With a RECORD BREAKING 82 entries at this years Balmoral Show and the Herefords dominating the cattle sections across all breeds, it was a day of dreams for brothers Ryan & Russell Kelly, first time Hereford exhibitors at the show, taking home the top honours with Somerville 1 Winnie.
Somerville 1 Winnie (P) AI ET, a September 2022 born cow with her February 2026 born bull calf at foot started the day by winning the strong cow and calf class with 8 entries forward. She was tapped out as Female Champion later on in the day before being crowned Overall Breed Champion, with Judge Anselm Fitzgerald commenting on how ‘flashy and easy fleshing she is. A stand out cow that’ll bring much success for the Kelly family’.
Sired by the renowned Normanton 1 Laertes; a bull with multiple interbreed titles to his name including the Royal Highland and Royal Welsh Shows and out of Solpoll 1 Fashion T18, a daughter of Rempstone 1 Fashion E430 who won the Junior Female Championship title at Balmoral in 2017 and was purchased from the Designer Genes sale by the McMordie family in 2016. Bred by Heather King, she is a cow with a jam packed pedigree behind her who enjoyed much show successes as a two year old heifer across NI in 2024, so no stranger to the show ring.
Standing reserve to Winnie was Overall Male Champion Carrowboy 1 Perfect exhibited by MH Farms Ltd. Born in November 2022 ‘Perfect’ is sired by Fabb 1 Northern Star whose siring many champions and top AI sires within the breed and his dam Woodviewpoll 1 Pippa is sired by Solpoll 1 Kentucky Kid, a Panmure 1 Henry son. Carrowboy 1 Perfect won the Senior Bull class before being tapped out as Male Champion and Reserve Breed Champion.
There were big smiles all around the ring for Donald Beatty and Grandchildren when their 15 month old bull Solpoll 1 Cherokee took the Reserve Male Champion and Overall Junior Champion honours, also winning the biggest bull class of the day with 13 bulls forward. Bought privately from Solpoll at the beginning of the year, Cherokee is sired by Rempstone 1 Worldwide, a bull purchased privately by the the McMordies at 11 months old for £10,000 and his dam Shancorpoll 1 Oll1 Uakea was Champion at Tullamore Show in 2022 and Female Champion at Balmoral Show 2023.
It was some day for this standout dam as Shancorpoll 1 Oll1 Uakea not only bred Cherokee but is also the mother to the Reserve Junior Champion Solpoll 1 Eunice C23, breeding both Junior Champions. An end of March 25 born heifer, winning the biggest class of the day with a total of 19 heifers forward and a maternal sister to Cherokee, Eunice is sired by Solpoll 1 Dynamite, three time Balmoral Show Champion.
Solpoll breeding shined throughout the winners at this years show and the McMordies had plenty of their own successes in the breed classes aswell as the Interbreed Competitions. Coming away with the Reserve Beef Interbreed Performance Heifer Champion, and Reserve Female Champion was Solpoll 1 Dainty C9. December 2024 born and another Rempstone 1 Worldwide daughter. Dainty C9 is no stranger to the shows and was Reserve Female Champion at the NIHBA Calf Show at Dungannon back in November 2025.
It was Solpoll bulls placing 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the bull born on or after the 1st January 2025 class, the largest bull class of the day with a whopping 13 bulls forward. In second place behind Solpoll 1 Cherokee was Solpoll 1 Casino. Casinos dam is Solpoll 1 Amber R5, a daughter of Gouldingpoll 1 Duchess 591 who was Miss World Champion Of Europe 2016 and National Champion at Tullamore Show as a first calver with calf at foot in 2016. She’s bred many extraordinary females and bulls such as Coley 1 Vincent, joint bull of the year in 2023. Casinos sired by Solpoll 1 Ace who went on to sell to Rempstone Herefords as a two year old stock bull and is in the top 1 % of the breed for 200, 400 and 600 day weights. Casino had won Reserve Overall and Junior Male Champion at the NIHBA Calf Show held at Dungannon in November 25.
Following behind Casino and then going on to be Overall Beef Interbreed Performance Bull Champion was January 25 born Solpoll 1 Cowboy. Impressing Interbreed judge Robin Irvine, Cowboy is a Fabb 1 Top Prize son whose maternal brother is Fabb 1 Northern Star and out of Solpoll 1 Dainty P7.
Solitude 1 Helen B233, exhibited by Andrew McMordie was the winner in the class of heifers born on or after 1st January 2024 and on or before 30th June 2024 in calf or with calf at foot. Another strong class of seven heifers forward. Helen is March 24 born, Solpoll 1 Promoter daughter who was an embryo imported from Canada and is the sire of Solpoll 1 Trailblazer, joint bull of the year 2023 and selling for 10,000gns. Her dam Solpoll 1 Helen R484 is a Moeskaer Upgrade daughter.
Champion Group of Three came from the McMordie family with yearling bull Solpoll 1 Casino, Solpoll 1 Dainty C9 and Solpoll 1 Eunice C23.
The show marked a fantastic beginning to the 2026 season and the turn out of Herefords on display were a real credit to the exhibitors. Congratulations to all of the breeders and stockman on an outstanding showcase.
