By Julie Hazelton
A stylish heifer with one of the hottest pedigrees in Europe was the winner of the Jersey championship and supreme interbreed award at the 19th Multi-Breed Dairy Calf Show, held at Dungannon.
Exhibited by the Sizzler Syndicate, Rory Timlin, Andrew Kennedy, David Simpson and Mark Henry, the 11-month-old heifer Treasure Andreas Fernleaf ET caught the eye of judge Sam Wake, Blydale herd, North Hants, to secure a red rosette in the breed’s strongest class of the day.
“This is a beautifully balanced and well-blended heifer, with a great frame and openness of rib. She simply oozes style and ring presence, and could compete on the world stage,” said Sam, who was making his Northern Ireland judging debut.
Later in the day, Treasure Andreas Fernleaf ET competed against her Holstein and Ayrshire counterparts to win the Blondin Sires-sponsored interbreed championship, and the Clandeboye Cup, presented by Mark Logan in memory of Lady Dufferin.
The interbreed line-up came under scrutiny from coloured breeds judge Sam Wake, and Holstein judge David Hodgson from the noted Cumbrian-based Wormanby herd.
Sired by Sunset Canyon Andreas, this much-admired heifer is bred from Lightning Ridge Tequila Fernleaf VG87 2yr.
She was purchased by the Sizzler Syndicate in April last year as a first-choice heifer for 5600gns at the Global Connections online auction conducted by Harrison and Hetherington, Carlisle.
Consigned by D and L Millar, Lockerbie, this first-choice heifer was one of the first daughters of Lightning Ridge Tequila Fernleaf to sell at auction in Europe. Lightning Ridge Tequila Fernleaf is backed by eight generations of dams carrying the Bushlea prefix, and is the only cow from outside North America to have been shown at World Dairy Expo (2018). She was exported from Australia for the event.
Treasure Andreas Fernleaf ET was junior champion at UK Dairy Expo in March.
The Fleming family’s 130-cow Potterswalls herd from Seaforde, County Down, won the reserve supreme and honourable mention awards in the championship line-up.
Their reserve champion Potterswalls Black-apple Starlight stood second in her class to the day’s overall champion. This nine-month-old heifer was sired by Rapid Bay Blackapple, and is bred from Potterwalls Valentino Starlight 3 EX94, who gave almost 11,500kgs at 5.39% fat and 3.78% protein in her fourth lactation.
The judge commented: ”The reserve champ-ion is another super heifer calf, long and clean, very feminine with great breed character.
“The honourable mention heifer follows the same stamp as today’s champions. The top three heifers are fine examples of the Jersey breed, and could compete successfully anywhere in the UK and further afield.”
Claiming the honourable mention award was the Fleming family’s January 2021 born Potterswalls Jordan Martha. A daughter of Audibel Jordon CJCC, her dam is the home-bred Potterswalls Colton Martha 2 ET VG85, while her grandam was shown successfully as a calf.
Chloe McNeely, from the Uppertully herd based at Bready, Strabane, was the champion handler in the showmanship section.
Runner-up was Charlie McKeeman from the Causewayglen herd at Bushmills, with the honourable mention award going to first-time competitor Elizabeth McCann from Bangor.
The Ulster Jersey Cattle Club sponsored the show, and would like to thank Sam Wake for giving up his time to judge the event. Thanks to the exhibitors and everyone who contributed to the success of the calf show, especially the Wylie family for the use of the facilities at Dungannon Farmers’ Mart.
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