Record crowds, huge attractions at popular event
Now established as one of the country’s biggest two-day shows, the event was favoured with fine weather.
The broad-based programme of family-orientated events catered for those not watching the showing rings.
The 27th annual show, with Kerry Agribusiness as the main sponsor, was seen as a reputable platform for top breeders to showcase their cattle, sheep and horses.
Organised at a cost of more than €125,000 by a committee headed by Gerard Cott, chairman, the show featured a wedding and home and garden promotion among 45 acres of attractions.
Limerick and Clare exhibitors took the main awards in the horse classes, while in the cattle rings there was particular joy for Limerick and Cork breeders.
John Dennison, from Cumbria, who judged the dairy classes, selected a four-year-old, Peamount Duc Dainty, as winner of the top prize in the €2,500 Maverick All Ireland pedigree junior Friesian cow class, the premier event in the dairy sector.
Martin O’Sullivan, of the Desmond Holstein herd at Gortboy, Newcastlewest, Co Limerick, the successful exhibitor, was delighted. His second calver also won the Friesian championship, to add to the reserve champion’s rosette she had won at the spring show in Cavan, and the championships she recently captured at the Tralee and Clonakilty shows.
“I couldn’t be happier,” said Martin, who revealed that his champion cow milked more than 11,000kg in her first lactation, and she will probably compete at Tullamore Show’s National Livestock Show in August, and the Baileys All-Ireland cow championship at Virginia Show, before going to the National Dairy Show in Millstreet later in the year, where she could be a contender for the Irish Examiner Farming Supreme Championship, which her owner won last October with Desmond Leduc Cairnbrae.
Mr Dennison, who has judged at shows all over Britain, described the junior cow champion as “brilliant”.
“These type cows are very rare. There was quality right through the winner and she had a super udder. She looked like heaps of milk,” he said.
Mr Dennison said that overall the dairy animals at Charleville could stand at any show he had ever attended.
“It is a lovely show. There are some great dairy cows here. It is beautiful when most of the cows that come into the rink look like milk. I am absolutely enjoying my visit. You are always amazed at shows these days. Most people have good cows and it is a challenge to try and get it right,” he said.
In the beef classes, Peter and Marion O’Connell, Knoppogue, Mallow continued a very successful showing season with their Simmentals taking the supreme female beef championship with nine-months-old Raceview Stella Matilda, which they bred themselves. They also took the Simmental breed honours.
Charolais breeders Jim and Ivan Ryall, Knockane, Castlemartyr, took the supreme male beef championship with their seven months old exhibitor bred Knockane Alpine. They also showed the reserve female beef champion, Knockane Brave, a five-month-old, which they also bred, as well as winning the Charolais breed championship and reserve.
The quality line up for the young horse championship also tested the judges in that sector. Alan Tavey, Castleblaney, Co Monaghan, eventually selected Dromelihy Imp, a three-year-old bay gelding by Master Imp out of a Cloverhill dam.
Seamus Lehane, Ballymacowen, Clonakilty, took the reserve championship with The Galway Guy, a two-year-old black gelding by Loughehoe Guy out of Ballycolin. There was a double triumph for Ann O’Grady, Ballingowan, Newcastlewest, Co Limerick, who won both the hunter championship and the reserve.
The champion hunter was Ballingowan Pizazz, a four-year-old gelding by the sire Quality, and the reserve was Stringer, a four-year-old gelding by Malmsey.
One minute’s silence was observed in memory of the late Joe Clarke, the celebrated judge from Castletroy, Limerick, who died last week, aged 91.
He managed herds for people like Major Maxwell in Waterford, Lord Brockett, Amby McInerney and the Cooper Hill Farm for Irish Cement, and captured many prizes for them at shows over the years.
Kevin Dillon, Irish Holstein Friesian Association, described Joe Clarke, who judged both beef and dairy cattle, as one of the great characters of Irish cattle showing and judging.
The championship winners at Charleville Show 2006 (reserves in brackets)
HORSES
Hunter — Ann O’Grady, Ballingowan, Newcastlewest (Ann O’Grady).
Young Horse — Patrick and Linda Downes, Cree, Kilrush, Co Clare (Seamus Lehane, Clonakilty).
Mare — Jerome O’Sullivan, Ballyviniter Upper, Mallow (Patrick Hoey, Lahinch, Co Clare).
Supreme Champion Pony— Tim Hurley and David Lynch, Tralee (Shane McNamara, Newmarket on Fergus, Co Clare)
Show Champion Pony - Bethany Mackey, Clogheen, Co Cork (Sasha Smith, Drombeg Stud, Athlacca, Co Limerick)
Mini Championship - Shane McNamara, Newmarket on Fergus, Co Clare (Deirdre O’Sullivan, Old Pallas, Co Limerick).
Show Hunter Champion — Mrs Phillipa Mansergh-Wallace, Tipperary (Bethany Mackey).
Working Hunting Champion — Patrick and Antoinnette Geoghegan, Rathdrum, Co Wicklow (Gillian O’Neill, Kilbreedy, Kildimo, Co Limerick).
Young Stock Champion of Champions — Tom O’Connor, Lixnaw, Co Kerry (Rosemary Chambers)
Breeding and Young Stock Champion — Tim Hurley and David Lynch (Orla Whelton, Clonakilty.
Maverick All Ireland Junior Pedigree Friesian Cow — Desmond Holsteins, c/o Martin O’Sullivan, Newcastlewest, Co Limerick (Patrick and Derrick Frawley, Croagh, Co Limerick)
Friesian champion — Desmond Holsteins (Patrick and Derrick Frawley).
Junior Friesian — Patrick Coffey, Lisnacunna, Enniskeane (Donal and Tadhg Bourke, Kilfinny, Adare, Co Limerick)
Jersey- Tim O’Connell, Castleishon, Dromcollogher, Co Limerick. (Tim O’Connell)
Hereford- Albert de Cogan Castlemartyr, Co Cork (Trevor Dudley, Thurles, Co Tipperary)
Aberdeen Angus — Albert de Cogan (Matthew Goulding, Kilmore, Ballyduff, Co Kerry).
Simmental — Peter and Marion O’Connell, Mallow.
Limousin — Brendan Clancy, Mullagah, Co Clare, (Noel Fennessy, Castleconnell).
Charolais — J and I Ryall, Knockane, Castlemartyr (J and I Ryall).
Supreme Female Beef Champion — Peter and Marion O’Connell (J and I Ryall).
Supreme Male Beef Champion — J and I Ryall (Albert de Cogan)
Suffolk — Susan O’Keeffe, Annakisha, Mallow (Arthur O’Keeffe, Annakisha, Mallow)
Texel — Patrick O’Keeffe, Mallow (Pat Landers).
Hampshire Down — Aylmer Power, Askeaton, Co Limerick (Aylmer Power)
Vendeen — Conor and Cheryl O’Brien, Springvale, Kildorrery (Ena Nagle, Ballyclough, Mitchelstown.
Jacob — D.S. and S. Brown, Belturbet, Co Cavan (Karl Gill, Cloneygown, Co Offaly).
Charollais — Albert Ferguson, White’s Cross (Edward and Sheena McCarthy, Buttevant).
