Leinster Rugby’s contact skills coach Seán O’Brien swapped the rugby pitch for picturesque farmland for the launch of the Hereford charity photo and calendar competition, in association with Irish Hereford Prime and the Irish Hereford Breed Society.

The competition, which is now in its fourth year, encourages artists and photographers to see their work published and to be in with the chance of scooping a cash prize, all with a view to raising vital funds for an important Irish charity.

The launch event took place on the scenic farm of Irish Hereford Prime farmer Tennyson Egar in Ballymore Eustace.

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Tennyson, who also serves as operations and strategic account manager at Irish Hereford Prime, welcomed attendees alongside his daughters Adrianna (8) and Erika (5).

Accompanying them were their neighbours Jack McCarville (4) and Katie McCarville (10).

Charity partnership

The Children’s Health Foundation has been named as the charity partner for the 2024 calendar. All proceeds raised through the sale of this upcoming calendar will go directly to this worthy cause, which is instrumental in supporting sick children and their families.

Corporate manager at the Children’s Health Foundation Liam Redmond said: "We are thrilled to have been chosen by Irish Hereford Prime as their partner charity for this year’s calendar photo competition.

"With the great addition of the 'creative calves' drawing or painting category for children under the age of 16, we hope some of our patients and families will be excited to take part too.

“Being creative through photography or drawing is a great outlet for people of all ages. Thank you to Irish Hereford Prime for choosing to support sick children in Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin. We can’t wait to see all the entries,” he said.

Innovative category introduction

Seán O’Brien introduced an innovative category for the competition, catering to young artists aged 16 and under.

The ‘creative calves’ category encourages participants to express their creativity by drawing, painting or sketching a Hereford animal.

Commenting on the new category, Seán said: “We’re inviting entrants to draw, paint or sketch a Hereford animal and use all of their creativity in support of their peers undergoing treatment and recovering at Crumlin Children’s Hospital.

“I’m very passionate about supporting young people and raising awareness for causes that help them out in any way.

"Children’s Health Foundation does just this, so I would encourage people to enter this year’s competition in recognition of their tireless efforts and in support of the amazing children in need of their services,” he added.

Competition categories

The competition features three additional categories that include various aspects of Hereford farming and the environment, catering to aspiring photographers.

These categories include 'Herefords - the natural choice', 'The HEX Factor', and 'Hereford: an environmentally sustainable breed'.

Each category provides a platform to celebrate the beauty and significance of Hereford cattle and their role in sustainable farming practices.

The competition is now open for submissions, accessible via www.irishherefordprime.com/crumlin-charity-calendar.