The next generation of pedigree breeders has been well represented in many of the major livestock events held throughout Ireland and the UK over the past two months.
Premier sales and calf shows took up much of October and November, with up and coming breeders securing a number of top prices and high rankings in them all.
However, this is only the tip of the iceberg in relation to young people involved in the pedigree sector.
This week, we pay tribute to some of the young breeders who have left their mark in each of their respective breeds over the past few months.
James Shaw with some of his prizewinning stock.
Young breeder takes top awards for new herd
First up is 12-year-old James Shaw from Co Tyrone, who secured a number of top prizes for his newly established beef Shorthorn herd. He farms alongside his father Alfie, and their Glebefarm herd picked up a number of top prizes at the Northern Ireland Shorthorn Breeders Club annual prize-giving, including best small herd Northern Ireland, best heifer calf born in 2018 and reserve junior bull.
James has travelled the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland in the last 18 months with his father to acquire some of the best genetics available. James’s first purchase was a four-year-old cow, Bushypark Cherry 1st with a heifer calf at foot, from renowned Clare breeder Johnny Keane.
Cherry was purchased in calf to Carrarock Chalkie, successful stock sire for Galway breeder Tommy Staunton’s Caramba herd, and it was this mating that produced Glebefarm Cherry May, which was awarded best overall heifer calf born in 2018.
Other females purchased from leading herds – Uppermill, Glenisla, Millerstown, Lowther, Knockenjig and Caramba – have played their part in forming this award-winning herd in a short space of time.
James and Alfie also acquired a 10-month-old bull calf from the Longfield Herd, Oxford, England, earlier this year. Laird of Longfield was awarded reserve junior bull in the competition.
James stands as the sixth-generation pedigree breeder based at Glebefarm outside Dungannon, which originally farmed Shorthorns dating back nearly 150 years ago.
While the Simmentals introduced 40 years ago got the herd prefix recognised, James hopes it can become just as recognised for the Shorthorn breed.
Nicole McPadden receiving her prize Charolais heifer Kiltorcan08 Maria Helena from breeder Eoin Reid. \ Tricia Kennedy
Charolais heifer for marketing competition winner
This year, the Irish Charolais Cattle Society (ICCS) held a marketing competition for young members aged between 16 and 24 years of age.
Securing the top prize of a pedigree Charolais heifer was Nicole McPadden from Rhode, Tullamore, Co Offaly.
The competition asked entrants to envisage themselves as the marketing manager of the ICCS and to describe how they would promote the Charolais breed in Ireland.
Nicole, who is 22 years old, described how she would set up a Charolais beef programme, similar to the BETTER farm beef programme, that would enable farmers from all over Ireland to see what is achievable by incorporating Charolais genetics into their herd.
It would involve six beef farmers from across Ireland with different systems of farming; for example, calf to beef or weanling to beef.
For taking part in the programme, each farmer would receive a financial contribution from the ICCS towards the purchase of a pedigree Charolais bull at any of their society sales.
These farmers would have the free advice and guidance of a nutritionist from a meal company in order to achieve the maximum performance from their cattle.
The farmers would also be guaranteed a pre-negotiated price for their beef, agreed with a certain meat factory.
The performance data of the cattle on these farms could then be used for the promotion of the Charolais breed. Birth weights, weaning weights and carcase weights would all be collected to identify certain genetics and traits within the Charolais breed.
These farms could also be used as demonstration farms, where farm walks could be held to highlight what the Charolais breed can do as both a terminal and maternal sire.
Nicole explained the benefits of social media for getting information and results from these farms out to the general public. She also highlighted the importance of involving young people and touched on the idea of teaming up with a university in carrying out research on these farms.
For winning the competition, Nicole was awarded the two-year-old Kiltorcan08 Maria Helena, which the Charolais society purchased at its premier sale earlier this month. The first-prizewinning Maria Helena is sired by Pirate and sold in calf to Cavelands Fenian.
Champion junior handler Avril Crowe. \Edward Dudley
Angus star Avril
Each year, the Aberdeen Angus Cattle Society runs a youth development programme throughout Ireland and the UK.
The programme is aimed at developing the stockmanship skills of young people involved in farming through a series of workshops, seminars and events, with the selected finalists competing at the grand finale every September.
At the most recent finals in the UK, 14-year-old Avril Crowe from Aughakilfaughnan, Mohill, Co Leitrim, secured a very well-deserved second place in the stock judging category, despite strong opposition from youngsters from both Ireland and the UK.
Adding to this success, the youngster claimed top spot in the junior section of the young handler’s competition at the National Irish Aberdeen Angus Calf Show that was staged in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim, last month.
Avril, along with parents Kenton and Deirdre and older brother Stephen, runs the Aughakil pedigree Aberdeen Angus herd and are regular exhibitors on the summer show circuit.
Young Limousin judge Orla Curtin. \ Alfie Shaw
Young Limousin breeder judges autumn sale
Orla Curtin had the honour of judging the Irish Limousin Cattle Society’s autumn sale in Tullow last week. A well-known figure around pedigree Limousin sales, Orla helps run the Corcamore herd based in Limerick.
The young breeder has been a massive part of the Limousin society’s young members association (YMA), representing Ireland on more than one occasion at the Anglo Irish finals.
One of these trips, which was held in the North in 2014, saw the team secure the top award.
Credit must also be given to the Limousin cattle society for allowing young members to get the chance to judge such events.
Top of the class at the Holstein YMA
The Irish Holstein Friesian Association showmanship league is a unique and open format for young members aged between 12 and 26 to help impart vital stockmanship skills.
Local shows throughout the country hold qualifiers, with points on offer towards the final. An accumulation of 24 points is set as the benchmark.
Every exhibitor is then on an equal par, as it is the showmanship performance in the ring, interpreted by the judge, which decides the outcome.
Window of opportunity
This competition structure provides a window of opportunity to take part on a regular basis where experience, lessons and tips can be learned and improved upon.
It also helps to boost numbers participating in the local shows, part of the fabric of rural and urban Ireland.
The programme provides an exceptional template as to what breed societies can do to encourage youngsters into breeding cattle.
The strength and popularity of the YMA showmanship league continues to grow year on year. This year proved no different, with a hectic season of competition for young members culminating in the grand final held at the National Dairy Show late last month.
Intense competition
Forty handlers exhibited in the final, with three tremendous classes of intense competition.
Michael Yates from Scotland was judge this year. Farming with his father Brian, they run the Logan herd of 250 pedigree-registered Holstein cows near Dumfries in southwest Scotland.
Michael won champion handler at the Holstein UK Young Breeders National Show on three occasions.
In his comments, Michael noted that everyone taking part was in fact a winner in their own right for attaining the points to take part in the final.
He said the standard of handling abilities in the classes was a very positive reflection on a progressive young members association.
Class A handlers aged 12 years and under: Judge Michael Yates; FBD’s John O’Donovan (sponsor); third-placed Michael Blake; second-placed Hannah Williamson; winner Manus Murphy; with YMA coordinator Doireann Mulhall and IHFA’s Donal Carey. Maria Kelly
Class A Handlers aged 12 years and under on
1 January 2018
1st Manus Murphy (Carlow Kilkenny)
2nd Hannah Williamson (Breffni Oriel)
3rd Michael Blake (Carlow Kilkenny)
4th Jennifer Harty (Kerry)
5th Hannah Greenan (Breffni Oriel)
6th Stephen Harty (Kerry)
Class B handlers aged 13-16: Judge Michael Yates; FBD’s John O’Donovan (sponsor); third-placed Nikki McLoughlin; second-placed Jack O’Neill; winner Rachel Corley; with YMA coordinator Doireann Mulhall; and IHFA’s Donal Carey. Maria Kelly
Class B Handlers aged 13-16 years on
1 January 2018
1st Rachel Corley (Breffni Oriel)
2nd Jack O’Neill (Limerick Clare)
3rd Nikki McLoughlin (Kildare)
4th Cathal Mulhall (Carlow Kilkenny)
5th Rebekah Williamson (Breffni Oriel)
6th Sarah Williamson (Breffni Oriel)
Class C handlers aged 17-26: Judge Michael Yates; FBD’s John O’Donovan (sponsor); third-placed Claire Kirby; second-placed Georgia Kerr; winner Doireann Mulhall; IHFA president Peter Kennelly; CE Charles Gallagher; and YMA chairperson Stacey O’Sullivan. Maria Kelly
Class C Handlers aged 17-26 years on
1 January 2018
1st Doireann Mulhall (Carlow Kilkenny)
2nd Georgia Kerr (Breffni Oriel)
3rd Claire Kirby (Cork)
4th Hannah Healy (Kildare)
5th Andrea Rafferty (Breffni Oriel)
6th Gerard Kirby (Cork)
The next generation of pedigree breeders has been well represented in many of the major livestock events held throughout Ireland and the UK over the past two months.
Premier sales and calf shows took up much of October and November, with up and coming breeders securing a number of top prices and high rankings in them all.
However, this is only the tip of the iceberg in relation to young people involved in the pedigree sector.
This week, we pay tribute to some of the young breeders who have left their mark in each of their respective breeds over the past few months.
James Shaw with some of his prizewinning stock.
Young breeder takes top awards for new herd
First up is 12-year-old James Shaw from Co Tyrone, who secured a number of top prizes for his newly established beef Shorthorn herd. He farms alongside his father Alfie, and their Glebefarm herd picked up a number of top prizes at the Northern Ireland Shorthorn Breeders Club annual prize-giving, including best small herd Northern Ireland, best heifer calf born in 2018 and reserve junior bull.
James has travelled the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland in the last 18 months with his father to acquire some of the best genetics available. James’s first purchase was a four-year-old cow, Bushypark Cherry 1st with a heifer calf at foot, from renowned Clare breeder Johnny Keane.
Cherry was purchased in calf to Carrarock Chalkie, successful stock sire for Galway breeder Tommy Staunton’s Caramba herd, and it was this mating that produced Glebefarm Cherry May, which was awarded best overall heifer calf born in 2018.
Other females purchased from leading herds – Uppermill, Glenisla, Millerstown, Lowther, Knockenjig and Caramba – have played their part in forming this award-winning herd in a short space of time.
James and Alfie also acquired a 10-month-old bull calf from the Longfield Herd, Oxford, England, earlier this year. Laird of Longfield was awarded reserve junior bull in the competition.
James stands as the sixth-generation pedigree breeder based at Glebefarm outside Dungannon, which originally farmed Shorthorns dating back nearly 150 years ago.
While the Simmentals introduced 40 years ago got the herd prefix recognised, James hopes it can become just as recognised for the Shorthorn breed.
Nicole McPadden receiving her prize Charolais heifer Kiltorcan08 Maria Helena from breeder Eoin Reid. \ Tricia Kennedy
Charolais heifer for marketing competition winner
This year, the Irish Charolais Cattle Society (ICCS) held a marketing competition for young members aged between 16 and 24 years of age.
Securing the top prize of a pedigree Charolais heifer was Nicole McPadden from Rhode, Tullamore, Co Offaly.
The competition asked entrants to envisage themselves as the marketing manager of the ICCS and to describe how they would promote the Charolais breed in Ireland.
Nicole, who is 22 years old, described how she would set up a Charolais beef programme, similar to the BETTER farm beef programme, that would enable farmers from all over Ireland to see what is achievable by incorporating Charolais genetics into their herd.
It would involve six beef farmers from across Ireland with different systems of farming; for example, calf to beef or weanling to beef.
For taking part in the programme, each farmer would receive a financial contribution from the ICCS towards the purchase of a pedigree Charolais bull at any of their society sales.
These farmers would have the free advice and guidance of a nutritionist from a meal company in order to achieve the maximum performance from their cattle.
The farmers would also be guaranteed a pre-negotiated price for their beef, agreed with a certain meat factory.
The performance data of the cattle on these farms could then be used for the promotion of the Charolais breed. Birth weights, weaning weights and carcase weights would all be collected to identify certain genetics and traits within the Charolais breed.
These farms could also be used as demonstration farms, where farm walks could be held to highlight what the Charolais breed can do as both a terminal and maternal sire.
Nicole explained the benefits of social media for getting information and results from these farms out to the general public. She also highlighted the importance of involving young people and touched on the idea of teaming up with a university in carrying out research on these farms.
For winning the competition, Nicole was awarded the two-year-old Kiltorcan08 Maria Helena, which the Charolais society purchased at its premier sale earlier this month. The first-prizewinning Maria Helena is sired by Pirate and sold in calf to Cavelands Fenian.
Champion junior handler Avril Crowe. \Edward Dudley
Angus star Avril
Each year, the Aberdeen Angus Cattle Society runs a youth development programme throughout Ireland and the UK.
The programme is aimed at developing the stockmanship skills of young people involved in farming through a series of workshops, seminars and events, with the selected finalists competing at the grand finale every September.
At the most recent finals in the UK, 14-year-old Avril Crowe from Aughakilfaughnan, Mohill, Co Leitrim, secured a very well-deserved second place in the stock judging category, despite strong opposition from youngsters from both Ireland and the UK.
Adding to this success, the youngster claimed top spot in the junior section of the young handler’s competition at the National Irish Aberdeen Angus Calf Show that was staged in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim, last month.
Avril, along with parents Kenton and Deirdre and older brother Stephen, runs the Aughakil pedigree Aberdeen Angus herd and are regular exhibitors on the summer show circuit.
Young Limousin judge Orla Curtin. \ Alfie Shaw
Young Limousin breeder judges autumn sale
Orla Curtin had the honour of judging the Irish Limousin Cattle Society’s autumn sale in Tullow last week. A well-known figure around pedigree Limousin sales, Orla helps run the Corcamore herd based in Limerick.
The young breeder has been a massive part of the Limousin society’s young members association (YMA), representing Ireland on more than one occasion at the Anglo Irish finals.
One of these trips, which was held in the North in 2014, saw the team secure the top award.
Credit must also be given to the Limousin cattle society for allowing young members to get the chance to judge such events.
Top of the class at the Holstein YMA
The Irish Holstein Friesian Association showmanship league is a unique and open format for young members aged between 12 and 26 to help impart vital stockmanship skills.
Local shows throughout the country hold qualifiers, with points on offer towards the final. An accumulation of 24 points is set as the benchmark.
Every exhibitor is then on an equal par, as it is the showmanship performance in the ring, interpreted by the judge, which decides the outcome.
Window of opportunity
This competition structure provides a window of opportunity to take part on a regular basis where experience, lessons and tips can be learned and improved upon.
It also helps to boost numbers participating in the local shows, part of the fabric of rural and urban Ireland.
The programme provides an exceptional template as to what breed societies can do to encourage youngsters into breeding cattle.
The strength and popularity of the YMA showmanship league continues to grow year on year. This year proved no different, with a hectic season of competition for young members culminating in the grand final held at the National Dairy Show late last month.
Intense competition
Forty handlers exhibited in the final, with three tremendous classes of intense competition.
Michael Yates from Scotland was judge this year. Farming with his father Brian, they run the Logan herd of 250 pedigree-registered Holstein cows near Dumfries in southwest Scotland.
Michael won champion handler at the Holstein UK Young Breeders National Show on three occasions.
In his comments, Michael noted that everyone taking part was in fact a winner in their own right for attaining the points to take part in the final.
He said the standard of handling abilities in the classes was a very positive reflection on a progressive young members association.
Class A handlers aged 12 years and under: Judge Michael Yates; FBD’s John O’Donovan (sponsor); third-placed Michael Blake; second-placed Hannah Williamson; winner Manus Murphy; with YMA coordinator Doireann Mulhall and IHFA’s Donal Carey. Maria Kelly
Class A Handlers aged 12 years and under on
1 January 2018
1st Manus Murphy (Carlow Kilkenny)
2nd Hannah Williamson (Breffni Oriel)
3rd Michael Blake (Carlow Kilkenny)
4th Jennifer Harty (Kerry)
5th Hannah Greenan (Breffni Oriel)
6th Stephen Harty (Kerry)
Class B handlers aged 13-16: Judge Michael Yates; FBD’s John O’Donovan (sponsor); third-placed Nikki McLoughlin; second-placed Jack O’Neill; winner Rachel Corley; with YMA coordinator Doireann Mulhall; and IHFA’s Donal Carey. Maria Kelly
Class B Handlers aged 13-16 years on
1 January 2018
1st Rachel Corley (Breffni Oriel)
2nd Jack O’Neill (Limerick Clare)
3rd Nikki McLoughlin (Kildare)
4th Cathal Mulhall (Carlow Kilkenny)
5th Rebekah Williamson (Breffni Oriel)
6th Sarah Williamson (Breffni Oriel)
Class C handlers aged 17-26: Judge Michael Yates; FBD’s John O’Donovan (sponsor); third-placed Claire Kirby; second-placed Georgia Kerr; winner Doireann Mulhall; IHFA president Peter Kennelly; CE Charles Gallagher; and YMA chairperson Stacey O’Sullivan. Maria Kelly
Class C Handlers aged 17-26 years on
1 January 2018
1st Doireann Mulhall (Carlow Kilkenny)
2nd Georgia Kerr (Breffni Oriel)
3rd Claire Kirby (Cork)
4th Hannah Healy (Kildare)
5th Andrea Rafferty (Breffni Oriel)
6th Gerard Kirby (Cork)
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