Best cows will vie for supreme championship
This year’s Irish Examiner supreme championship will be hard won, because entries for the show include:
* the AIB National Livestock Show champion at Tullamore, Croagh Maureen 7, owned by Patrick and Derek Frawley, Rathkeale, Co Limerick.
* the same exhibitors’ Croagh G Susie Mist 2, reserve champion at Tullamore.
* the All-Ireland Holstein heifer in milk champion at Tullamore, Tubbertoby Mr Sam, owned by Paul Flanagan, Clogherhead, Co Louth.
* Bailey’s Cow champion Smearlaview Forbidden Vixan, owned by Tim and John Kirby, Duagh, Co Kerry.
* Bailey’s dry cow and protein champion, Lumville Danoise, owned by R Whelan and E Kelly, from Clonard, Co Meath.
* Bailey’s reserve champ, Kilwarden Gibson Vixan, owned by 2009 NDC quality milk producer, Brochan Cocoman, Kilwarden, Co Kildare.
* Bailey’s honourable mentioned Monamore Lee Lula, owned by Thomas J Kelly, Drogheda, Co Louth.
* Bailey’s best heifer in milk, Dalevalley OTI Ebony, owned by Jerome Smith, Kilnaleck, Co Cavan.
* Almondene Biddy National, this year’s spring fair champion, owned by Cyril Dowling, Baldonnel, Co Dublin.
* the Dubliner Cheese all-Ireland pedigree Friesian heifer in milk at Clonakilty Show, Laurelmore Talent Perfection, owned by John Barrett & Sons, Cork.
The show starts at 9.30am with the handling classes. The leading contenders for junior championship honours include Hallow September Storm Indinanink, this year’s Irish Holstein Friesian Association Young Members’ Association champion, shown by Mervyn Jones, of Gorey, Co Wexford — who showed last year’s Irish Examiner supreme champion of the National Dairy Show, Croagh Fran 26.
Others to keep an eye on are Baldonnel Goldwyn Sharon, the reserve YMA champion, owned by Cyril Dowling and Mervyn Eager, and Rowantree Elegant Molde, the honourable mention YMA winner, owned by Damian Wynne.
In the Jersey championship, the leading contenders are the Hillcap herd of Tim O’Connell, the Thurlough herd of M and J Collins, the Moorshill herd of Pat Ahern, the Lehenaghmore herd of the Barrett family, and the Glencairn herd of Cal Hennessy. This year’s show sees the re-introduction of two confined classes, for cows and heifers who have not won first and second prizes at any national show in the previous three years. In the finale at Millstreet, all first and second prize winners in the National Dairy Show will compete for the Irish Examiner supreme championship.
