Sean and Paul Mc Cartney, Ballacolla, Co Laois

Belgian Beltex Breeders Society

The McCartneys purchased their first pedigree Beltex in 1999 and set up the Beetles flock. They took to the show circuit from the first year of breeding Beltex and had many prizewinners down through the years, often going home with five or six rosettes.

In 2011, you could say they hit the jackpot when they won the Beltex All-Ireland with a homebred shearling ram. They also bred a ram that year which they called The One and Only. They had bred the perfect Beltex, a sheep every breeder wants to breed. The One and Only caught the eye of every judge and was unbeaten in his class at all the shows he was presented at in 2011 and 2012.

Sean was on the committee of the Belgian Beltex Breeders Society from 2004 to 2013 and was only absent from one meeting in that time. For many years, the McCartneys helped set up and man the stand at the National Ploughing Championships.

Michael Power, Sheppard’s Rest, Cappagh, Askeaton, Co Limerick

Irish Charollais Sheep Society

The Ballyhibben flock was established in 1990 with the purchase of three shearling ewes, closely followed by ewes from the dispersal sale of the Netherallan flock in Scotland. Michael then purchased three stock rams from the very best Charollais bloodlines for both the commercial and pedigree flocks.

At this time, he owned 600 commercial ewes and looked after 1,000 commercial ewes on a neighbouring farm. Michael quickly discovered that by buying tight-skinned rams that their offspring would be finished quicker and have a higher kill-out weight than their open-wool counterparts. Henceforth, the flock’s policy was to purchase pedigree stock with tight skin, conformation, top-line, correctness, style and the very best bloodlines.

The farm’s policy has always been to keep only the best breeding stock and sell the remainder for slaughter. This policy has led to the Ballyhidden flock producing a number of champions and interbreed champions at shows such as all-Ireland Show, Royal Ulster, Royal Highland, Great Yorkshire and Three Counties Show.

The flock has also bred the sires and dams of champions in the four main premier sales in Ireland, Northern Ireland, UK and Scotland. Top average prices in all four sales for males from six to 12 rams selling to a top of £6,400stg.

Every two years, the flock also runs a production sale, with the last seeing females exported to Germany, Northern Ireland and the UK.

PJ Howard, Fermoyle, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare

Suffolk Sheep Society south of Ireland branch

The Fermoyle flock was established in 1976 with the purchase of three ewe hoggets and three in-lamb ewes from the late John Nelly. Throughout the years, further ewes have been purchased from leading flocks at society sales. PJ is a believer in “small is efficient and profitable” – therefore, he keeps his flock small, striving to produce a stylish sheep with good head and bone.

PJ has got great satisfaction throughout the years from producing sheep that go into top-quality pedigree flocks here and across the water which have gone on to breed offspring which have won many prizes at various shows.

As recently as 2016, he also bred the top-priced ram lamb at the south of Ireland branch Suffolk premier sale in Roscrea after capturing first prize in its class.

PJ has served on the committee of the south of Ireland branch of the Suffolk Sheep Society for over 16 years and served as chair of the west of Ireland Suffolk Sheep Breeders Club for two terms.

Over the past 40 years as a Suffolk breeder, PJ has judged at many livestock and national shows, including Telomere on three occasions and has also judged at Suffolk events in Northern Ireland. This year will see one of his biggest honours as he was asked to judge the Suffolk National Championships in 2017.

Arthur O’Keeffe, Annakisha Texel flock, Mallow, Co Cork

Irish Texel Sheep Society

The Annakisha Texel flock was established in 1977 with the purchase of four ewes from the Department of Agriculture. Working closely with his father Arthur senior, Arthur’s Texel flock, run in conjunction with a Suffolk flock, enjoyed much success at local and national shows.

The flock was the winner of the supreme Texel champion at the RDS national championships on various occasions in the late 1980s and into the 1990s. However, with the untimely death of his father in 1992, sheep numbers had to be reduced and showing of Texels was curtailed until 2001, when the Annakisha flock was re-established by Arthur and his son Patrick. Since then, the flock has accumulated countless amounts of all-Ireland and premier sale titles.

Arthur is a firm believer that breeders must work hard for the society of which they are members in order for the society to be able to deliver for its members. Not one to shirk his responsibility, he became chair of the Irish Texel Sheep Society in 2014, having been a member of the national Texel council for four years prior to his election. While chair in 2016, the society celebrated its 40th anniversary.

Martin Conboy, Carane, Ballintubber, Co Roscommon

Irish Vendéen Sheep Society

Martin, along with his son Damien, have been breeding pedigree Vendéen sheep since 2003. The foundation ewes were purchased from Michael Oliver’s Knockbrack flock dispersal sale.

As the years went on, the two decided to purchase more females with the aim of breeding top-quality ram lambs to sell to commercial sheep farmers who wanted to produce quality factory lambs with good terminal traits.

A number of key purchases from different flocks throughout the years established good female foundation lines for the Carane flock and from these, they have enjoyed some great days at shows and sales all over the country.

Martin and Damien are particularly proud of winning best breeder award, having bred the overall champion male at the premier sale in 2011.

Martin has served as a member of the Irish Vendéen Sheep Society council for two terms, spanning from 2008 to 2014.

The Carane flock now amounts to 20 pedigree ewes and Martin aims to continue to improve the genetics within the flock and indeed the Vendéen flock in Ireland.

Noel Lally, Tullamore, Co Offaly

Zwartables Sheep society

In 2003, Noel first encountered Zwartbles sheep while visiting his daughter Catherine in Yorkshire. Being so impressed with them, he attended shows and events in the UK to learn more about the breed. He purchased his first pedigree Zwartbles ewes from the Sky High flock in Cumbria and a pedigree ram from East Middle flock in Scotland. This combination was to produce his now-famous Black Magic flock.

Noel has achieved ultimate success in the show rings of Ireland, including winning the national AIB livestock championship in Tullamore three years in succession (2012, 2013 and 2014), becoming the first-ever flock from southern Ireland to win the 32-county all-Ireland flock competition in 2013 and the first Zwartbles flock in Ireland to win the overall interbreed championship in 2015.

A very proud moment for Noel as a breeder was at the national Zwartbles championship in Clonmel last summer, where the winners of the three male classes were all from Black Magic stock.

Noel is a founder member of the South of Ireland Zwartbles Society. He was the first official ZSA judge in southern Ireland.

He had the honour of being invited to judge the Northern Ireland flock competition in 2015 and was also elected the first president of the south of Ireland Zwartbles society in 2015.

Nuala Hourihane

Lifetime achievement award in agriculture

Nuala Hourihane was born and raised in Bantry, Co Cork. Her big ambition was to travel and, within a year or so of finishing school, she and her childhood friend Norma set off on their first ever flight, all the way to Australia.

A chance encounter on the flight with Holy Ghost Missionaries on their way to Papua New Guinea resulted in both girls moving to that country after spending six months in Sydney. Nuala spent over two years in a townland called Banz in the highlands of Papua New Guinea working for a coffee company.

She ended up running the company while the New Zealand-born manager was on leave. With the desire to travel still strong, Nuala took the long way home, flying first to Katmandu and then taking a three-month bus journey from Katmandu to London. Her friend Norma had returned to Ireland eight months before Nuala.

On Norma’s flight home from Papua New Guinea to Ireland, a chance meeting with a Charolais council member led to her being offered a job as recording secretary with the then-fledging Irish Charolais Society.

Just as Nuala returned to Ireland, her friend Norma was in the process of quitting her job with the Charolais society to marry her childhood sweetheart. The timing was perfect and Nuala stepped into the role, fully intending to stay just long enough to build up a fund to go travelling again. However, her love affair with Charolais began and those plans were put on hold, but now 40 years later she is ready for a new adventure.

The Charolais society was set up in 1965 with six members and when Nuala joined in 1974, the exclusive club, as it was then known, had 77 pedigree members and 235 pedigree calf registrations. Registration numbers grew year on year and now stand at approximately 8,500 to 9,000 per year with membership at approximately 2,500.

Over her 40-plus years with the Charolais society, Nuala worked with 17 different presidents and voluntary councils. She is held in the highest esteem by breeders up and down the country.

Many regarded her as a friend and confidant who was always there with some sensible advice. Never afraid to voice her opinion, she was always willing to listen and take on board new ideas.

She represented Charolais with distinction at meetings and events at home and abroad. Her commitment to the Charolais breed and farmer members was rewarded internationally when she received the Ordre du Charolais Francais in 1994.

She was nominated by the Charolais council as the recipient of the 2006 Charolais hall of fame award and, in 2015, she received the FBD Women & Agriculture lifetime achievement award.