It was a milestone day for the Irish Hereford Breed Society at the FBD National Livestock Show in Tullamore on Sunday, as it hosted the 2026 European Hereford Conference.

Hereford breeders from across Europe had traveled to Ireland for the week-long event of tours, farm visits, technical talks and banquets. Those in attendance on Sunday were treated to an outstanding display of over 170 Hereford cattle, the largest of any breed at the show.

Having the mammoth task of sorting through the classes was judge John Kemp, who runs the well-known Auckvale herd in the UK.

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He had to wait until the last class of the day to find his overall male and supreme champion of the show, Griananpoll 1 Whizkid, the senior stock bull owned by Peter Cooke and family from Co Tipperary. A son of Ccr 57G Stamina ET, he comes from the prolific Orange cow line at Grianan, combining Churchill Storm V583 and Remitall Keynote.

Purchased by Peter at the society's Premier sale in March 2024, Whizkid's crowing as overall champion was the icing on the cake for the Cooke family, whose elation filled the ring with delight.

Corndarragh Ivy

Coming through as overall female champion to take the reserve supreme champion of the show, was the January 2025-born heifer, Corndarragh Ivy 20572 PP.

Exhibited by Offaly breeder Jack Larkin, Ivy is a daughter of the highly influential Fabb 1 Northern Star Pp and the former national show champion, Hillockpoll 1 Ivy.

Corndarragh Ivy 20572 PP shown by Jack Larkin and Mark Hyland, overall female champion and reserve supreme champion. \ Country Clicks

She pipped Corlismore Prim 320 HH to the post, the second prize winner from the same class. Exhibited by Sean, Gary and Evelyn McKiernan from Co Cavan, the Shiloh Farm Dynamite daughter has been on a fine run of form this summer, picking up a number of breed championships and continued that trend on Sunday, standing as reserve female champion.

Corlismore Prim 320 HH, reserve overall female champion shown by Evelyn McKiernan. \ Country Clicks

Bull of the year

Cork man Michael Barrett had a brilliant day out, winning the reserve overall male champion and national Hereford bull of the year with his young bull, Inchvale Rocco HH.

Sired by Gurtaleen Inchvale Phoenix and out of Gurtaleen Caoimhe, this July 2025-born bull has a string of red rosettes to his name already this summer.

Inchvale Rocco HH, reserve male champion and national hereford bull of the year shown by Michael Barrett. \ Country Clicks

The Rebel County featured well, as the award for National Hereford heifer of the year went to Banteer-based breeder, Neil Twomey, with Ringfort Ravette 711 PP.

Born in September 2025, this Normanton 1 Laertes ET daughter is out the Dendor 1 Kohinoor bred cow, Woodpark 1 Miss Rave.

Ringfort Ravette 711 PP, national Hereford heifer of the year, shown by Neil Twomey. \ Country Clicks