Hunter family scoop McLarnon's Dairy Cow of the Year laurels at Antrim Show
The highlight of the day was the final of the McLarnon’s Dairy Cow of the Year event with the Championship awarded to the Ayrshire 4th calver Sandyford Honest Blizzard EX94(2). Owned by the Hunter family, from Crumlin in Co Antrim, she has given 10,500L of milk at 4.5% butterfat and 3.4% protein since calving last October. The cow is due to calve for the fifth time in September.
Judge Jenny Daw, from Hertford, described her champion as a very balanced cow with a tremendous mammary system. She added: “It is more than noteworthy that the cow has maintained such tremendous style, despite having had four calves.”
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Hide AdThe Championship Reserve was awarded to the McLean family, from Bushmills, with their eye catching Holstein cow Priestland PS James Rose.
This year’s Antrim Show was also marked by a visit form the UK’s agriculture minister Michael Gove MP. He confirmed that current cross-border trade patterns in agri food products will not be affected by whatever final Brexit agreement is struck between London and Brussels.
“A pragmatic approach will be required to reach a final settlement,” he said.
“However, the British government fully recognises the importance of the long established trading arrangements that are a feature of the farming and food sectors on the island of Ireland. These must be retained.”
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Hide AdCommenting on his policy priorities for agriculture, he said that the industry must be allowed to “grow more, produce more and market its output more effectively.”
Gove added: “Farmers must be supported to help maintain and improve the environment. I also want to see better use made of new technologies that will increase agricultural output and enhance biosecurity. There is also a requirement to improve plant and animal health standards.”
Meanwhile, Limousin breeders were having a day to remember in the beef show rings. The Green family, from Lisburn, won the Beef Inter-Breed title with their three year-old calved heifer Glenrock Inclusive. She was shown with her heifer calf at foot. This success followed on from her Limousin Championship victory at the recent Castlewellan Show. In 2016 Inclusive was selected as the Limousin Female Champion at Balmoral Show.
Bruce Goldie, from Dumfries, judged the Beef Inter Breed class. He said that his champion was a tremendous young cow with immense breeding potential.
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Hide AdThe Beef Inter-Breed Reserve was won by Robert Clyde, from Templepatrick with an equally impressive Limousin heifer, Clydevalley Jessie.
Results
Dairy Cattle Section
McLarnon’s Dairy Cow of the Year Champion: J Hunter
Reserve: McLean family
United Feeds’ Maiden Heifer Champion: H Orr
Reserve: Henry family
Moore’s Animal feeds’ Dairy Heifer Champion: Fleming family
Reserve: McLean family
LacPatrick & Semex Inter-Breed Pairs’ Champion: Fleming family
Reserve: McLean family
Cookstown Dairy Services’ Group Champion: Fleming family
Reserve: J Hunter
Inter-Breed Novice Young Handlers’ class: 1st R McLean; 2nd M King
Young Handler class – aged under 13: 1st J King; 2nd H Orr
Young Handler class – aged between 13 and 18: 1st B Weatherup; 2nd R Leader
Beef Cattle Section
Beef Inter-Breed Champion: Green family
Reserve: Clyde family
Hereford classes
Champion: C Halliday
Charolais classes
Champion: Matchett family
Reserve: Matchett family
Cow class: 1st Matchett family
Calf class: 1st Matchett family
Simmental classes
Champion: J Whitcroft
Reserve: WD & JD Hazelton
Bull born in 2016: 1st JL & JC Weatherup; 2nd T Gordon
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Hide AdHeifer born in 2015: 1st J Whitcroft; 2nd WD & JD Hazelton
Heifer born in 2016: 1st WD & JD Hazelton; 2nd J Henderson
Pairs’ class: 1st WD & JD Hazelton; 2nd J Henderson
Northern Ireland Limousin Championship
Champion: Green family
Reserve: R Clyde
Bull Calf Championship: 1st R Clyde
Heifer Calf Championship: 1st Green Family; 2nd Crawford Brothers
Junior Championship – bull: 1st D Robinson
Junior Championship – heifer: 1st C Mulholland; 2nd C Mulholland
Intermediate Championship: 1st L Bradley; 2nd R Clude
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Hide AdHeifer born Feb to June 2016: 1st Donaghy family; 2nd Donaghy family
Senior Championship – female between 18 months and 24 months: 1st D Robinson
Female over 24 months: 1st Green family; 2nd R Clyde
Male Champion: L Bradley
Reserve: D Robinson
Female Champion: Green family
Reserve: R Clyde
Limousin Commercial Champion: S Rea
Reserve: Weatherup family
YLBNI Young Stock Person: 1st S Clyde; 2nd S Rea
Aberdeen Angus classes
Champion: Johnston & Mills
Reserve: Johnston & Mills
Bull born in 2016: 1st Johnston & Mills
Cow class: 1st Matchett family; 2nd M Lagan
Heifer born in 2016: 1st Johnston & Mills; 2nd Johnston & Mills
Pairs’ class: 1st Johnston & Mills; 2nd Johnston & Mills
British Blonde classes
Champion: Johnston family
Reserve: Johnston family
Bull – any age: 1st Johnston family
Bull – born in 2016: 1st Johnston family
Cow class: 1st Johnston family
Heifer born in 2016: 1st Johnston family
Pairs’ class: 1st Johnston family
Young handler clas – under 14: 1st A Griffin
Young Handler class – 14 – 23: 1st V Johnston
Sheep Results
Inter-Breed Champion: T Bell
Reserve: E McAllister
Group of Three Champion: T Bell
Reserve: T Bell
Reserve: A J Graham
Female Pairs’ Champion: E McAllister
Reserve: T Bell
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Hide AdInter Breed Young Handlers’ Competition – under 10: 1st T McClenaghan; 2nd J Wilson
Inter Breed Young Handlers’ Competition – 11 to 14: 1st A Colhoun; 2nd T J Magee
Lanark Blackface classes
Champion: G Crawford
Reserve: J Murphy
Ram – two year old plus: 1st D Lennox; 2nd D Lennox
Yearling ram: 1st D Lennox; 2nd J McCalmont
Ram lamb class: 1st G Crawford; 2nd S Wallace
Ewe –yearling: 1st S Wallace; 2nd S Wallace
Ewe – two ywear old plus: 1st D Lennox; 2nd J McCalmont
Ewe lamb class: 1st J Murphy; 2nd J Murphy
Pairs’ class: 1st J Murphy; 2nd S Wallace
Group of three class: 1st D Lennox; 2nd S Wallace
Greyface classes
Champion: J Adams & Sons
Reserve: M Wright
Yearling ewe: 1st E Knox; 2nd J B Adams
Ewe – two year old: 1st M Wright; 2nd J B Adams
Ewe lamb class: 1st J Adams & Sons; 2nd M Wright
Group of three class: 1st J B Adams
Ile de France classes
Champion: E Adamson
Reserve: R & G Mulligan
Ram class: 1st E Adamson; 2nd R & G Mulligan
Ram lamb class: 1st R Milligan; 2nd R Milligan
Ewe – two year old plus: 1st R & G Mulligan; 2nd R Milligan
Yearling ewe: 1st R Milligan; 2nd R Milligan
Ewe lamb class: 1st R & G Mulligan; 2nd R Milligan
Group of three class: 1st R & G Mulligan; 2nd E Adamson
Dorset Horn and Polled Dorset Championship
Champion: A McConnell
Reserve: B Lamb
Ram – any age: 1st S Wilson
Ewe – two year old plus: 1st J & C Robson; 2nd S Wilson
Hogget ewe: 1st E McClure; 2nd:O & C Hill
Ewe lamb classs: 1st A McConnell; 2nd E McClure
Ram lamb: 1st B Lamb; 2nd B Lamb
Pairs’ class: 1st O & C Hill; 2nd A & P McNeill
Group of three class: 1st J & C Robson; 2nd E McClure
Kerry Hill classes
Champion: J McClintock
Reserve: J Barr
Ram two year old plus: 1st W Clarke; 2nd J Barr
Shearling ram: 1st J McClintock; 2nd J Stewart
Ram lamb: 1st W Clarke; 2nd W Clarke
Ewe tow year old plus: 1st J Barr; 2nd J Barr
Shearling ewe: 1st J McClintock; 2nd W Clarke
Ewe lamb class: 1st K Angus; 2nd J Colhoun
Group of three: 1st J McClintock; 2nd W Clarke
Zwartbles classes
Champion: J Owens
Reserve: J Owens
Ram lamb: 1st D Tumelty
Shearling ewe: 1st J Owens
Ewe lamb: 1st J Owens
Pairs’ class: 1st J Owens; 2nd D Tumelty
Rare Breeds’ classes
Champion: R J McCauley
Reserve: E Adamson
Ram – any age: 1st S & J Kerr; 2nd R J McCauley
Ram lamb: 1st E Adamson; 2nd E Adamson
Ewe – any age: 1st R J McCauley; 2nd R McBratney
Ewe lamb: 1st R J McCauley; 2nd V Higgins
Group of three class: 1st R J McCauley; 2nd R McBratney
Pygmy Goat Section
Champion: A Kelly
Reserve: J Macaulay
Female kid: 1st J Macaulay; 2nd N Lennox
Female yearling: 1st A Kelly; 2nd R Colvin
Adult female: 1st N Lennox; 2nd A Kelly
Male kid: 1st R Colvin; 2nd N Lennox
Male yearling: 1st J Ross; 2nd N Lennox
Adult male: 1st A Kelly; 2nd A Kelly