The AGM of the Munster Aberdeen-Angus Club took place last week with a very large crowd flocking to the Firgrove Hotel, Mitchelstown, Co Cork for its annual meeting. Three changes to the top table of the club were ratified on the night with Shane Healy of the Branner Aberdeen-Angus Herd from Bengour West, Newcestown, Bandon, Co Cork taking on the top job of chairperson for the coming term. Speaking to the club membership after his appointment, Shane thanked the club for putting their faith in him for the next two years and said that he wished to build on the club’s recent successes and grow and develop the club’s activities over his chairmanship. Shane also paid tribute to outgoing chairperson, Billy Fitzgerald for completing such a tremendously successful term in office and wished all of the Aberdeen-Angus breeders in Munster the very, very best for the year ahead.
As regards the other newly elected club officers, Billy Fitzgerald retained a seat at the top table, moving to the position of treasurer – taking over this job from Albert DeCogan whilst the reigning 2019 YDP Senior Winner, Bryan O’ Halloran was elected as vice-chairperson and will take on chair duties once the current terms have concluded. Lastly, Edward Dudley agreed to take on another term as secretary (his 4th consecutive term) and will also handle all the PR responsibilities of the club for 2020 too. It is probably the youngest collective group of club officers ever to be appointed at Munster (or possibly at any Aberdeen-Angus club) and the active participation of young breeders in the province has surely been a big factor in the revitalisation of the fortunes of the Munster Club over the last few years, with the club now proudly standing as one of the most active, progressive and dynamic clubs in the country.
Looking ahead for the coming year, the Munster Aberdeen-Angus Club is pleased to announce another busy year’s worth of activities for 2020, starting with the annual high health status sale of pedigree Aberdeen-Angus bulls at Bandon Mart, Bandon, Co. Cork in early April. The exact date will be finalised in the coming weeks and the health status requirements are unchanged from last year with all bulls to be vaccinated against IBR, BVD and Lepto. Last year’s sale saw a top price of €3250 and all club members should consider adding the event to their Spring schedules. For entry forms and more details, please contact Cork Marts on 023 8841564 or email info@corkmarts.com
The annual Munster Aberdeen-Angus Calf Championships will also return for 2020 and this year’s qualifying shows will be Midleton, Cork, Dungarvan, Nenagh and Dualla with the finals taking place in Dualla. The points system will revert back to normal (as per 2017 & 2018) with a straight forward 3,2,1 accumulation of points based on the placings an animal achieves over the qualifying shows. The competition is open to all pedigree Aberdeen-Angus calves, registered with the Irish Aberdeen-Angus Association and exhibited by a breeder living in the Munster province with prizes (kindly sponsored by Angus Beef Ireland) across both the male and female sections.
In keeping with summer show news, the 2020 Munster Provincial Trophy will be awarded to the best Aberdeen-Angus exhibited at Dungarvan Show on Sunday, July 12th and members are encouraged to exhibit cattle at this show if possible.
The Munster Youth Development Day will take place at Fermoy Mart, Fermoy, Co Cork on Saturday, July 18th. Breeders should endeavour to supply calves for the training day where possible and all potential candidates should make themselves known to club chairperson, Shane Healy on 085 1142301 over the coming weeks.
The annual Munster Aberdeen-Angus Club tour will take place in July 2020 with planning already in an early stage and we look forward to brining you more details on this later in the year.
Finally, the annual herds competition will return in the same format for 2020 and we are delighted to confirm that this year’s open day will be hosted by Donogh McCarthy & Family of the Lemonfield Aberdeen-Angus Herd, Lemonfield, Crecora, Co Limerick, with a provisional date having been set for the first week of September. The Lemonfield herd won the best new entrant category at the club’s herds competition last year and the event promises to be a wonderful occasion with plenty of top class stock on show. It is also worth noting that participating herds that competed in the new entrants category of the club’s herds competition in 2019 must comply with the 50% Irish Aberdeen-Angus Association registration rule, should they wish to enter again for 2020.
For further information on any of the club’s activities or upcoming events, please contact club secretary Edward Dudley on 0863559210 or email kilsunnyherd@gmail.com
Remember new members to the club are always most welcome and please make sure to check both the Society website and club Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/munsterangus regularly for all the latest news and updates from the Munster Aberdeen-Angus Club.
