It was a day to remember for the Matchett family of Portadown in Newry last Saturday when they claimed their first overall Aberdeen Angus championship.
Having previously claimed the reserve overall championship twice, the family broke their run of always the bridesmaid never the bride when Cheeklaw Emlyn P480 was tapped forward as overall champion.
The three-year-old Emyln is no stranger to success, having just last month claimed the reserve supreme championships at the RUAS Balmoral Show.
His sire Cardona Proud Punch has sired a number of success stories for the Cheeklaw herd, which is set to disperse this year, none more recent than siring the overall champion at last February’s Stirling bull sales.
The family – Gail, Nigel, Sarah and Sam – didn’t stop there. They also picked up a first place with homebred Birches Lady Heather M026.
This five-year-old cow by Carrigroe Fred was last year’s reserve supreme champion and later went on to join forces with Emlyn to claim best pair.
Topping off the dream day was when both Emlyn and Lady Heather claimed top spots in the male and female interbreed championships of the show.
Second prize winner to the overall champion Drumhill Lord Harry followed Emlyn all the way to the end, securing the reserve senior championship before finally being awarded the reserve supreme title by judge Desmond Mackie.
This bull was purchased last February for 8,500gns at the Stirling bull sales by Pat and Finbarr Cahill as a new stock bull for their Shankhill Herd in Co Cavan.
Originally bred by Northern Irish breeders Johnathon and Lisa Doyle, Lord Harry is sired by Nightingale Proud Jake and out of Blelack Lady Heather J169 who sold as a maiden heifer for 15,000gns before later being secured by the Doyle outfit.
Lord Harry’s ET full brother Drumhill Lord Hatfield stood a close third in the senior class of bulls which proved to be one of the strongest.
Lord Hatfield was exhibited by Kevin McOscar, Cookstown, having been purchased at Stirling in October 2016 for 11,000gns, where he also stood supreme champion.
Juniors
On to the junior section and Munster breeders the DeCogans and Gouldings were duly rewarded for their long journey to the Newry showgrounds.
Claiming the overall junior champion with the winner of the September bull class was Cork duo Albert and Jennifer DeCogan with Mogeely Memo S467.
This bull had already been shown this year, claiming the junior championship at Bandon, but due to new rules remained out of action for the last 30 days previous to entering the northern-based show.
This bull is out of AI sire Wall Royal Leo and out of Mogeely Miylo, who won a number of top prizes as a heifer last year and more recently this year with Memo at foot.
Reserve championship honours in the junior section were awarded to Matthew and Rita Goulding, Ballyduff, Co Kerry, with Goulding Missie S810.
This heifer comes from one of the best show lines in the Goulding herd, having claimed senior and junior titles at a number of major events previously.
Missie’s dam Missie M535 is a former Irish Angus supreme champion, while her grandam Missie K415 is a former reserve Aberdeen Angus champion.
Sire behind this one was imported stock bull Abberton Eminem, who also bred the junior champion for the family at last year’s championships.
Subsequent to the show, Missie S810 was secured by Kevin McOscar for his Island Farm herd.
Full results:
Senior bull - born before 1
September 2015
Cheeklaw Emlyn P480 sired by Cardona Proud Punch from the Matchett family, Portadown, Co Armagh.Bull born between 1 September 2015 and 31 August 2016
Dartrey Elliot S467 sired by Dartrey Very Scotch from Bryan Johnston and Hilda Milla, Scarva, Co Down.Bull born between 1 September 2016 and 31 December 2016
Mogeely Memo S467 sired by Wall Royal Leo from Albert and Jennifer DeCogan, Castlemartyr, Co Cork.Bull born between 1 January 2017 and 31 March 2017
Drumbeera JR T 227 sired by Oakchurch Field Marshall from Thomas Beirne, Mohill, Co Leitrim.Cow with calf at foot born
before September 2014
Birches Lady Heather M026 sired by Carrigroe Fred from S&S Matchett, Portadown, Co Armagh.Angus cow with calf or heifer born after 1 September 2014
Liss Myrlo R532 sired by Mogeely Lord Harrow from John McEnroe, Oldcastle, Co Meath.Heifer born between 1 January 2015 and 31 August 2015
Drummer Blackbird 853 sired by Blelack Evermore from Alan and Naomi Morrison, Maguiresbridge, Co Fermanagh.Heifer born between 1
September 2015 and 28 February 2016
Home Farm Ebony Stunner sired by Rosemead Karona from Fintan Keown, Bellecks, Co Fermanagh.Heifer born between 1 March 2016 and 31 August 2016
Knockoneill Eston Anne S002 sired by Blelack Duke from James Mallon, Swatragh, Co Derry.
It was a day to remember for the Matchett family of Portadown in Newry last Saturday when they claimed their first overall Aberdeen Angus championship.
Having previously claimed the reserve overall championship twice, the family broke their run of always the bridesmaid never the bride when Cheeklaw Emlyn P480 was tapped forward as overall champion.
The three-year-old Emyln is no stranger to success, having just last month claimed the reserve supreme championships at the RUAS Balmoral Show.
His sire Cardona Proud Punch has sired a number of success stories for the Cheeklaw herd, which is set to disperse this year, none more recent than siring the overall champion at last February’s Stirling bull sales.
The family – Gail, Nigel, Sarah and Sam – didn’t stop there. They also picked up a first place with homebred Birches Lady Heather M026.
This five-year-old cow by Carrigroe Fred was last year’s reserve supreme champion and later went on to join forces with Emlyn to claim best pair.
Topping off the dream day was when both Emlyn and Lady Heather claimed top spots in the male and female interbreed championships of the show.
Second prize winner to the overall champion Drumhill Lord Harry followed Emlyn all the way to the end, securing the reserve senior championship before finally being awarded the reserve supreme title by judge Desmond Mackie.
This bull was purchased last February for 8,500gns at the Stirling bull sales by Pat and Finbarr Cahill as a new stock bull for their Shankhill Herd in Co Cavan.
Originally bred by Northern Irish breeders Johnathon and Lisa Doyle, Lord Harry is sired by Nightingale Proud Jake and out of Blelack Lady Heather J169 who sold as a maiden heifer for 15,000gns before later being secured by the Doyle outfit.
Lord Harry’s ET full brother Drumhill Lord Hatfield stood a close third in the senior class of bulls which proved to be one of the strongest.
Lord Hatfield was exhibited by Kevin McOscar, Cookstown, having been purchased at Stirling in October 2016 for 11,000gns, where he also stood supreme champion.
Juniors
On to the junior section and Munster breeders the DeCogans and Gouldings were duly rewarded for their long journey to the Newry showgrounds.
Claiming the overall junior champion with the winner of the September bull class was Cork duo Albert and Jennifer DeCogan with Mogeely Memo S467.
This bull had already been shown this year, claiming the junior championship at Bandon, but due to new rules remained out of action for the last 30 days previous to entering the northern-based show.
This bull is out of AI sire Wall Royal Leo and out of Mogeely Miylo, who won a number of top prizes as a heifer last year and more recently this year with Memo at foot.
Reserve championship honours in the junior section were awarded to Matthew and Rita Goulding, Ballyduff, Co Kerry, with Goulding Missie S810.
This heifer comes from one of the best show lines in the Goulding herd, having claimed senior and junior titles at a number of major events previously.
Missie’s dam Missie M535 is a former Irish Angus supreme champion, while her grandam Missie K415 is a former reserve Aberdeen Angus champion.
Sire behind this one was imported stock bull Abberton Eminem, who also bred the junior champion for the family at last year’s championships.
Subsequent to the show, Missie S810 was secured by Kevin McOscar for his Island Farm herd.
Full results:
Senior bull - born before 1
September 2015
Cheeklaw Emlyn P480 sired by Cardona Proud Punch from the Matchett family, Portadown, Co Armagh.Bull born between 1 September 2015 and 31 August 2016
Dartrey Elliot S467 sired by Dartrey Very Scotch from Bryan Johnston and Hilda Milla, Scarva, Co Down.Bull born between 1 September 2016 and 31 December 2016
Mogeely Memo S467 sired by Wall Royal Leo from Albert and Jennifer DeCogan, Castlemartyr, Co Cork.Bull born between 1 January 2017 and 31 March 2017
Drumbeera JR T 227 sired by Oakchurch Field Marshall from Thomas Beirne, Mohill, Co Leitrim.Cow with calf at foot born
before September 2014
Birches Lady Heather M026 sired by Carrigroe Fred from S&S Matchett, Portadown, Co Armagh.Angus cow with calf or heifer born after 1 September 2014
Liss Myrlo R532 sired by Mogeely Lord Harrow from John McEnroe, Oldcastle, Co Meath.Heifer born between 1 January 2015 and 31 August 2015
Drummer Blackbird 853 sired by Blelack Evermore from Alan and Naomi Morrison, Maguiresbridge, Co Fermanagh.Heifer born between 1
September 2015 and 28 February 2016
Home Farm Ebony Stunner sired by Rosemead Karona from Fintan Keown, Bellecks, Co Fermanagh.Heifer born between 1 March 2016 and 31 August 2016
Knockoneill Eston Anne S002 sired by Blelack Duke from James Mallon, Swatragh, Co Derry. 
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