For the first time in Ireland - and indeed Europe - the ABP beef bull of the future championship was held at Iverk Show on Saturday, with a whopping prize fund of €36,000.
Open to all beef cattle breeds, the championship was sponsored by the ABP Group in association with Certified Irish Angus, Hereford Prime and Iverk Show.
Exhibitors traveled from all corners of the country to the sunny southeast venue, as eight titles - each coming with a cheque for €2,000 - were on the line.
Experienced cattle man Harry Emslie from the UK had the difficult task of sorting through the classes.
When the Scotsman had all his championship winners selected, the showdown for supreme champion and another cheque for €2,000 was at stake.
Supreme champion
Taking home the overall prize and a cheque for €4,000 was the winner from the senior Angus bull class Tara Jubilee Eric A073 ET.
Bred and exhibited by Malachy Tighe from Co Meath, this September 2024-born bull was exceptionally well shown by Cathal O'Meara.
Sired by the herd's UK-bred stock bull Stouphill Mr Perry U222, his mother Tara Jesma Eric W665 is a homebred daughter of Luddenmore Earl S276.
Supreme champion Tara Jubliee Eric A073 ET shown by Cathal O'Meara, with Kevin, Caroline, Niamh, Malachy, Cathal, Karen and Stephen Tighe. \ Chloe Goggins
Much to the delight of Michael O'Keeffe from Co Cork, his Hereford bull Gurteragh Superstar 1156PH was tapped forward as reserve supreme champion, having earlier won the senior Hereford bull class.
This much-admired yearling bull was hot off his success at Tullamore, where he was Hereford bull of the year and reserve male champion Hereford. Superstar is a son of Mullaghdoopoll 1 Finnian and Kingsgrove1 Laer Kylie.
Reserve supreme champion Gurteragh Superstar 1156PH shown by Michael O'Keeffe with Tennyson Egar from Irish Hereford Prime. \ Chloe Goggins
Angus championships
The two other Angus championships were just as fiercely contested as the senior class which produced the supreme champion.
Winning the first of these was Shane McKiernan from Co Cavan with Drumcarbin Best Seller.
Born in February 2025, Best Seller is a son of the former Irish Angus elite sale champion Loughlynn Hum Dinger and Drumcarbin Laura V316, a homebred daughter of Rawburn Boss Hogg.
Claiming the next Angus championship title were Longford breeders Aiden, David and Gerry Reynolds with Bunlahy Ace Pot ET. Born in November 2024, this Fordel Lockdown son is out of the Carrigroe Mr Rebel daughter Bunlahy Unique Katy ET.
The second Hereford championship was claimed by Mark Hyland from Co Leitrim with Hillock Showman HH, the reserve Hereford bull of the year in Tullamore a few weeks ago.
This full-horned young bull is a son of Treantaghpoll 1 Ronaldo, while his mother is the noted Hillockpoll 1 Ann.
Continental winners
Well-known Tipperary breeder Martin Ryan came out on top in the senior continental class with his yearling bull Goldstar Van Gogh ET.
A son of the popular society bull Neptune, his mother is the French-bred cow Goldstar Tartine.
The junior continental championship was headed up by eight-month-old Villablues Tiberius ET. Exhibited by Kevin Murphy from Co Wexford, this promising young Belgian Blue bull is a son of Dafydd D'Ochain.
Limousin champion
The Connell brothers from Co Meath took top spot in the Limousin class with Carrickmore Van The Man ET.
This September 2024-born calf was recently crowned junior male champion at the National Limousin Show in Tullamore.
He is a son of Elite Pedigree Genetics' top AI sire Trueman Idol and the famous Baileys Ice Princess.
Female Angus champion Carbery Jersey Girl shown by Keith Vickery with Mark McCoy, Certified Irish Angus, Sean Cassidy, ABP, Caroline Vickery and judge Harry Emslie. \ Chloe Goggins
Female champion Angus
Taking place in conjunction with the bull calf championships were a number of female Angus classes.
Keith Vickery from Co Cork swept the boards here with his sweet September 2024-born heifer Carbery Jersey Girl.
A daughter of Drumcrow Reeko, this young heifer took the overall female champion title ahead of Liss Miss Blarney B418, which stood reserve, a February 2025-born daughter of Liss Dingle, exhibited by John McEnroe from Co Meath.
Read all about Saturday's ABP championships at Iverk Show in this week's Irish Farmers Journal.
For the first time in Ireland - and indeed Europe - the ABP beef bull of the future championship was held at Iverk Show on Saturday, with a whopping prize fund of €36,000.
Open to all beef cattle breeds, the championship was sponsored by the ABP Group in association with Certified Irish Angus, Hereford Prime and Iverk Show.
Exhibitors traveled from all corners of the country to the sunny southeast venue, as eight titles - each coming with a cheque for €2,000 - were on the line.
Experienced cattle man Harry Emslie from the UK had the difficult task of sorting through the classes.
When the Scotsman had all his championship winners selected, the showdown for supreme champion and another cheque for €2,000 was at stake.
Supreme champion
Taking home the overall prize and a cheque for €4,000 was the winner from the senior Angus bull class Tara Jubilee Eric A073 ET.
Bred and exhibited by Malachy Tighe from Co Meath, this September 2024-born bull was exceptionally well shown by Cathal O'Meara.
Sired by the herd's UK-bred stock bull Stouphill Mr Perry U222, his mother Tara Jesma Eric W665 is a homebred daughter of Luddenmore Earl S276.
Supreme champion Tara Jubliee Eric A073 ET shown by Cathal O'Meara, with Kevin, Caroline, Niamh, Malachy, Cathal, Karen and Stephen Tighe. \ Chloe Goggins
Much to the delight of Michael O'Keeffe from Co Cork, his Hereford bull Gurteragh Superstar 1156PH was tapped forward as reserve supreme champion, having earlier won the senior Hereford bull class.
This much-admired yearling bull was hot off his success at Tullamore, where he was Hereford bull of the year and reserve male champion Hereford. Superstar is a son of Mullaghdoopoll 1 Finnian and Kingsgrove1 Laer Kylie.
Reserve supreme champion Gurteragh Superstar 1156PH shown by Michael O'Keeffe with Tennyson Egar from Irish Hereford Prime. \ Chloe Goggins
Angus championships
The two other Angus championships were just as fiercely contested as the senior class which produced the supreme champion.
Winning the first of these was Shane McKiernan from Co Cavan with Drumcarbin Best Seller.
Born in February 2025, Best Seller is a son of the former Irish Angus elite sale champion Loughlynn Hum Dinger and Drumcarbin Laura V316, a homebred daughter of Rawburn Boss Hogg.
Claiming the next Angus championship title were Longford breeders Aiden, David and Gerry Reynolds with Bunlahy Ace Pot ET. Born in November 2024, this Fordel Lockdown son is out of the Carrigroe Mr Rebel daughter Bunlahy Unique Katy ET.
The second Hereford championship was claimed by Mark Hyland from Co Leitrim with Hillock Showman HH, the reserve Hereford bull of the year in Tullamore a few weeks ago.
This full-horned young bull is a son of Treantaghpoll 1 Ronaldo, while his mother is the noted Hillockpoll 1 Ann.
Continental winners
Well-known Tipperary breeder Martin Ryan came out on top in the senior continental class with his yearling bull Goldstar Van Gogh ET.
A son of the popular society bull Neptune, his mother is the French-bred cow Goldstar Tartine.
The junior continental championship was headed up by eight-month-old Villablues Tiberius ET. Exhibited by Kevin Murphy from Co Wexford, this promising young Belgian Blue bull is a son of Dafydd D'Ochain.
Limousin champion
The Connell brothers from Co Meath took top spot in the Limousin class with Carrickmore Van The Man ET.
This September 2024-born calf was recently crowned junior male champion at the National Limousin Show in Tullamore.
He is a son of Elite Pedigree Genetics' top AI sire Trueman Idol and the famous Baileys Ice Princess.
Female Angus champion Carbery Jersey Girl shown by Keith Vickery with Mark McCoy, Certified Irish Angus, Sean Cassidy, ABP, Caroline Vickery and judge Harry Emslie. \ Chloe Goggins
Female champion Angus
Taking place in conjunction with the bull calf championships were a number of female Angus classes.
Keith Vickery from Co Cork swept the boards here with his sweet September 2024-born heifer Carbery Jersey Girl.
A daughter of Drumcrow Reeko, this young heifer took the overall female champion title ahead of Liss Miss Blarney B418, which stood reserve, a February 2025-born daughter of Liss Dingle, exhibited by John McEnroe from Co Meath.
Read all about Saturday's ABP championships at Iverk Show in this week's Irish Farmers Journal.
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