The Northern Ireland Aberdeen-Angus Club’s Summer Championship, held at the 104th Clogher Show, proved to be a day to remember for the Coolermoney Herd owned by Adrian Parke and family from Strabane, County Tyrone.

The six-cow herd founded in 1996 won two firsts, two seconds and one fourth prize rosette, before securing the reserve junior male, reserve senior male, reserve senior female, and senior female awards, as well as the supreme overall championship.

This was the Coolermoney Herd’s second successive Summer Championship title. Last year’s overall winner was the six year old cow Coolermoney Frances T703; while the family’s heifer Coolermoney Ruth X086 claimed the reserve supreme award in 2022.

Topping this year’s show was the five-year-old cow HW Madame Pride V714, shown with her January born Coolermoney Master Piece A403 bull calf at foot.

She joined the herd last autumn, having been purchased at the 3^rd HW production sale, held at William McLaren’s Netherton Farm in Perthshire. This much-admired young cow was sired by HF El Tigre 28U – senior calf champion at the Canadian World Forum in 2011 – and is bred from the SAV Harvestor 0338 daughter, HW Madame Pride S632.

Judge Dallas Allen from the noted 30-cow Stouphill Herd in Northumberland, described the day’s show stopper as an easy winner. “The supreme champion is a well-fleshed medium-sized cow with a beautiful feminine head. She has very good locomotion, a tremendous udder with good teat placement and is doing an excellent job rearing her calf.”

Mr Allen added: ”It has been a brilliant show with an excellent turnout of entries. I’ve really enjoyed judging. Massive credit to the exhibitors on turning their stock out so well, especially after the challenging spring we’ve had across the UK.”

Catching Dallas Allen’s eye to win the reserve supreme championship was the senior male champion Island Farm Monrose Z392 from Kevin McOscar’s 30-cow herd at Cookstown. This sixteen-month-old bull was sired by the herd’s former stock bull Stouphill Marcus Prince U251 and is bred from a home-bred dam by Rawburn Bannockburn T628.

“The young bull in reserve is one of the better bulls I’ve seen in recent times. He is nicely fleshed, has good locomotion and shows great potential for the future.”

Island Farm Monrose Z392 will come under the hammer at the herd’s on-farm dispersal sale, scheduled to take place on Friday 30^th August.

The reserve senior female championship went to James McCullough’s Rodmead Pribaby Y085. Born in February 2022 she is by Rodmead Lord Halcyon W051. This junior cow was accompanied by her April-born heifer calf, Ballydavey Prii A086 – winner of the baby heifer calf class.

Adrian and Graeme Parke won the reserve senior male championship with the second placed Coolermoney Lord Hublo Z344. Born in April 2022 he is by Netherallen Peter Pershore E052 and was the winner of the Ulster Championship Trophy at Omagh Show.

The Dodd family, William, Jane, Lewis and Jamie from Saintfield, won the junior male championship with Glenbrae Red Mario Z177. A Mosshall Red Forrest V018 son, his dam is the home-bred Glenbrae Red Mouse U173.

“Another lovely young bull, full of promise for the future. He is well put together, nicely fleshed and has great locomotion,” commented the judge.

Runner-up in the junior male line-up was Adrian and Graeme Parke’s seven-month-old calf Coolermoney Rochester A414. He is by Rawburn Ernan W110 and bred from the 2022 reserve champion Coolermoney Ruth X086.

James Porter, Dromore, scooped the junior female championship with Old Glenort Ermiss Z004. Born in February 2023, she is by the herd’s 7,000gns stock bull Blelack Dakota U898. “This is a very sweet, well-balanced heifer with a feminine head and good legs and feet. She has all at the hallmarks of a good cow-maker,” added Dallas Allen.

The reserve junior female title went to Rodmead Evening Tinge Z169 from James McCullough’s herd at Holywood. Born in April 2023 she was sired by Blelack Dual Mine U913 and is out of Rodmead Eastern Tulip. “Another nicely balanced heifer, she shows great promise for the future,” concluded Mr Allen.

Results from the showring…

Bull, born before 01/01/23 – 1, James Porter, Old Glenort Victorious Y514 by Carlhurlie Gentilex S124; 2, Alan Morrison, Liss Masterstroke W013 by Mogeely Dreamer T534.

Bull, born between 01/01/23 and 30/06/23 – 1, Kevin McOscar, Island Farm Monrose Z392 by Stouphill Marcus Prince U251; 2, Adrian and Graeme Parke, Coolermoney Lord Hublo Z344 by Netherallen Peter Pershore E052; 3, Graeme Donaghy, Lisnavaragh Black Bond Z071 by Mosshall Red Junior Eric U911; 4, Andrew Fletcher, Rathmoss Priam Z012 by Blelack Lord Blackthorn S825 ; 5, Noel and Daniel Willis, Greenacres Red Eldorado Z194 by Mosshall Red Alfie X124.

Bull, born between 01/07/23 and 31/12/23 – 1, William Dodd, Glenbrae Red Mario Z177 by Mosshall Red Forrest V018; 2, Adrian and Graeme Parke, Coolermoney Eric Z381 by Rawburn Ernan W110.

Bull calf, born on or after 01/01/24 – 1, Adrian and Graeme Parke, Coolermoney Rochester A414 by Rawburn Ernan W110; 2, James Porter, Old Glenort Euro A656 by Old Glenort Victorious Y514; 3, James Porter, Old Glenort Kensington A785 by Orbelston Jury Eric X245; 4, Adrian and Graeme Parke, Coolermoney Master Piece A403 by HW Mr Equilibrium W202; 5, Brian Anderson, Drumgar Lodge Comet A413 by Nightingale Dunbar K551.

Cow in-calf or in-milk, born before 01/01/22 – 1, Adrian and Graeme Parke, HW Madame Pride V714 by HW El Tigre 28U; 2, James Porter, Old Glenort Kim W501 by Carlhurlie Epic P021; 3, Ivan Forsythe, Coltrim Princess S443 by Kiltariff Lord Tornedo M443; 4, William Dodd, Glenbrae Red Mouse X234 by Mosshall Red Forrest V018.

Junior cow, born on or after 01/01/22, with natural calf at foot – 1, James McCullough, Rodmead Pribaby Y085 by Rodmead Lord Halcyon U051.

Heifer, born between 01/01/23 and 30/06/23 – 1, James Porter, Old Glenort Ermiss Z004 by Blelack Dakota U898; 2, James McCullough, Rodmead Evening Tinge Z169 by Blelack Dual Mine U913; 3, Alan Morrison, Drummeer Bell Z316 by Hillmount Maximus W706; 4, Kevin McOscar, Island Farm Evora Mist by Z554 by Blelack Black Magic Z124; 5, Noel and Daniel Willis, Greenacres Missie Z205 by Mosshall Red Alfie X286.

Heifer, born between 01/07/23 and 31/12/23 – 1, William Dodd, Glenbrae Red Mouse Z166 by Mosshall Red Forrest V018; 2, Alan Morrison, Drummeer Mayflower Z327 by Drummeer Blackburn T457.

Heifer, born on or after 01/01/24 – 1, James McCullough, Ballydavey Prll A086 by Rulesmam Pegasus X849; 2, Lewis Dodd, Glenbrae Red Mouse A435 by Glenbrae Red Mr Kayo Y536; 3, Rachel Elliott, Minran Pamela A004 by Blelack Duke J262; 4, Steven Weatherup, Cairnboy Lady Iona by Drumcrow Popeye V773.

Best animal bred by exhibitor – 1, James Porter, Old Glenort Kim W501 by Carlhurlie Epic P021; 2, William Dodd, Glenbrae Red Mouse Z166 by Mosshall Red Forrest V018; 3, James Porter, Old Glenort Victorious Y514 by Carlhurlie Gentilex S124.

Best pair of animals – 1, James Porter, Old Glenort Kim W510 and Old Glenort Victorious Y514; 2, Alan Morrison, Drummeer Bell Z316 and Drummeer Mayflower Z327.