By Julie Hazelton
A wonderful show with quality entries in every class was how judge Mike Alford described the Northern Ireland Aberdeen-Angus Club’s Summer Championship, held at the 105th Clogher Valley Show.
“It has been a pleasure to judge and I would like to congratulate all of the exhibitors on an impressive show. The classes were strong and there was an excellent turnout, especially for a one-day show,” said Mr Alford, who runs the 10-cow Foxhill Aberdeen-Angus Herd, alongside 10 pedigree Limousin cows, at Cullompton in Devon.
The annual summer show was sponsored by ABP and the Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society.
James Porter from the Gill Hall Estate in Dromore, County Down, had a memorable day, winning the senior male, senior female, reserve junior female, exhibitor-bred and supreme overall championship awards.
Toast of the showring was the 60-cow herd’s home-bred stock bull Old Glenort Victorious Y514. Born in February 2022, he was sired by Carlhurlie Gentilex S124 and bred from Old Glenort Victoria N511. His great grandam Shade Pond Victoria V1 was one of the herd’s foundation cows, and was Balmoral champion at the old King’s Hall showgrounds in 2000.
Old Glenort Victorious Y514 was breed champion at Balmoral Show in May. He has produced three crops of calves within the Old Glenort Herd.
Mike Alford commented: “The supreme champion is a very correct senior bull with fantastic ring presence and breed character. He boasts good conformation and has a leg in every corner. “
Making her showring debut and claiming the junior female and reserve supreme championship ribbons was the four-month-old heifer calf, Home Farm Lady Heatingup B185, bred by Fintan Keown from Belleek in County Fermanagh.
She is a daughter of the home-bred Haymount War Smith R578 son, Home Farm Erne Y802 – junior, male and reserve overall champion at Balmoral Show in 2023, and supreme champion at the NI Club’s February sale at Dungannon in 2024. Her dam, Home Farm Lady Highlight V404 is one of 10 pedigree and 25 commercial cows in the herd.
“The reserve overall champion is a flashy young heifer calf with a great future ahead of her,” commented the judge. “She is stylish, has length, a level top, good bone and a fantastic head.”
Moses Irwin Jnr from Fintona, County Tyrone, won the reserve senior male championship with Denamona Prince Charlie A567; and the reserve senior female championship with Denamona Penny W191.
The fourteen-month-old Denamona Prince Charlie A576 was sired by the 65-cow herd’s 7,500gns stock bull, Drumhill Prime Cut X155. His dam Denamona Princess Caroline V712 is a granddaughter of Blelack Princess Caroline F662.
The four-year-old cow Denamona Penny W191 is a Carlhurlie Gentilex daughter. She was shown with her December-born heifer calf, Denamona Penny A873, at foot.
Winning the senior female plaudits was James Porter’s Old Glenort Kim W501. This four-year-old cow is a Carlhurlie Epic P021 daughter. She was shown with her April-born bull calf Old Glenort King Charles B603.
The reserve junior female champion was James Porter’s Old Glenort Black Lass A671, a seventeen-month-old heifer sired by the 7,000gns Blelack Dakota U898 – Stirling champion in October 2019.
John and Sandra Blackburn from Clogher had a clean sweep in the junior male championship line-up. Scooping the junior male award was the eight-month-old Killaney Red Ernie A197; while the reserve award went to the four-month-old Killaney Prince B341.
Both bull calves were sired by the herd’s Scottish-bred stock bull, Windy Gowl Red Laddie W292. Killaney Red Ernie A197 was bred from Karimba Red Ermine X336 – purchased privately from Dr Carol Field, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire.
The Blackburn family run a herd of 60 pedigree and commercial cows. The Killaney prefix is celebrating its 75th Anniversary with a female sale at Clogher Mart on Friday, 12th September at 7.00pm. The sale will include black and red Aberdeen-Angus females, with guest consignments from the Clogher Valley and Lana herds.
Included in the catalogue will be Clogher Show’s reserve junior male champion, Killaney Prince B341. He will be sold with his dam, the Lawsons Ford Vanersara F186 daughter, Killaney Pride P005.
Results from the showring…
Specials
Supreme overall champion: James Porter, Old Glenort Victorious Y514. Reserve: Fintan Keown, Home Farm Lady Heatingup B185.
Senior female champion: James Porter, Old Glenort Kim W501. Reserve: Moses Irwin Jnr, Denamona Penny W191.
Senior male champion: James Porter, Old Glenort Victorious Y514. Reserve: Moses Irwin Jnr, Denamona Prince Charlie A567.
Junior female champion: Fintan Keown, Home Farm Lady Heatingup B185. Reserve: James Porter, Old Glenort Black Lass A671.
Junior male champion: John and Sandra Blackburn, Killaney Red Ernie A197. Reserve: John and Sandra Blackburn, Killaney Prince B341.
Classes
Bull, born before 01/01/24 – 1, James Porter, Old Glenort Victorious Y514 by Carlhurlie Gentilex S124; 2, Andrew Fletcher, Rathmoss Priam Z012 by Blelack Lord Blackthorn S825.
Bull, born between 01/01/24 and 30/06/24 – 1, Moses Irwin Jnr, Denamona Prince Charlie A567 by Drumhill Prime Cut X155; 2, James Porter, Old Glenort Euro A656 by Old Glenort Victorious; 3, Robin Irvine, Old Glenort Eagle A645 by Old Glenort Victorious Y514; 4, Moses Irwin Jnr, Denamona Black Benson A674 by Shadwell Bravado X283; 5, Alan, Emma and Hannah Topley, Hazelbank Vince A537 by Stouphill Bomber T182.
Bull, born between 01/07/24 and 31/12/24 – 1, John and Sandra Blackburn, Killaney Red Ernie A197 by Windy Gowl Red Laddie W292.
Bull calf, born on or after 01/01/25 -1, John and Sandra Blackburn, Killaney Prince B321 by Windy Gowl Red Laddie W292; 2, John and Sandra Blackburn, Killaney Lord Edward B293 by Windy Gowl Laddie W292 ; 3, Adrian and Graeme Parke, Coolermoney Fletcher B495 by Rawburn E Type W176.
Cow, in-calf or in-milk, born before 01/01/23 – 1, James Porter, Old Glenort Kim W501 by Carlhurlie Epic P021; 2, Moses Irwin Jnr, Denamona Penny W191 by Carlhurlie Glentilex S124.
Heifer (not calved), born between 01/01/23 and 31/12/23 – 1, William Dodd, Glenbrae Red Mouse Z166 by Mosshall Red Forrest V018.
Heifer, born between 01/01/24 and 30/06/24 – 1, James Porter, Old Glenort Black Lass A671 by Blelack Dakota U898; 2, Graeme Donaghy, Dartrey Red Glamorise A335 by Mosshall Red Junior Eric U911; 3, William Dodd, Glenbrae Red Mouse A365 by Mosshall Red Forrest V018.
Heifer, born between 01/07/24 and 31/12/24 – 1, Graeme Donaghy, Lisnavarragh Black Boann A207 by Shadwell Earl P773; 2, Moses Irwin Jnr, Denamona Penny A873 by Shadwell Bravado X283.
Heifer, born on or after 01/01/25 – 1, Fintan Keown, Home Farm Lady Heatingup B185 by Home Farm Erne Y802; 2, Adrian and Graeme Parke, Coolermoney Ruth B506 by Rawburn Ernan W110; 3, John and Sandra Blackburn, Killaney Red Cherry Bee B256 by Windy Gowl Red Laddie W292; 4, John and Sandra Blackburn, Killaney Red Jayne Erica B477 by Windy Gowl Red Laddie W292.
Best Aberdeen Angus animal, bred by exhibitor – 1, James Porter, Old Glenort Victorious Y514 by Carlhurlie Gentilex S124; 2, Fintan Keown, Home Farm Lady Heatingup B185 by Home Farm Erne Y802; 3, James Porter, Old Glenort Kim W501 by Carlhurlie Epix P021; 4. Moses Irwin Jnr, Denamona Prince Charlie A567 by Drumhill Prime Cut Z155; 5, Moses Irwin Jnr, Denamona Penny W191 by Carlhurlie Gentilex S124.
Pair, property of exhibitor – 1, James Porter, Old Glenort Victorious Y514 and Old Glenort Kim W501; 2, William Dodd, Glenbrae Red Mouse Z166 and Glenbrae Red Mouse A365; 3, Moses Irwin Jnr, Denamona Prince Charlie A567 and Denamona Black Benson A647; 4, Andrew Fletcher, Rathmoss Mars A045 and Rathmoss Pages A056.
Senior male and supreme overall champion was James Porter’s Old Glenort Victorious Y514.
Fintan Keown’s heifer Home Farm Lady Heatingup B185 was the junior female champion and reserve supreme champion.
Reserve senior male champion was Denamona Prince Charlie A567 bred by Moses Irwin Jnr.
Senior female champion was Old Glenort Kim W501 bred by James Porter. Her April-born bull calf, Old Glenort King Charles B603 was exhibited by Niall Edwards.
Junior male champion was Killaney Red Ernie A197 bred by John and Sandra Blackburn.
James Porter’s Old Glenort Black Lass A671 won the reserve junior female championship.
Jamie Dodd exhibited the first prize heifer Glenbrae Red Mouse Z166.
John and Sandra Blackburn’s Killaney Prince B341 was the reserve junior male champion.
Graeme Donaghy’s Lisnavaragh Black Boann A207 was the winner of the junior heifer class.
Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society president Alan Morrison was the commentator at the NI Club’s Summer Championship, held at the 105th Clogher Show.
Clogher Show Aberdeen-Angus judge, Mike Alford from the Foxhill Herd in Devon.
Brothers Jamie and Lewis Dodd, Saintfield, with the second placed pair of Aberdeen-Angus cattle at Clogher Show.
James Porter exhibited the best pair of Aberdeen-Angus cattle at the NI Summer Championship, held at Clogher Show.
Supreme overall champion was James Porter’s home-bred senior stock bull Old Glenort Victorious. Winning the reserve championship was Fintan Keown’s heifer calf Home Farm Lady Heatingup. They were congratulated by sponsors Lisa Burrows and Laura McDonnell, ABP; judge Mike Alford from Devon; and Alan Morrison, president, Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society.
