Wilodge's Baby Rambo tops Agri Expo at Carlisle

With their previous best being reserve steer champion, the team went one better this year and took the champion steer and overall supreme with their October 2023-born home-bred Limousin cross, Baby Rambo.

Taylor Holloway's Calypso stood heifer champion and overall reserve Crossing the weighbridge at 572kg, Baby Rambo is sired by the 180,000gns world record priced Limousin bull Graiggoch Rambo and out of a British Blue cross Limousin dam that won the Welsh Winter Fair in 2021. Previously unshown, the steer is now heading to LiveScot and the Welsh Winter Fair.

“He is just an exceptional beef animal, with an excellent width of loin, full of flesh and he carried himself well,” said the commercial cattle judge William Smith from Co Meath in Ireland.

Reserve heifer champion, Black Velvet from G Small and B Wilkinson It was also a day to remember for Taylor Holloway, Crawlaw, Galston, when he claimed the overall reserve title with his champion heifer, Calypso. This is the sole animal Taylor owns and is a May 2023-born British Blue heifer that crossed the weighbridge at 688kg. Sired by Springfield Mason, she is bred from the home-bred Limousin cross cow, Red Rum, which was a previous show cow. Having stood best British Blue bred heifer at this year’s Royal Highland Show, she is now destined for LiveScot.

Michael Robertson and son Mark, Fodderletter Farms, Tomintoul, lifted the reserve steer with their 648kg Limousin cross, Brewdog. He is sired by the Limousin stock bull Beachmont Pacman, an 8000gns purchase at Carlisle and out of Bucks Fizz, a home-bred British Blue cross dam. Brewdog was reserve baby beef at last year’s Agri-Expo and also won the Rising Star award at the Aberdeen Christmas Classic at Thainstone. He is now destined for LiveScot and the Christmas Classic.

Brewdog took the runner up steer ticket for W Robertson and Son Taking runner-up in the heifers was a May 2023-born 706kg Limousin cross from Garth Small and Beth Wilkinson, Co Down. Black Velvet stood champion at the new North East Live competition last month. Bred by D Alderson, she is sired by Huntershall Odyssey and out of a Limousin cross dam.

Leading the baby beef section was the 378kg February Limousin cross heifer, Bella, from Tecwyn Jones, Llantrisant. This home-bred heifer is a daughter of Seisiog Rio, which was sold in February at Carlisle for 14,000gns, and out of a home-bred cow. Having stood reserve at the North East Live Show, she is now destined for the Welsh Winter Fair.

Baby beef supreme champion went to Bella from Tecwyn Jones Scottish judge Craig Robertson found his reserve in a February-born British Blue cross heifer from Gareth Small and Beth Wilkinson. This 331kg heifer named Stardust was purchased privately from Ben Cowton, Bishop Auckland. Sired by Familiar Dehoniter, she is out of a Limousin cross dam and was on her first outing.

Stardust stood runner up in the baby beef section for G Small and B Wilkinson

Leading Awards

Native steer – 1, Edwards Brothers’ Captain Morgan, BS X; 2, B and R Farming’s It’s a Long Story, BS X; 3, A Paterson’s Mr Softey, A-A X.

Native heifer – 1, W Robertson and Son’s Trick or Treat, BS X; 2, P and K Brannen’s Agnes, A-A X; 3, R and C Rettie’s Smiler, BS X.

Continental steer, class three (under 570kg) – 1, IT Edwards’ Mullin, Lim X; 2, A Wilson’s Hi-Jack, Lim X; 3, G and JA Sedgewick’s Twindale, Lim X.

Continental steer, class four (571kg to 620kg) – 1, Wilodge’s Baby Rambo, Lim X; 2, H Donaldson’s Fireball, Lim X; 3, G Williams’ Lord of The Manor.

Continental steer, class six (621kg to 650kg) – 1, W Robertson and Son’s Brewdog, Lim X; 2, A Ireland’s Duffers, Lim X; 3, L and S Bett’s Pocket Rocket, Lim X.

Continental steer, class seven (651kg to 670kg) – 1, AG Laws’ Paint The Town Red, Lim X; 2, C Wright’s Derek, Lim X; 3, L Calcraft’s Dark Horse, Lim X.

Continental steer, class eight (671kg to 700kg) – 1, W Peters’ Pal, Lim X; 2, B Duffton’s Oompa Loompa, Lim X; 3, R Montgomerie’s Marmaduke, Char X.

Continental steer, class nine (701kg +) – 1, J Hyslop’s Shakem’ Up Arry, Char X; 2, A Ireland’s Marsbar, Lim X; 3, A and E Vance’s The Muffin Man, Lim X.

Young Farmers steer – 1, Amy Wilson’s Fire Cracker, Lim X; 2, Lucy Clark’s Jack, Lim X; 3, A and N Roberts’ Charlie, Char X.

Charolais-sired steer – 1, J Hyslop’s Shakem’ Up Arry; 2, R Montgomerie’s Marmaduke; 3, A and N Roberts’ Charlie.

Continental heifer, class 12 (under 500kg) – 1, Anderson and Blair’s Lucky, Lim X; 2, B Duffton’s Baileys, Lim X; 3, S McKinnel’s Juicy Wiggle, Lim X.

Continental heifer, class 13 (501kg to 550kg) – 1, T Jones’ Little Beauty, Lim X; 2, R Montgomerie’s Little Miss Dynamite, Lim X; 3, H Emslie’s Sex Pistol, Lim X.

Continental heifer, class 14 (551kg to 570kg) – 1, WA Peters’ Frangipane; 2, I Sedgewick’s Unita, Lim; 3, Small and Wilkinson’s A Kind of Magic, Lim X.

Continental heifer, class 15 (571kg to 590kg) – 1, Show Winners’ Ubeauty, Lim; 2, OW and GL Williams’ Lw-Lw, Lim X; 3, O Roberts and L Hopwood’s Ladies Secret, Lim X.

Continental heifer, class 16 (591kg to 607kg) – 1, AW Laws’ Miss Congeniality, Lim X; 2, M Alford’s The Mistress, Lim X; 3, H Emslie’s Passionate Kiss, Lim X.

Continental heifer, class 17 (608kg to 619kg) – 1, J Nisbet’s Sunlight, Lim X; 2, Small and Wilkinson’s Hocus Pocus, Char X; 3, A Ewing’s Bonnie, Lim X.

Continental heifer, class 18 (620kg to 649kg) – 1, L Hughes’ Sexy Spice, Lim X; 2, C Wright’s Maggie Moo, Lim X; 3, B and R Farming’s Too Hot Too Handle, Lim X.

Continental heifer, class 19 (650kg to 680kg) – 1, S and L Bett’s Electra, Lim X; 2, W Robertson and Son’s Vanessa, Lim X; 3, J Hyslop’s Versace, Char X.

Continental heifer, class 20 (681kg to 700kg) – 1, T Holloway’s Calypso, BB X; 2, L Hughes’ Spice Up Your Life, Lim; 3, HG Perkins and Sons’ Meelickaduff Takeonme, Lim.

Continental heifer, class 21 (701kg +) – 1, Small and Wilkinson’s Black Velvet, Lim X; 2, H and S Dunlop’s Bellissima, Lim X; 3, A Ewing’s Sassy, Lim X.

Young Farmers heifer – 1, Blossom Dickinson’s Cover Girl, Lim X; 2, Llyr Hughes’ Hot Rock, Lim X; 3, Amy Vance’s All Eyes On Me, Lim X.

Charolais-sired heifer – 1, Messrs Dale-Sunley’s Marissa.

Baby Beef

Baby beef native steer or heifer – 1, JRB Wilson and sons’ Romany 1 Lucy, Hfd; 2, Keadyview Livestock’s Rocket, Hfd X.

Baby beef lightweight steer – 1, N Slack’s Venom, BB X; 2, T and J Gratton’s Benji, Lim X; 3, OW and GL Williams’ Rob Roy, Lim X.

Baby beef heavyweight steer – 1, R and J Hamilton’s Tyson, BB X; 2, J Mackay’s The Governor, BB X; 3, D Leedham’s Gypsy Boy, Lim X.

Baby beef extra lightweight heifer – 1, R Udall’s Hips Don’t Lie, Lim X; 2, OW and GL Williams’ Peaches, Lim X; 3, Messrs Dale-Dunley’s Marissa, Char X.

Baby beef lightweight heifer – 1, EH Pennie and son’s Tiffany, BB X; 2, Murray and Rochester’s Number 42, Lim X; 3, L Hughes’ Vmoney, Lim X.

Baby beef heifer – 1, Small and Wilkinson’s Stardust, BB X; 2, C Ridley’s Black Orchid, BB X; 3, S and L Bett’s High Jinx, Lim X.

Baby beef heavyweight heifer – 1, C Ridley’s Haltcliffe Vanity, Lim; 2, T Hunter’s Million Dollar Baby, BB X; 3, D and L Davies’ Sassy Lassy, Lim X.

Baby beef extra heavyweight heifer – 1, T Jones’ Bella, Lim X; 2, A and S Campbell’s Miss Doir, Lim X; 3, K Watret’s Jaffa Cake, Lim X.

Young handlers – Under 14 – 1, Elliw Grug Davies; 2, Lily Smith; 3, Iestyn Llyr Hughes. 15-21years old – 1, Rachel Graham; 2, Stephen Dale-Sunley; 3, Lucy Clark.