Record entries for Summer Spectacular Show

This year the show moved to Ballymena sale yard where their new purpose built arena held its first show.

The show hit its highest record in years with entries of 70 + cattle attending on the day. Through careful selection three people were asked to judge and needed no introduction to most of livestock community.

Firstly the cattle judges, these two men have an abundance of Championship rosettes between them including Rising Stars Champion, Ulster Housewives champions, Balmoral champions, All Ireland Champions and multiple summer show champions. The NICCEC were delighted that Paul Rainey and Martin McLaughlin had agreed to take centre stage to judge their Summer Show.

Martin took on responsibility for the breed classes, Butchers Championship, and Breeding Heifer Championship. He also judged a new class, best exhibitor breed animal. Martin was a great fit for the job as he has bred calves that have won all Ireland championships.

Paul had adjudicated over the Calf Championship, weight classes, and Overall Championship. Paul won the NICCEC summer show in 2011. Paul runs both a commercial and pedigree Lim herd and in March 2023 was overall reserve champion at the rising stars calf show.

Next up was the young handlers judge for the day Mrs Lynda Hamilton who runs a successful commercial suckler herd and sheep flock. Lynda is another individual, who in partnership with Bobby Patterson has too many accolades both locally and nationally over the years to list.

The show sponsors for this years show were: Elite Pedigree Genetics, Fane Valley, Anupro, O’Hares Fireplaces, Taurus Herd Health, Foyle Meats, Boyds Feeds, Corries Meats, C&M Tumilty, Kincull LTD, Straid Contracts, Hilltown Farmers Market, MCV Competitons, Joseph Walls, Strabane Mills, GT Scanning Services, Dovea Genetics, ABP Linden

The show kicked off at 9.30am with the young handlers competition, the results of the day where as follows:

Class 1a - Young Handlers sponsored by Fane Valley: 1st Maisie Lee; 2nd Jamie Workman; 3rd Jessica Beattie

Class 1B- Young Handlers over 16 Sponsored by Fane Valley: 1st Conal Lynn; 2nd Foncey Gormley; 3rd Fergal Gormley

Class 2 - Heifer Calf below 380kg sponsored by Fane Valley: 1st Ivan Lynn; 2nd Cochrane; 3rd Gillespie; 4th Michelle Wright; 5th G.Corrie; 6th Leonard; 7th McKenna; 8th Lynn; 9th Walker; 10th Fulton

Class 3 Male calf below 380kgs sponsored by Fanevalley: 1st G.Corrie; 2nd I.Lynn; 3rd M.Wright

Calf championship sponsored by Fane Valley

CALF CHAMPION- IVAN LYNN

RESERVE CHAMPION- COCHRANE FAMILY

Class 4: Lightweight Heifer sponsored by Anupro: 1st A.Veitch; 2nd Ward; 3rd Law; 4th Gallagher; 5th Taggart; 6th Boyd; 7th Boyd; 8th Fulton; 9th Fulton

Class 5 Mid-Weight Heifer sponsored by O'Hares Fireplaces:1st JCB Commercials; 2nd Sam Matchett; 3rd R Miller; 4th R.Law; 5th J.Smyth; 6th Hall; 7th JJW Farms

Class 6 Heavyweight Heifer sponsored by Taurus Herd Health: 1st Rodgers; 2nd McCrea; 3rd S.Matchett; 4th Tumility; 5th Tumilty; 6th McCrea

Class 7 Lightweight Steer sponsored by Foyle Meats: 1st F Gormley; 2nd Cochrane Family; 3rd I.Lynn; 4th R.Miller; 5th H&R McCracken

Class 8 Heavyweight Steer sponsored by Boyd Feeds: 1st Mckenna; 2nd McKenna; 3rd R Miller; 4th JJW Farms; 5th Hall; 6th Miller

Judged by Paul Rainey (Above)

Judged by Martin McLaughlin (below)

Class 9 Butchers Animal sponsored by Corries meats: Champion - R.Law

Reserve Champion: J.Smyth; 3rd Hall; 4th Miller; 5th McKenna Family

Class 10 Breeding Heifer sponsored by Martin Tumilty

Champion- Ivan Lynn

Reserve Champion- Jamie Workman; 3rd M.McGrath; 4th Cochrane Family; 5th R.Miller; 6th Beatty

Class 11 Steer or Heifer, Sired by Charolais sponsored by Kincull LTD: Champion- Cochrane Family; Reserve Champion - Cochrane Family

Class 12 Steer or heifer, Sired by Limousin (split in 3 A,B,C)

A Qualifying – a Law 32; b Veitch; c JCB; d J Leonard

B Qualifying – a Ivan Lynn; b Ivan Lynn; c F Gormley

Final Lim-

Champion - JCB Commercials

Reserve Champion - A.Veitch

Class 13 Steer or Heifer, Sired by British Blue sponsored by Hiltown Farmers Mart: Champion Sam Matchett; Reserve champion R.Law

Class 14 Steer or Heifer, Sired by British Blonde sponsored by MCV Competitions: Champion - Rodgers Family; Reserve Champion JJW Farms

Class 15 Steer or Heifer, Sired by Native sponsored by Joseph Walls: Champion- A&A Callaghan; Reserve Champion - J.Leonard

Class 16 Steer or Heifer, Sired by Any Other Breed sponsored by Strabane Mills: Champion- McKenna Family

Class 17 Best Animal Bred by Exhibitor sponsored by G T Scanning Services: Champion - A.Veitch; Reserve Champion- JCB Commercials

Class 18 Pairs Competition sponsored by Dovea Genetics: Champion - Cochrane Family; Reserve Champion - O’Kane Family; 3rd - Ivan Lynn

Class 19 Sponsor - ABP LINDEN FOODS: Heifer Champion - JCB Commercials; Reserve Champion - Alan Veitch

Class 20: Bullock Champion - Fergal Gormley; Reserve Champion - Cochrane Family

Supreme Champion - JCB COMMERCIALS

Reserve Champion - ALAN VEITCH

The NICCEC committee would like to thank everyone who participated and helped out with the show.