By Julie Hazelton
THE Northern Ireland Aberdeen Angus Club has announced the winners of its recent annual herd competition, generously sponsored by WK Powell and Sons based in Keady, County Armagh.
The results were unveiled at the club’s recent open day in County Down, by Scottish judge Ian Watson, junior vice president of the Aberdeen Angus Cattle Society.
Mr Watson who runs the 50-cow Kersquarter Herd at Kelso in Roxburghshire, described the competition as fantastic!
“It has been a terrific week, and I’d like to thank the club for inviting me to judge, and congratulate the entrants for giving me the opportunity to view really good cattle. It has been a pleasure.”
“The six-day judging stint has proven to be more difficult than I anticipated. The quality of cattle has been outstanding, and it has been a tough job from start to finish. Thanks to everyone who took part for their warm welcome and hospitality, and to the stewards who accompanied me on my journey around the countryside.”
Announcing the winners Mr Watson said he was looking for herds of ‘working cattle’, with type, breed character and uniformity. He also praised the enthusiasm of the breed newcomers who had entered this year’s competition.
The results of the 2022 competition include:
Specials
Northern Ireland Aberdeen Angus Club Cup for the best cow family: Jonathan and Lisa Doyle, Drumhill Herd.
Richhill Cup for the best overall calf: Kevin McOscar, Island Farm Herd.
Lisola Cup for the best stock bull: Jonathan and Lisa Doyle.
Dartrey Cup for the best newcomer to the herd competition: Mena McCloskey, Ard Dubh Herd.
Woodvale Cup for the best futurity heifer: Gerard McPeak, Grove Grazer Herd.
Classes
Best small herd: 1, James Mallon, Knockoneill Herd, Swatragh; 2, Freddie Davidson, Ember Herd, Banbridge; 3, George and Alan Gregg, Bridgend Herd, Glarryford.
Best medium herd: 1, Kenneth Bready, Kiltariff Herd, Rathfriland; 2, Gerard McPeake, Grove Grazer Herd, Garvagh; 3, Robert and Keith Sufferin, Tamneymullan Herd, Maghera.
Best large herd: 1, Robin Lamb and Sons, Richhill Herd, Richhill; 2, Victor and Stephen Wallace, Baronagh Herd, Garvagh; 3, Mark Clements, Clementhill Herd, Ballyronan
Best stock bull: 1, Jonathan and Lisa Doyle, Cookstown, Drumhill Lord Hatfield R532; 2, Victor and Stephen Wallace, McCornick Dual R147; 3, Robert and Keith Sufferin, Richhill Matrix W632.
Best cow family: 1, Jonathan and Lisa Doyle, Drumhill Lady Heather; 2, Kevin McOscar, Cookstown, Island Farm Pride; 3, Robin Lamb and Sons, Richhill Poppy.
Best bull calf: 1, Hylda Mills, Scarva, Dartrey Exempt Y077; 2, Robin Lamb and Sons, Richhill Evolver Y376; 3, Victor and Stephen Wallace, Baronagh Paddy the Baddy Y476.
Best heifer calf: 1, Kevin McOscar, Island Farm Toplass Y156; 2, Hylda Mills, Dartrey Deleric Y162; 3, Kenneth Bready, Kiltariff Lady Telsa Y461.
Futurity heifer: 1, Gerard McPeake, Grove Grazer Princess Betty W461; 2, Sean Moore, Armagh, Millbrae Black Beau W865; 3, Freddie Davidson, Ember Karla W693.
Newcomer Award: 1, Mena McCloskey, Ard Dubh Herd, Dungiven; 2, Graeme Donaghy, Lisnavaragh Herd, Scarva; 3, Noel and Daniel Willis, Greenacres Herd, Portadown; 4, Brendan and Connie Kearney, Finkiltagh Herd, Portglenone.
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- Best newcomers in the NI Aberdeen Angus Club’s Herd Competition included: Mena McCloskey, Ard Dubh Herd, Dungiven, first; Graham Donaghy, Lisnavaragh Herd, Scarva, second; Noel and Daniel Willis, Greenacres Herd, Portadown, third. Adding his congratulations is judge Ian Watson, Roxburghshire.
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- Cathy O’Hara collected the Woodvale Trophy for the best futurity heifer on behalf of Gerard McPeake, Grove Grazer Herd, Garvagh. Included are Robert Moore, Millberry Herd, Armagh, second; and Freddie Davidson, Ember Herd, Banbridge, third. Adding his congratulations is Scottish judge Ian Watson.
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- Aberdeen Angus best female calf prize winners, Nigel Fields, centre, who accepted the prize on behalf of Kevin McOscar, Island Farm Herd, Cookstown; Hylda Mills, Scarva, second; and Steven Bready, Rathfriland, third.
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- Judge Ian Watson, right, presents the Richhill Cup for the champion calf in the NI Aberdeen Angus Club’s Herd Competition to Nigel Fields and Andrew Patterson, who accepted it on behalf of Kevin McOscar, Island Farm Herd, Cookstown
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- Hylda Mills, Scarva, won the award for the best bull calf in the NI Aberdeen Angus Club’s Herd Competition. Included are judge Ian Watson, Roxburghshire; Peter Lamb, Richhill, second; and Stephen Wallace, Garvagh, third.
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- Best cow family award winners included, Jonathan Doyle, Cookstown, first; Nigel Fields, representing Kevin McOscar, Cookstown, second; and Peter Lamb, Richhill, third. Adding his congratulations is judge Ian Watson.
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- Jonathan Doyle, Cookstown, received the Lisola Cup for the best stock bull in the NI Aberdeen Angus Club’s Herd Competition, from Scottish judge Ian Watson.
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- Prize winners in the best stock bull category included: Jonathan Doyle, Cookstown, first; Stephen Wallace, Garvagh, second; Robert, Keith and Matthew Sufferin, Maghera, third. Included is Ian Watson , Roxburghshire, who judged the 2022 Herd Competition
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- Scottish judge Ian Watson pictured with the NI Aberdeen Angus Club’s large herd prize winners, Peter Lamb, Richhill Herd, first; Stephen Wallace, Baronagh Herd, Garvagh, second; and Mark Clements, Clementhill Herd, Ballyronan, third
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- NI Aberdeen Angus Club medium herd prize winners, Kenneth and Steven Bready, Kiltariff Herd, Rathfriland, first; and Robert, Keith and Matthew Sufferin, Tamneymullan Herd, Maghera, with Scottish judge Ian Watson. Missing from the picture is Gerard McPeake, Garvagh, whose Grove Grazer Herd was placed second.
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- Judge Ian Watson, Kelso, congratulates Aberdeen Angus small herd prize winners, James Mallon, right, Knockoneill, Swatragh, first; and Freddie Davidson, Ember, Banbridge, second.
