The Holstein Friesian European Championships is set to take place in Belgium next week. Organised by the European Holstein and Red Holstein Confederation (EHRC), the show takes place every three years. Belgium is the host country on this occasion with the city of Libramont as the venue.

It was intended that cattle from both Ireland and the UK would attend this year, but due to a Bluetongue outbreak in Belgium last week, animals from both countries have been withdrawn.

Bluetongue has been creeping throughout Europe over the last couple of months and since the outbreak, which was in very close proximity to the venue, the risk of attending the event with stock is too high.

However, members of the IHFA young members association (YMA) will compete in the young breeders showmanship competition.

Claire Kirby (Cork club) and Rachel Corley (Breffni Oriel) are the two YMA members who will represent Ireland in this prestigious show in the senior and junior categories respectively.

Calves donated by Belgian breeders for the show will be allocated to each handler on a random basis. Once each young handler receives their calf, it is their own responsibility to prepare, train, clip and show that calf. Young breeders from a total of 19 countries will compete. There will be separate prizes for best clipper, best handler and best young breeder overall in both categories.

Thereafter, the scores will be added and the winning country will be announced.

Profiles

Claire Kirby

Club: Cork

Age: 21

Champion handler at the YMA National Calf Show 2018, Claire is a very active member of Cork YMA and has performed at the highest level. She has been placed first in the showmanship league final twice, in 2014 and 2016. Involved on the home farm since she was very young, Claire loves being involved with the family’s Mounteen herd. Pedigree breeding and showing are her big passions. On two occasions, she has travelled abroad as part of YMA teams competing in international competitions. She participated in the European Young Breeders School (EYBS) in 2015 and was placed second in her handling class. Last year, she was part of the YMA team that participated in the Holstein Young Breeders (HYB) UK weekend rally. Claire recently qualified from Darrara Agricultural College, Clonakilty, having completed the dairy herd management course. She has recently started working part-time with World Wide Sires. Her interests include helping out on the farm at home and she is also very involved in Cork YMA club. During the show season she enjoys travelling with the family and enjoys the atmosphere and buzz of competing.

Rachel Corley

Rachel Corley

Club: Breffni/Oriel

Age: 18

Rachel has been involved in YMA since she was five years old. She is currently doing her Leaving Cert and is planning to study agricultural science in college once she finishes school. As well as studying, she enjoys helping her father on the farm. They have 70 pedigree Holstein cows, along with around 100 heifers and calves under the Cornboro prefix. Rachel represented the IHFA at the European Young Breeders School in Belgium in 2015 and won her handling class. She has also represented her club in stock judging at national level at the IHFA open day. This year, she won her handling class at the National Calf Show and secured the reserve champion handler title. She also won the individual clipping class and won the clipping competition at the YMA weekend rally. She looks forward to being part of the youth team at Libramont, as it will help her to further her knowledge of clipping, showmanship and preparing show cattle. She is also looking forward to meeting new friends and seeing some of the highest quality Holstein cattle in the world at the European Championships.