HILLHEAD HERD VICTORIOUS AT BALMORAL 2025

The Rodgers family from the Hillhead herd of pedigree British Blondes, Dromore, County Down, not only scooped the overall championship title and Thomson Trophy with Hillhead Victor at Balmoral Show on Wednesday 14^th May 2025, but the Rodgers family also bred the reserve overall champion Hillhead Unicorn, owned and exhibited by G McClelland, Moneyscalp, Newry, Co. Down winning the Wilson Perpetual Cup and Andrew Perpetual Cup.

Presiding over judging proceedings, was Conor O’Halloran from the Glenwood herd, Thurles, County Tipperary. Conor and his family run the largest herd of Blondes in Ireland consisting of 95 pedigree cows and followers which have consistently produced prize winners over the past 24 years. He found his champion in the junior bull class, Hillhead Victor, a January-2024 Gledney Rab son who lifted the junior male rosette and Mr Rodgers trophy, then the overall junior title and Paul McGarry Memorial Trophy, before claiming the male championship accolade and went all the way to be crowned supreme champion. This stylish young bull calf was no stranger to the show scene after lifting the overall title as a calf at foot, alongside his mother Hillhead Rose at Balmoral last year.

Similarly, the reserve overall champion Hillhead Unicorn owned by G McLelland, Moneyscalp, and bred by Rodgers Livestock had also had practice donning championship sashes, as this February-2023 female bred in exactly the same way as the champion, lifted the 2024 Balmoral reserve junior championship title. This year she won her class before, leading the way in the female championship and finally taking the reserve supreme tri-coloured sash. The Moneyscalp team also brought out the reserve male champion, homebred Moneyscalp Vodka, a January-2024 son of Bridge Obama out of Gledney Izzy.

Molly Bradley, from Killylea, County Armagh brought out the stylish reserve female champion Dernasaigh Tiger Lily, sired by Budore Donald the August-2022 junior cow who won the Gary Morgan Cup, she had been crowned champion at Clogher Valley last year and won her class at Balmoral in 2024.

Completing the championship line-up winning the DSB Farm Supplies Trophy was the junior female champion and reserve overall junior champion Jacko’s Vixen from Conor Jackson, Cookstown, Co. Tyron with his smart January-2024 maiden female sired by Seaview Barney.

The Senior cow class was won by the seven-year-old Allacott Herbert daughter, Hillhead Olivia, from the Rodgers family who claimed the Irish Cup and it was the Ivaniskey herd of pedigree British Blondes who claimed the intermediate heifer red ticket and Hillhead trophy, with Nigransha Paddy Power daughter, Ivaniskey Ur The One, born in July 2023.

Completing what can only be described as a perfect showing day the pairs competition was led by Silverwood Blondes who took home the Saville Tractors Ltd Trophy.