bailey	Currag.Vantheman
Bull born between 01/05/2007 & 31/08/2007
1st	Mullary Caesar	Michael Molloy	Cloughhead Lord
2nd	Newtown Cecil	S & M Richardson	Pacha 19
Bull born between 01/09/2007 and 31/09/2007
1st	Milbrook Croker	William Smith	Cloughhead Lord
2nd	Crocan Cristy	Henry Barrett	Nenuphar
3rd	Newtown Chandler	S & MRichardson	Cloughhead Lord
4th	Curraghree Cameron	Crawford Bros.	Nenuphar
Bull born between 01/10/2007 and 30/11/2007
1st	Newtown Clive 2	S & M Richardson	Grah. Unbeatable
2nd	Doonbeg Champion	Claire Griffin	Mas du Clo
3rd	Doonan Champion	Hubert Galvin	Nectar
4th	Allstar Cruise	James Smyth	Ballymartle Victor
Pair of animals from the same exhibitor
1st	Richard O’Beirne
2nd	Dan Tynan