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.”

The 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.”

Commenting 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.

The 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

Heifer 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

Heifer 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

Inter 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