A LIMOUSIN steer from Thirsk took the overall steer championship title at the tenth Borderway Agri-Expo held at Carlisle.

Billy Wizz, from Rachel Mudd and Craig Bentley, of The Gables, Kepwick, purchased Billy Whizz for £2,000 at a new Spring 2016 sale at Hexham mart.

Bred at Carry House, Hexham, by Martyn Archer the red May 2015-born steer was sired by the French bull, Ananas, out of a Limousin cross cow.

Billy Wizz has had a successful summer winning the steer championships at the Great Yorkshire Show and the National Limousin Show.

The overall supreme championship title was won by J-Lo, the heifer champion from JCB Commercials, Northern Ireland.

Another Limousin-sired animal, she has also had a hugely successful summer winning the supreme championships at both the Royal Ulster and the Royal Highland Shows. She was also reserve overall commercial champion at the National Limousin Show in July and also at Carlisle.

J-Lo, who weighed 659kgs on show day, was originally purchased last winter at Hilltown Mart for £1,000. Sired by Norman Ely and out of a Limousin cross dam, she was bred by P Fagan.

Judge Jimmy Mulholland, of Great Orton, Carlisle, who has also judged the Scottish, English and Welsh Winter Fairs was full of praise for the quality of cattle at Agri-Expo.

He said: "I've judged all over the country and it was by far the hardest task I have ever undertaken. There was one class after another with strength and depth of outstanding cattle right the way through the show. Some classes were really down to the finer points and I was splitting hairs.

"When it came to my overall champion she had never put a foot wrong all day. For a heifer to carry that much carcase, her style and locomotion was exceptional."