There was plenty of cheer around the ringside at Clogher Valley Livestock Producers recently when they held their annual Christmas show and sale of beef cattle.

With almost 200 head of cattle and 25 pairs of lambs entered, the showing was extremely competitive and bidding was brisk during the sale.

Judging started at 11am with Ben Sinnamon judging the breeding heifer class. First in this class was John Gallagher from Omagh with his Limousin bred heifer weighing 570kgs and sold to Bryan Mallon for £2,240.

The champion calf of the day was from the herd of Alister Crawford from Newtownstewart with red and white, Blue sired calf weighing 395kg and caught the eye of Mr. William Adams and sold for £1,920.

Reserve champion calf went to Crawford brothers from Fermanagh, with their pure-bred Limousin heifer calf weighing 470kg and selling for the top price of the night to Paul and Caitlin Kiernan from Armagh for £3,600.

The popular Housewife’s class, where all animals were under 600kg on the show morning had butcher Jim Quail from Banbridge selecting his champion and reserve. His champion came from the pen of Niall Quinn from Dungannon, with his Limousin heifer weighing 590kg which sold for £2,400 to repeat buyers Campbell butchers from Rosslea.

The reserve champion Housewife’s animal was exhibited by Alan Burleigh from Lisnaskea for his Aberdeen Angus sired heifer at 470kg and sold to C&N Brown from Hilltown for £1,550, for further showing next year.

Tony Kitson from Kitson butchers in Yorkshire judged the fat cow class with Denzil Johnson from Fermanagh claiming champion fat cow weighing 900kg and selling for £2,860 to Alfie Wilson Dungannon. Reserve champion cow belonged to Nathan Harvey weighing in at a whopping 1110kg and sold to same buyer for £3,000.

In the non-haltered heifer class, it was JCB Commercials from Newtownards who took the red rosette home and in the non-haltered steer class it was Eugene Maguire who stood top of the line with his Charolais bullock.

Champion non-haltered animal went to JCB Commercials with reserve champion going to Denzil Johnston.

Stephen Williamson won the Charolais championship, his heifer weighing 800kg and selling to Kitson Butchers for £2,460. Reserve was Denzil Johnston for his 665kg heifer selling to the same buyer for £2,300.

The Limousin champion went to JCB Commercials and reserve went to Alan Veitch with two outstanding red Limousin heifers

Any other breed champion was a Blue sired bullock from Alan Veitch weighing 650kg and sold at £2,100 to Kitson butchers. Reserve champion went to Mr Jake Cummings with his blue sired heifer.

Native bred champion went to Mrs. Laura Simpson for her Angus sired bullock weighing in at 550kg and selling for £1,850 to Creighton’s shop in Belfast. Reserve native champion went to Richard Law, Ballinamallard for his Angus bred heifer weighing 580kg and selling to Harry Thompson for £1,580.

After Tony had his breed champions decided, he had to choose who was going to claim the haltered champion. JCB commercials’ Limousin heifer got the tap, with Alan Veitch’s heifer following closing behind in reserve. Tony backed his judgment up in the sale ring by buying his reserve haltered champion weighing 630kg and selling for £2,800.

Just before the sale started, Tony Kitson had the task of picking his supreme champion of the show where the champion non-haltered and champion haltered went against each other.

After much debate it was the champion haltered heifer from JCB commercials who took the top spot with their non haltered champion taking the reserve championship. Both these animals were purchased by Mr. Kitson for £3,300 and £3,000.

At the other end of the market, it was Clive Richardson who had the task of judging the fat lamb classes. Clive made very swift work off his light and heavy weight lambs, where he picked Andrew McCutcheon as having the champion pair of lambs, having stood first in the lightweight lamb class.

Clive stood by his judgement and purchased the lambs for £200 weighing at 21kgs. In reserve spot it was Craig Cowan, first place heavy lambs weighing 27kg and sold for £200 to judge Clive Richardson also.

Show judge, Tony Kitson from Yorkshire purchased a total of 17 cattle on sale night with other buyers on the night including Hutton butchers, Frazer livestock, Doherty & Gray, Frazer Livestock, MD Livestock, C&J Meats, Lakeview Meats, Linden/ABP, Primestock Meats, Pat Traynor butchers, Harry Thompson and Philip Bailey.

Mart manager Robert Simpson thanked all exhibitors who brought stock to the Christmas Show and Sale and to all our sponsors for their continued support every year, A big thank you was extended to auctioneer, Rodney Windrum.