One of the busiest show weekends of the year is the jam-packed August bank holiday weekend and the Tinahely Show in the valley of the River Derry in Co Wicklow is a firm favourite in the sunny southeast.
With beautiful scenery surrounding the show grounds, there was something for everyone at the 85th Tinahely Agricultural Show.
In the Aubrac ring, it was Glenford Runaway that took the top spot for Kelly Stephenson and PJ McGrath from Co Wicklow. Runaway is a February 2021-born heifer sired by Whitestown Leyland.
Standing in reserve was November 2020-born Glenford Pretty Girl, sired by Eros, which is Runaway’s stablemate, also from Kelly Stephenson and PJ McGrath.
Shay Haden was the man collecting the champion rosette in the Belgian Blue ring, with his September 2019-born heifer sired by Or De Bejous, which also won the all-Ireland heifer class at Ossory Show.
In reserve was Melvin Masterson, with his cow Boroside Lemon, a December 2017-born cow sired by Dafydd d’Ochain.
Champion Simmental Cloonagh La Belle Glam Posh for Garrett Behan, pictured with judge Raymond O'Malley.
The Charolais ring followed suit, with another champion and reserve double going to the Goldstar Charolais herd of Martin Ryan.
Goldstar Pepite, a 2018-born cow with her calf at foot, was tapped out as the Charolais champion on the day.
The reserve champion went to Goldstar Sundance, a September 2021-born bull sired by GHX, which is coincidentally an ET calf from the champion.
Commercial ring
In the commercial ring, it was a another fantastic day for Fergal Flannagan and Brian Dyer, with Tok Tik taking the female commercial champion, the overall commercial champion and the Zurich Insurance PLC €1,000 commercial championship.
Reserve overall champion in the commercial section went to the calf that was selected as the supreme calf champion of the show for Jack and Declan O’Meara from Co Offaly.
This is the O’Mearas first year on the show circuit and they are certainly making an impression with this young Belgian Blue-cross calf.
The male commercial champion went to William Gubbins, Co Limerick, with his two-year-old Charolais-cross bullock Flintoff. Reserve male champion went to Oliver Stanley from Co Meath with his Blue-cross bullock.
PJ McGrath with the Aubrac champion Glenford Runaway.
Wexford man John Jones was to the fore in the Hereford ring, making it yet another exhibitor double on the day.
Judge Daithí Carroll selected Clomroe King, an August 2021-born bull sired by Kyle Harry, as his champion on the day. Beside him, a Kyle Harry Daughter, Clomroe Katie, a July 2021-born heifer, in reserve.
Kelly Stephenson and PJ McGrath were back on top yet again when their two-year-old Limousin heifer sired by Plumtree Fantastic was tapped out as Limousin champion.
The reserve Limousin champion went to Colin Dunne from Co Laois with his Tomschoice Lexicon-sired bull.
Kelly Stephenson with Glenford Royalty, the overall Limousin champion of the show.
Shorthorns
The final double of the day went to Martin Kelly from the Ricketstown herd from Co Carlow, when he secured the champion and reserve in the Shorthorn ring.
Judge James Muldowney’s top pick - Podehole Phantasy Heidi - is at this stage no stranger to the show ring.
She is a 2014-born cow sired by Chapelton Clansman and was exhibited with her January 2022-born bull calf, Ricketstown Shazam, at foot.
Her calf, sired by Hildaland Laird, also went on to be tapped out as the reserve Shorthorn champion after winning the January-born calf class.
Simmentals
Finally, it was the turn of the Simmentals, where Garrett Behan’s Cloonagh Glam La Belle Posh, a 2019-born heifer from Handsome Daughter, caught the judges' eye as she was selected as the overall Simmental champion.
Taking the reserve champion spot was David King with Mooneking Nugget PP, a March-born heifer sired by Kilbride Hanse.
The Derek Rothwell Memorial Young Handlers competition was the final event on the day, with the top spot being secured by young Sarah O’Neill from Co Carlow.
While last week’s break was well deserved for both man and beast, excitement is building across the country for the Tullamore National Livestock Show this weekend.
One of the busiest show weekends of the year is the jam-packed August bank holiday weekend and the Tinahely Show in the valley of the River Derry in Co Wicklow is a firm favourite in the sunny southeast.
With beautiful scenery surrounding the show grounds, there was something for everyone at the 85th Tinahely Agricultural Show.
In the Aubrac ring, it was Glenford Runaway that took the top spot for Kelly Stephenson and PJ McGrath from Co Wicklow. Runaway is a February 2021-born heifer sired by Whitestown Leyland.
Standing in reserve was November 2020-born Glenford Pretty Girl, sired by Eros, which is Runaway’s stablemate, also from Kelly Stephenson and PJ McGrath.
Shay Haden was the man collecting the champion rosette in the Belgian Blue ring, with his September 2019-born heifer sired by Or De Bejous, which also won the all-Ireland heifer class at Ossory Show.
In reserve was Melvin Masterson, with his cow Boroside Lemon, a December 2017-born cow sired by Dafydd d’Ochain.
Champion Simmental Cloonagh La Belle Glam Posh for Garrett Behan, pictured with judge Raymond O'Malley.
The Charolais ring followed suit, with another champion and reserve double going to the Goldstar Charolais herd of Martin Ryan.
Goldstar Pepite, a 2018-born cow with her calf at foot, was tapped out as the Charolais champion on the day.
The reserve champion went to Goldstar Sundance, a September 2021-born bull sired by GHX, which is coincidentally an ET calf from the champion.
Commercial ring
In the commercial ring, it was a another fantastic day for Fergal Flannagan and Brian Dyer, with Tok Tik taking the female commercial champion, the overall commercial champion and the Zurich Insurance PLC €1,000 commercial championship.
Reserve overall champion in the commercial section went to the calf that was selected as the supreme calf champion of the show for Jack and Declan O’Meara from Co Offaly.
This is the O’Mearas first year on the show circuit and they are certainly making an impression with this young Belgian Blue-cross calf.
The male commercial champion went to William Gubbins, Co Limerick, with his two-year-old Charolais-cross bullock Flintoff. Reserve male champion went to Oliver Stanley from Co Meath with his Blue-cross bullock.
PJ McGrath with the Aubrac champion Glenford Runaway.
Wexford man John Jones was to the fore in the Hereford ring, making it yet another exhibitor double on the day.
Judge Daithí Carroll selected Clomroe King, an August 2021-born bull sired by Kyle Harry, as his champion on the day. Beside him, a Kyle Harry Daughter, Clomroe Katie, a July 2021-born heifer, in reserve.
Kelly Stephenson and PJ McGrath were back on top yet again when their two-year-old Limousin heifer sired by Plumtree Fantastic was tapped out as Limousin champion.
The reserve Limousin champion went to Colin Dunne from Co Laois with his Tomschoice Lexicon-sired bull.
Kelly Stephenson with Glenford Royalty, the overall Limousin champion of the show.
Shorthorns
The final double of the day went to Martin Kelly from the Ricketstown herd from Co Carlow, when he secured the champion and reserve in the Shorthorn ring.
Judge James Muldowney’s top pick - Podehole Phantasy Heidi - is at this stage no stranger to the show ring.
She is a 2014-born cow sired by Chapelton Clansman and was exhibited with her January 2022-born bull calf, Ricketstown Shazam, at foot.
Her calf, sired by Hildaland Laird, also went on to be tapped out as the reserve Shorthorn champion after winning the January-born calf class.
Simmentals
Finally, it was the turn of the Simmentals, where Garrett Behan’s Cloonagh Glam La Belle Posh, a 2019-born heifer from Handsome Daughter, caught the judges' eye as she was selected as the overall Simmental champion.
Taking the reserve champion spot was David King with Mooneking Nugget PP, a March-born heifer sired by Kilbride Hanse.
The Derek Rothwell Memorial Young Handlers competition was the final event on the day, with the top spot being secured by young Sarah O’Neill from Co Carlow.
While last week’s break was well deserved for both man and beast, excitement is building across the country for the Tullamore National Livestock Show this weekend.
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