Calves ‘on loan’ for NI Holstein contingent

Handlers from Northern Ireland, who qualified for the All Britain Calf Show being held in England this weekend, will take to the ring with calves loaned to them by HYB members from mainland GB.
By The Newsroom
Published 13th Oct 2021, 13:30 BST
Updated 13th Oct 2021, 13:45 BST
The five members who have qualified for the All Britain event taking place at Peterborough at the weekend.The five members who have qualified for the All Britain event taking place at Peterborough at the weekend.
The five members who have qualified for the All Britain event taking place at Peterborough at the weekend.

Ava Montgomery, Saintfield, John Hamilton, Bangor, Harry Orr, Ballymena, Lauren Henry, Stranocum and Jessica Hall, Nutts Corner, qualified for the event at the NI Multi Breed Calf Show in August.

However, due to the regulations and restrictions imposed by Brexit, the Northern Ireland contingent are, unfortunately, unable to take their own calves to the show this year.

The annual All Breeds All Britain Calf Show gets underway this weekend (15-17 October) at the East of England Showground, Peterborough.

The top calves and handlers from all across the UK will battle it out for the National title over the course of the weekend.

Calves and handlers qualify for this event at their regionally organised calf shows, with at least one calf and one handler qualifying per class.

Over the last number of years, Northern Ireland Holstein Young Breeders have successfully taken over a team of calves and handlers to the event.

The team is made up by those who placed first in their classes at the qualifying Multi Breed Calf Show, which takes place at Dungannon Farmers Mart each year.

Northern Ireland HYB co-ordinator, Andrew Patton, admitted it is a “shame” that local competitors are unable to take their own team of calves across the water to represent the club and country.

“The calf show, which we held at Dungannon this year, was one of the most successful ever and we would have had a great chance of featuring highly with the calves on the national stage,” the Newtownards man commented.

“But we are, however, in a position that we can take over our team of five qualifying handlers.”

Lauren Henry from Stranocum was crowned ‘Champion Handler’ at the NI Multi Breed Calf Show and is very much looking forward to this weekend’s event in Peterborough.

“It would be disappointing not getting over to see friends from throughout the UK that I haven’t seen for, what feels like, such a long time,” she revealed.

“It will also be amazing to get competitive in the ring again.”

Competitors will be pleased to get back into the show ring at the event, following the cancellation of it last year due to the pandemic.

Northern Ireland HYB would like to wish the five young members the “best of luck” for the showmanship classes, which kick-off at 10am on Saturday.

You can keep up to date with the results as they happen via the Northern Ireland HYB social media pages.

Related topics:Northern IrelandEnglandBrexitBallymenaSaintfield