The Aldi Irish Angus Championships have gone from strength to strength in recent years, with cattle coming from all over Ireland to lay their claim to part of the huge €30,000 prize fund.
The championships, which are run in association with ABP and the Irish Angus Cattle Society, had a number of new additions this year including the Tréad na hÉireann final which was made up of three females of different ages from the one exhibitor.
Well-known Aberdeen Angus breeder Sam Coleman had the tough job of selecting the prizewinners on the day. Taking first place in the youngest bull calf class was Thegrove Volksbulle, a February 2022-born bull calf by Thegrove Thor and out of a Cornamuckla Lord Hardy-bred dam, Claraghy Lamet. He was bred by Mark Beirne, Aughamore, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim.
Standing in reserve position in this class was Roscommon man Alan Gibbons with his April 2022-born bull calf, Carrowboy Valentino. He is by Coneyisland Legend and out of a Goulding Man o Man cow, Kilmacroy Suzy.
Droumdaniel Ultan won the August-October class. From left: Michael Flanagan, competition coordinator; Sam Coleman, judge; Brian Farrell, group buying director, Aldi; Sean Kilkenny, Irish Angus president; Eugene Lynch, breeder; Paul Mathews ABP Group livestock manager; and Dermot Kilcrann, Irish Angus Council.
Next up was the November 2021- to January 2022-born class and it was Cavan man Shane McKiernan who was at the top of the line in this class with his November-born Rawburn Black Hawk-sired son, Drumcarbin Ulysses. He is out of a homebred cow by Nightingale Regent.
Standing in the reserve position was Noel and Lisa Dowd, Creggs, Co Galway, with their November 2021-born son of Keirsbeath Karma. He is out of a homebred cow by a Rawburn Black Hawk-bred dam.
In the final male class of the day, it was Cork man Eugene Lynch who went home with the red rosette for his August 2021-born son of Westellen Black Bingo. He is out of Gigginstown Days of Thunder who herself is by Idivies Euxand L505. Standing in reserve was Francis and Rona Cox with their September 2021-born bull calf by Deelish Shotgun. He is out of a Westellen Diego M734-bred dam.
Females
In the female section, it was Alan Gibbons who came up trumps in the November 2021- to April 2022-born class. His January-born Lawsons Ford Bagatelle-sired heifer calf goes back to a Rawburn Lord Rocket-bred cow.
The autumn-born heifer class went to Pierce Kilkenny from Ballinagh in Co Cavan. His August 2021-born heifer is by Goulding No Limits going back to a HF Rebel cow. Senior heifer class honours went to Dan and Rose Murphy from Millstreet in Co Cork. Their December 2020-born heifer is by Linto Gibertines Preacher going back to a Aynho Rossiter Eric-bred dam.
Drumcarbin Ulysses won the Nov-Dec class. He is by Rawburn Black Hawk and bred by Shane McKiernan, Ballinagh, Co Cavan.
The cow class went to another Cork breeder, Brendan O’Connell from Blarney. His January 2015-born cow is by Goulding Jumbo King going back to a Friarstown Edition-bred dam. She went on to take the overall female championship with Pierce Kilkenny’s heifer calf standing in reserve.
It was a one, two, three for Cork in the Aldi Irish Angus junior handlers final. Kieran Ryan, Castleblagh, Ballyhooley, Co Cork, took first place, his brother Matthew Ryan, Castleblagh, Ballyhooley, Co Cork, took second place and Jack Murphy, Coolnaree, Millstreet, taking the third-place rosette.
In the senior stockperson class, first place went to Sinead Flanagan, Lismacool, Elphin, Co Roscommon. Lucy Murray, Kilmichael, Macroom, Co Cork, took second place, with Aidan Dockery, Towra, Shinrone, Co Offaly, in third place.
A new category in 2022 was the Tréad na hÉireann class which was made up of three Irish Angus females of different ages. Taking first prize in this class was John O’Brien from Youghal in Co Cork.
The Aldi Irish Angus Championships have gone from strength to strength in recent years, with cattle coming from all over Ireland to lay their claim to part of the huge €30,000 prize fund.
The championships, which are run in association with ABP and the Irish Angus Cattle Society, had a number of new additions this year including the Tréad na hÉireann final which was made up of three females of different ages from the one exhibitor.
Well-known Aberdeen Angus breeder Sam Coleman had the tough job of selecting the prizewinners on the day. Taking first place in the youngest bull calf class was Thegrove Volksbulle, a February 2022-born bull calf by Thegrove Thor and out of a Cornamuckla Lord Hardy-bred dam, Claraghy Lamet. He was bred by Mark Beirne, Aughamore, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim.
Standing in reserve position in this class was Roscommon man Alan Gibbons with his April 2022-born bull calf, Carrowboy Valentino. He is by Coneyisland Legend and out of a Goulding Man o Man cow, Kilmacroy Suzy.
Droumdaniel Ultan won the August-October class. From left: Michael Flanagan, competition coordinator; Sam Coleman, judge; Brian Farrell, group buying director, Aldi; Sean Kilkenny, Irish Angus president; Eugene Lynch, breeder; Paul Mathews ABP Group livestock manager; and Dermot Kilcrann, Irish Angus Council.
Next up was the November 2021- to January 2022-born class and it was Cavan man Shane McKiernan who was at the top of the line in this class with his November-born Rawburn Black Hawk-sired son, Drumcarbin Ulysses. He is out of a homebred cow by Nightingale Regent.
Standing in the reserve position was Noel and Lisa Dowd, Creggs, Co Galway, with their November 2021-born son of Keirsbeath Karma. He is out of a homebred cow by a Rawburn Black Hawk-bred dam.
In the final male class of the day, it was Cork man Eugene Lynch who went home with the red rosette for his August 2021-born son of Westellen Black Bingo. He is out of Gigginstown Days of Thunder who herself is by Idivies Euxand L505. Standing in reserve was Francis and Rona Cox with their September 2021-born bull calf by Deelish Shotgun. He is out of a Westellen Diego M734-bred dam.
Females
In the female section, it was Alan Gibbons who came up trumps in the November 2021- to April 2022-born class. His January-born Lawsons Ford Bagatelle-sired heifer calf goes back to a Rawburn Lord Rocket-bred cow.
The autumn-born heifer class went to Pierce Kilkenny from Ballinagh in Co Cavan. His August 2021-born heifer is by Goulding No Limits going back to a HF Rebel cow. Senior heifer class honours went to Dan and Rose Murphy from Millstreet in Co Cork. Their December 2020-born heifer is by Linto Gibertines Preacher going back to a Aynho Rossiter Eric-bred dam.
Drumcarbin Ulysses won the Nov-Dec class. He is by Rawburn Black Hawk and bred by Shane McKiernan, Ballinagh, Co Cavan.
The cow class went to another Cork breeder, Brendan O’Connell from Blarney. His January 2015-born cow is by Goulding Jumbo King going back to a Friarstown Edition-bred dam. She went on to take the overall female championship with Pierce Kilkenny’s heifer calf standing in reserve.
It was a one, two, three for Cork in the Aldi Irish Angus junior handlers final. Kieran Ryan, Castleblagh, Ballyhooley, Co Cork, took first place, his brother Matthew Ryan, Castleblagh, Ballyhooley, Co Cork, took second place and Jack Murphy, Coolnaree, Millstreet, taking the third-place rosette.
In the senior stockperson class, first place went to Sinead Flanagan, Lismacool, Elphin, Co Roscommon. Lucy Murray, Kilmichael, Macroom, Co Cork, took second place, with Aidan Dockery, Towra, Shinrone, Co Offaly, in third place.
A new category in 2022 was the Tréad na hÉireann class which was made up of three Irish Angus females of different ages. Taking first prize in this class was John O’Brien from Youghal in Co Cork.
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