Top Ulster Beef Shorthorn herds recognised at prizegiving event

Special guests for the evening were James Porter of the Uppermill herd based at Gill Hall, Dromore and Bryan Wilson of Glenarm Estates.

James judged the pedigree section of the herd competition while Bryan judged the commercial herds.

Both men gave excellent slide presentations using photographs of all the herds they had visited before moving on to the presentation of prizes.

James had a significant amount of travelling to visit the 19 pedigree herds entered spread across five counties and he did an excellent job of sorting the class winners between large and small herds and picking his overall champion.

It proved a memorable evening for the Mullaglass herd of Richard Henning who not only scooped the overall championship but also the awards for stock bull, cow family and bull calf.

Reserve overall went to the Cherryvalley herd owned by Dr Peter Fitzgerald from Crumlin.

The herd was represented by herd manager Stephen Williamson and also the lifted the award for group of heifers.

It was encouraging to see a number of recently established herds featuring in the awards.

Alfie Shaw’s Glebefarm herd won the small herd section and picked up the overall brood cow award.

Windsorhouse shorthorns owned by Andrew and Gregory Hamill picked up the overall heifer calf award while J P McFadden was breeder of the overall stock bull and his Linhill herd was second in the small herd section where he also picked up the bull calf award and was runner up for brood cow, cow family and group of heifers.

The commercial herd section, for those suckler producers using a Beef Shorthorn bull was introduced in 2018 and saw entries more than double on the year.

This was a close contest with the eventual winner being Robert Patton of Islandmagee who also lifted the award for best group of commercial heifers and stock bull.

Runner up was well known commercial cattle producer David Henderson from Lisbellaw, who also picked up the bull calf and heifer calf awards.

Tom Morrow, Killinchy had the best group of steers while club secretary, Barry Fitzsimons capped a memorable evening by taking third overall.

Thanks go to Michael McIlhatton and his staff at the Greenvale Hotel, Cookstown not only for a superb meal but also top class service.

The beef was supplied by Hannon Meats and was (of course) Beef Shorthorn.

The next event on the calendar is the annual calf show on Saturday 7th December at Kilrea Mart.

Classes are available for pedigree and commercial calves born from June 2018 onwards.

Entry forms available from club secretary Barry Fitzsimons on 07801123966.

Results

Champion herd: Mullaglass, R Henning

Reserve champion herd: Cherryvalley, Dr P Fitzgerald

Stock bull: Linhill Kevin, R Henning

Brood cow: Glenisla Waterloo Andrea, A Shaw

Cow family: Mullaglass Margo, R Henning

Bull calf: Priestland Cain 5th, R Henning

Heifer calf: Windsorhouse Jamiroquai, A and G Hammill

Heifer Group: Cherryvalley, Dr P Fitzgerald

Young bull: Craigfaddock Maxmillion, D Alexander

Large herd section

1st Mullaglass, R Henning

2nd Cherryvalley, Dr P Fitzgerald

3rd Finn, S Cosgrove

Brood cow

1st Mullaglass Margo, R Henning

2nd Mullaglass Flossies, R Henning

3rd Fearn Hopscotch Monique, Dr P Fitzgerald

Cow family

1st Margo, R Henning

2nd Jellytot , D Baillie

3rd Monique, Dr P Fitzgerald

Stock bull

1st Linhill Kevin, R Henning

2nd Creaga Malibu, Dr P Fitzgerald

3rd Glasgeivnagh Willow 15th, S Cosgrove

Junior bull

1st Craigfaddock Maxmillion, D Alexander

2nd Cherryvalley Oak, Dr P Fitzgerald

3rd Cherryvalley Ortan, Dr P Fitzgerald

Bull calf

1st Priestland Cain 5th, R Henning

2nd Craigfaddock Northern Light, D Alexander

3rd Cherryvalley Powerliner, Dr P Fitzgerald

Heifer calf

1st Cherryvally Pandora, Dr P Fitzgerald

2nd Cherryvalley Penelope, Dr P Fitzgerald

3rd Cooper Mini, T McGuigan

Group of heifers

1st Cherryvalley, Dr P Fitzgerald

2nd Lowtown, Ambrose McCullough

3rd Mullaglass, R Henning

Small herd section

1st Glebefarm, A Shaw

2nd Linhill, J P McFadden

3rd Croft, R HendersonBrood cow

1st Glenisla Waterloo Andrea, A Shaw

2nd Ballylinney Asphodel 1482, J P McFadden

3rd Priestland Crocus 8th, M McKillop

Cow family

1st Cherry, A Shaw

2nd Asphodel, J P McFadden

3rd Crocus, Mark McKillop

Stock bull

1st Tullyjac Lightning, R Henderson

2nd Lisnamanny Lucky, S Kerr

3rd Laird of Longfield, A Shaw

Bull calf

1st Linhill Noel, J P McFadden

2nd Coreen Mango, Jane Allen

3rd Glebefarm North Star, A Shaw

Heifer calf

1st Windsor Jamiroquai, P and A Hammil

2nd Croft Naomi, R Henderson

3rd Magherone Lovely Nia, C Clarke

Group of heifers

1st Rockwood, D Macrory

2nd Linhill, J P McFadden

3rd Glebefarm, A Shaw

Commercial herds

1st R Patton, Islandmagee

2nd D Henderson, Lisbellaw

3rd W J B Fitzsimons, Ballynahinch

Stock bull: R Patton

Group of heifers: R Patton

Group of steers: T Morrow

Heifer calf: D Henderson

Bull calf: D Henderson

Show team award: Rachel Jordan