A tremendous turnout of calves headed to Dungannon Farmers’ Mart for the NIHBA United Feeds Calf Show on Saturday, November 13. The event was held in conjunction with NI Shorthorn Club and classes were run alternating between the two breeds.
Judge for the event was Catherine Smyth, Ardmulcan Herefords, who helps run the family farm in Navan, County Meath, which has 25 pedigree cows and was formed in 1933.
David Wilson of the Lisrace herd had a great day with his two January born Knockmountagh Master calves. Junior and Male Champion was winner of Class 7, Lisrace Lone Ranger 6th, out of the homebred dam Lisrace Blossom.
Then Lisrace Bridge Girl 24th, again by a homebred dam Lisrace Bridge Girl 16th, stood first in Class 8 before finishing up as Reserve Junior and Reserve Female Champion.
The Female Champion also came from the Junior Section and winner of Class 10, Graceland 1 Verity from Robin Irvine. Born on March 16, she was a daughter of Brookfield 1 Romeo, who stands in AI Services, and the imported Blakesley 1 Minnie.
Reserve Male Champion was found in the winner of Class 2 Country Crest Jack. Born on September 4, he is sired by Moyclare Phoenix and out of Ballyville Isa. He was purchased by Ciaran Kerr as a stock bull.
Jack was part of a strong team forward from the Kerrs who also took a win in the first class of the day, pair owned by exhibitor which had eight quality entries.
The Senior Female Champion was found in Class 6, Solpoll 1 Starlet V16. A December 28 born Solpoll 1 Promoter daughter, she had previously been shown on her dam Starlet M19 when winning the Balmoral Championship two months earlier for John & William McMordie.
The Reserve Senior Female Champion also came from the same class with the Normanton 1 Laertes daughter, Benburn 1 Alice 5th, getting the nod ahead of the winner of class 4. This Shraden 1 Alice daughter was owned by Alan Shaw.
The Reserve Senior Male Champion was the first prize winner from Class 5, Umgola 1 Lawman from Stephen Baxter. A second December born Solpoll 1 Lawman son, his dam was the homebred Umgola 1 Sissy.
The last of the championship places went to Sessiagh 1 Vin Diesel. Born on March 22, he was another son of Normanton 1 Laertes from the homebred dam Sessaigh 1 Olga. He took the reserve Junior Male Championship for Nathanial Shaw.
Class 4 was another win for John & William McMordie with Solpoll 1 Starlet V11, an October 12 born daughter of Herberry 1 Herbert and Solpoll 1 Starlet P2.
Class 11 saw Tullymore 1 Shrek take victory for Raymond Pogue. The youngest calf forward, born on May 31, he was by the homebred pair of Tullymore 1 Nixen and Glenside Naomi.
The Young Handlers saw the entries split by age into two classes, with the Junior section won by Keziah Shaw with Jonny Mitchell winning the Senior section and Overall Award and Keziah Shaw finishing Reserve.
Speaking after the event, Catherine said it was an honour to be asked to judge the NI Hereford calf show.
The display of cattle was a credit to all exhibitors in attendance. It was uplifting to see the event held in conjunction with the NI Shorthorn Club and the two clubs can continue to build on this event in the future. A special thanks to the NIHBA committee members for their hard work in organising the event.
The NIHBA would like to thank United Feeds for its continued support of this event, all the exhibitors for bringing out their cattle and Dungannon Mart for the use of the yard for the event.
The next event at Dungannon is the first of the winter sales on Tuesday, December 7, where there is an entry of five bulls and eight heifers catalogued.
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