Local Herefords go global

Again sponsored by United Feeds, the event is being conducted remotely with online technology used to assemble photographs of the entries for consideration by a panel of expert judges.

The judges list is a virtual “who’s who” of the world cattle industry – PJ Budler, a South African now based in Texas has probably judged more different cattle breeds, in more countries than anyone in the world.

Stuart Robbie runs one of New Zealand’s top farming operations and is one of the world’s most successful breeders of Hereford Cattle, while John Appelbe from Clonakilty in County Cork is one of Ireland’ top breeders of Hereford and Angus cattle. Alan Morrison who breeds Angus and Charolais cattle in County Fermanagh and Helen Morgan from Mid Wales make up the highly experienced team who will adjudicate on the entries.

With a good entry from the province’s top herds already received judges are now making their final selections and it is expected that results will be finalised in the next few days.

“Use of the internet has allowed us to go global with the competition,” says Mark Moore, local Hereford Association secretary. “We hope to publish the results next weekend and it will be very interesting to see how our cattle are viewed on the world stage.”

Hereford Calf Show judges

P J Budler - PJ was raised on a large scale cattle operation in South Africa. At age 15 he founded BonHaven Beef Cattle. Between 1996 and 2012 he grew BonHaven to 1,500 registered females in locations in three Southern African countries. The Hereford, Angus, Red Angus, Braford and Brahman achieved much success winning numerous National Shows and setting auction records on the continent.

In 2012 PJ relocated to Texas, USA where he is the International Business Manager for Trans Ova Genetics. He has judged 55 different cattle breeds in 32 countries and in 2017 he became the first person to judge National cattle Shows on all six continents.

John Appelbe - John is the owner of the Appel herd based in Co Cork, Ireland. Involved in Herefords all his life he is a third generation breeder running 30 pedigree Hereford cows in an approximately 100 cow herd. Herd highlights include stock bulls winning the Irish National Championships and both being named RDS Champion of Champions. He bred the Male Champion at last year’s Irish Hereford calf show and also bred the dam of the Female Champion at the same event.

Stuart Robbie - Stuart runs the 3,500 hectare Otapawa Station in New Zealand’s North Island. The farm is situated on the foothills of the Putekoi range and runs 900 breeding cows, including 250 registered Herefords, and 12,000 breeding ewes and replacements. Otapawa genetics have been used throughout the world producing champions and high selling animals in Europe and North America as well as Australia and New Zealand. Stuart has judged at many shows in New Zealand including the prestigious Beef Expo and earlier this year he was chosen to judge the feature show at the World Hereford Conference hosted by the New Zealand Hereford Society.

Helen Morgan - Helen along with partner Steven O’Kane are owners of Keadyview Herefords based in Newtown in Mid Wales. Helen is a third generation farmer, her grandparents and parents ran black whitehead sucker cows and moved to British Blues and sheep in more recent times. Both Helen and Steven are involved in preparation and showing of cattle at most major shows in the United Kingdom. Helen has previously worked as Agri manager with Dunbia in Wales and now works on a freelance basis.

Alan Morrison - Alan farms outside Maguiresbridge in the heartland of County Fermanagh where he runs a herd of pedigree Charolais and Aberdeen Angus cattle. The herds have enjoyed success at both local and national level. Alan is Chairman of the Northern Ireland Aberdeen Angus Club and serves as Breed Promotion Chairman on the Aberdeen Angus Cattle Society council as well as serving on the Irish Aberdeen Angus Association council.  Alan enjoys judging and has officiated at shows and sales throughout Ireland as well as the Aberdeen Angus Winter National Show in Carlisle and the Stirling Bull sales.