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Large entries in the cattle section meant judging went on for longer than anticipated, but numbers stayed around until the highly anticipated supreme championship was judged.
Securing this championship after a highly successful summer to date was Noel and Lisa Dowd’s Creaga Heidi.
This spectacular cow, shown alongside her calf, claimed the day’s Shorthorn championship before going on to win the overall pedigree championship and supreme beef champion.
This win further adds to Heidi’s summer wins, which include reserve Shorthorn champion at Balmoral, along with interbreed and reserve interbreed wins at a number of shows, such as Ennis and Mullingar to name but a few.
The sire behind this roan powerhouse is homebred bull Creaga Flash, a son of the renowned Creaga Dice.
Reserve champion
Going on to claim the reserve championship was the day’s commercial and non-pedigree champion from John Daly.
This beefy heifer, which is just cutting her teeth, is no stranger to the show ring having won at a number of shows in previous years including a win at Tullamore as a calf.
Sired by a Charolais bull, she is out of a Belgian Blue cross Simmental cow.
Reserve pedigree interbreed
Securing the reserve pedigree interbreed as well as the Charolais championship was the Hughes family’s bull Pottlereagh Martin.
This June 2016-born bull is out of breeder favourite Doonally New. The large entry of Charolais present was judged by Drew McMurray and he tapped out the stylish Martin ahead of a strong championship lineup. This win marks a good start to young bull’s show campaign.
A strong entry of top-quality Herefords made it a tough task for judge David Larkin who breeds under the Cill Cormaic prefix in Birr.
He found his champion in the form of Shlioh Farm Dynamite from Sean and Gary McKiernan.
This bull was purchased last year from Hugh and Sarah Murray after a successful show stint where he claimed the reserve male championship at the society’s calf show last year.
Sired by Grianan Freddie, he is out of dam Cill Cormaic Lass.
The McKiernan outfit also went on to claim the reserve Hereford championship with imported polled heifer Dendor 1 Ruby 27, this one by Solpoll 1 Gilbert.
Coming out top in the Angus section was the Mulligan family with Clooncarne Nicky.
This stylish yearling heifer is by Baronagh Producer and was first prizewinner at both Tullamore and the National Calf Show last year as a calf. Her successful show career has continued well into this year claiming breed championships at a number of local shows including Mullingar and Longford.
Overall Simmental champion
The overall Simmental champion of the show was tapped out by judge Padraig Kennedy. Anthony Cunningham’s five-year-old cow Broomfield Calaine was the one to tick all the boxes for Kennedy. Sired by Amorga Volvo, Calaine has previously won championships in Virginia and is on track for an appearance at Tullamore Show in two weeks.
Securing top spot the dairy classes was the Holstein cow Aughalrroa Rosie from Jerome Smith, Kilnaleck, Co Cavan. Having secured the Holstein championship under judge Paul Flanagan, he was awarded the Lakelands cup.
Having calved in March, she is currently giving 40 litres per day coming off a lactation of 8,182 litres. This was the second calver’s third year winning at the show having secured a red rosette as a heifer and a first calver also.
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