Newry qualifiers for Clogher final

The qualifying rounds for the 2018 Thompsons/Northern Ireland Shows Association Dairy Cow Championship continued last weekend at the 150th annual Newry Show.
By The Newsroom
Published 10th Jul 2018, 08:40 BST
Updated 17th Jul 2018, 18:44 BST
Bannwater Sheba owned by the Magowan Family, Rathfriland was a qualifier at Newry Show for the Thompsons/ NISA Dairy Cow Championship 2018. Cameron Magowan is pictured at the halter while looking on are from left: Girvan King, Thompsons; Stewart Baxter, Judge and Jemma McHugh, Thompsons. Photograph: Columba O'Hare/ Newry.ieBannwater Sheba owned by the Magowan Family, Rathfriland was a qualifier at Newry Show for the Thompsons/ NISA Dairy Cow Championship 2018. Cameron Magowan is pictured at the halter while looking on are from left: Girvan King, Thompsons; Stewart Baxter, Judge and Jemma McHugh, Thompsons. Photograph: Columba O'Hare/ Newry.ie
Bannwater Sheba owned by the Magowan Family, Rathfriland was a qualifier at Newry Show for the Thompsons/ NISA Dairy Cow Championship 2018. Cameron Magowan is pictured at the halter while looking on are from left: Girvan King, Thompsons; Stewart Baxter, Judge and Jemma McHugh, Thompsons. Photograph: Columba O'Hare/ Newry.ie

Perfect weather conditions attracted a large crowd of spectators and an excellent entry of livestock to the showgrounds at Newry Rugby Club.

Judging the dairy classes and selecting the Newry qualifiers was Stewart Baxter, who runs a 200 cow dairy herd at Shane’s Castle, near Antrim, alongside his successful Erne herd of pedigree Ayrshires.

Stewart’s first Newry qualifier was the Holstein Champion and Interbreed Dairy Champion, Bannwater Goldilocks Sheba 72 EX91, from the Bannwater herd of Andrew Magowan, Rathfriland. Sheba’s championship at Newry marks the pinnacle of her show success after finishing second in the Heifer Class in the 2015 Holstein Herd Competition, and fifth in a strong line-up of second calvers at the 2016 RUAS Winter Fair. In her previous lactation, her 305-day production topped 10,800 kg at 4.78% butterfat and 3.13% protein. Calved since December, she is on course to exceed this figure as a third calver.

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Bannwater Goldilocks Sheba owned by the Magowan Family, Rathfriland was a qualifier at Newry Show for the Thompsons/ NISA Dairy Cow Championship 2018. Andrew Magowan is pictured at the halter while looking on are from left: Girvan King, Thompsons; Stewart Baxter, Judge and Jemma McHugh, Thompsons. Photograph: Columba O'Hare/ Newry.ieBannwater Goldilocks Sheba owned by the Magowan Family, Rathfriland was a qualifier at Newry Show for the Thompsons/ NISA Dairy Cow Championship 2018. Andrew Magowan is pictured at the halter while looking on are from left: Girvan King, Thompsons; Stewart Baxter, Judge and Jemma McHugh, Thompsons. Photograph: Columba O'Hare/ Newry.ie
Bannwater Goldilocks Sheba owned by the Magowan Family, Rathfriland was a qualifier at Newry Show for the Thompsons/ NISA Dairy Cow Championship 2018. Andrew Magowan is pictured at the halter while looking on are from left: Girvan King, Thompsons; Stewart Baxter, Judge and Jemma McHugh, Thompsons. Photograph: Columba O'Hare/ Newry.ie

The second Newry qualifier was the Holstein Reserve Champion and Interbreed Reserve, Bannwater Sheba 84, also from Andrew Magowan’s Bannwater Herd. Calved since March, this stylish heifer is predicted to yield over 10,000 kg in her first lactation.

Thompsons would like to congratulate both qualifying cows and wish them every success at the Championship Final at Clogher Valley Show on Wednesday 25th July.

Related topics:Newry