East Limerick woman Jennie Aherne was recently invited to judge the Canadian and Ontario Simmental Association’s 2019 National Simmental Show on Sunday 3 November. The show hosted by the 97th Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (RAWF) in downtown Toronto is set to attract about 170 Simmental cattle.

The RAWF has been recognised as the most prestigious livestock and equestrian exhibition in eastern Canada.

While Jennie may not have started her own Rubyjen herd until 2009, she played a key role in her father’s successful Towerhill herd from a very young age

It has evolved to become the largest indoor agricultural event in the world, welcoming over 300,000 visitors annually. More than 33,000 people in 81 countries watched the show online in 2018 and that is only expected to increase in 2019.

While Jennie may not have started her own Rubyjen herd until 2009, she played a key role in her father’s successful Towerhill herd from a very young age. This involvement at both shows and sales sparked the initial interest the keen young Simmental breeder now has.

Here she answers the Irish Farmers Journal’s questions:

Why Simmentals?

“We chose Simmentals having always run a Simmental bull with our dairy herd. The breed suited our system – a docile, fertile cow with an abundance of milk and bulls capable of finishing at 16 months and younger. We regularly ran freshly calved Simmental cows through the milking parlour such was their great milk ability.”

What is your biggest achievement in the breed?

“My first calf under the Rubyjen prefix, Rubyjen Axel, collected eight red rosettes from nine days out in 2009, including Celtic Sires male champion and national bull calf champion. In 2017, Rubyjen Harrys Foxy was Champion at the Tullamore Society spring sale and topped the sale at €6,600 at just 11 months old. He was the first calf off my successful show heifer Rubyjen Foxy Zoe. On the same day Foxy’s maternal brother Rubyjen Here’s Johnny sold to Progressive Genetics, was added to the Gene Ireland list of bulls that autumn and is currently on the Progressive Genetics spring catalogue.”

What positions have you held with the society?

“I served on the society national council for six years, which I completed in late 2017. I’ve re-joined council in January of this year. I’ve served as secretary of the South Western club for the last three years and continue to do so. I was co-ordinator of the Simmental Society’s young members during my six-year council term and have also resumed this position in 2019.”

What judging experience do you have?

“I’ve judged at various local shows around Ireland since I was added to the Irish Simmental Society list of judges in 2014, as well as the society Roscommon bull sale in May 2016. The highlight so far in my judging career was to be asked to judge the Scottish Simmental club’s national show in Inverness in 2016. This was a huge honour. In the nine years of its existence I was only the second Irish person to have judged this event.”

What type of animal do you like?

“An animal must be correct – to have legs and feet right is very important. I like a bit of style in an animal and good conformation. Docility also ranks highly on my list and it goes without saying a cow must have enough milk to rear a calf. Simmental are a maternal breed first.”

What does it mean to be asked to judge at the National in Canada?

“Unexpected but an unbelievable honour! There were five names put forward for judging and on the day of the voting at the AGM in early March it came down to four, myself being the only international judge. It took a while to sink in after I got the phone call, but I’m really excited for the experience of it.”

Canadian view

On news of the appointment, the Irish Farmers Journal spoke to Mike Thomas, Simmental breeder and barn manager at the RAWF

What motivated the Canadian and Ontario Simmental industry to elect an Irish judge for their national show?

“The RAWF has been an annual event for almost 50 years and typically our breed nominates quality candidates from across Canada and the US.

Inviting an Irish breeder to judge our national show can only widen the circle and create awareness of the great Simmental cattle and passionate breeders here in eastern Canada

“The Canadian and Ontario Simmental Associations are comprised of a progressive, forward-thinking, modern group, as evidenced by the fact that half of the outstanding national judge nominees put forth in 2019 were women. The OSA and CSA both respect and celebrate women in agriculture. Both believe that as a leading organisation it isn’t enough to simply say the right things; you must also be seen doing the right things.

“Inviting an Irish breeder to judge our national show can only widen the circle and create awareness of the great Simmental cattle and passionate breeders here in eastern Canada.

Why Jennie Aherne?

“The election of Jennie Aherne is a positive and deliberate deviation from the excellent North American candidates we nominate and elect. In any organisation, if you seek to advance, if you want to move the needle and achieve results, then it’s critical to have the right people participating.

“For many years Jennie has been a positive force within the Irish society and has devoted much of her time and energy to youth programmes. She is a ‘lifer’ in the Simmental industry, with a great future both nationally and internationally.

“Breeders here in Ontario see Jennie as the ideal ambassador who will return home in November and share her positive Canadian experience with her fellow Irish breeders.

“Working to build a closer relationship with a fellow group of equally passionate enthusiasts seems only logical. All that really separates Canadian and Irish Simmental breeders is water.”