Clonakilty Show is the place to win

YOU can take a winner at Clonakilty Agricultural Show anywhere.

Local exhibitors showed that last year when Seamus Lehane’s horses made him the top exhibitor at the Dublin Horse Show. Kieran O’Gorman won the RDS Breeders Championship for a second year in a row, and the Appelbe family from Carrigroe had the All-Ireland National Hereford Champion at Tullamore Show.

Lehane looks set for big things again this year, after adding the top young horse awards at his local show last Sunday to his haul.

Surprisingly, the Appelbe family’s domination of Hereford showing was halted by fellow Co Cork exhibitor Michael O’Keeffe, Newmarket. But local girl Avril Helen added the Jersey championship to Braymeadow Junos Mickie’s recent win among the country’s top pedigree dairy herds at the Emerald Expo event in Kilkenny.

There was an All-Ireland dairy event at Clonakilty too, the Dubliner Cheese pedigree Friesian heifer in milk class, and Robert Forrest’s win here leaves his Coolroe House herd tops so far this year in dairy showing.

There were hundreds of entries in many sections of the Clonakilty Show, but none matched the 800 exhibits received for the show’s schoolchildren art competition.

The following were the main winners in last Sunday’s livestock showing:

CATTLE

Champion Shorthorn: Jimmy and Linda O’Donovan, Schull. Reserve: Tom Roycroft, Dunmanway.

Champion Jersey: Avril Helen, Clonakilty. Reserve: Patrick Ahern, Rylane

Champion Friesian: E & S Murphy, Waterfall, Cork. Reserve: Robert Forrest, Banteer.

Dubliner Cheese All-Ireland Pedigree Friesian heifer in milk: 1, Robert Forrest, Coolroe House Farms, Banteer. 2. Lisselan Farms, Clonakilty. 3. John & Ricky Barrett & Sons, Ballinhassig. 4. Denis and Claire White, Clonakilty. 5. Robert Forrest, Banteer. 6. George White, Ballygarvan. 7. Richard J White, Clonakilty.

Junior Friesian Champion: F & C Desmond, Innishannon. Reserve: E & S Murphy, Waterfall.

Champion West Cork Irish bred Friesian: John O’Donovan, Clonakilty. Reserve: Jerry Hegarty, Skibbereen.

Group of three females Irish bred: Avril Helen, Clonakilty.

Champion Angus: Ben & Elaine Ryall, Watergrasshill. Reserve: John Tait.

Pedigree inter beef calf: Donal Moloney, Ardnacrusha, Co Clare.

Champion Belgian Blue: Tim O’Donovan, Dunmanway. Reserve: John Cahalane, Skibbereen.

Champion Charolais: George Appelbe, Ballinascarthy.

Champion Hereford: Michael O’Keeffe, Newmarket. Reserve: Frank & John Appelbe, Clonakilty.

Champion Limousin: Donal Moloney, Ardnacrusha, Co Clare. Reserve: John & Tom Hickey, Thurles, Co Tipperary.

Champion and reserve Simmental: Peter & Marian O’Connell, Mallow, Co Cork.

Champion Commercial non pedigree beef animal: Clive & Rhoda Jennings, Enniskeane. Reserve: John Cahalane, Skibbereen.

Champion pedigree male beef animal: Donal Moloney, Ardnacrusha, Co Clare.

Champion Suffolk sheep: Alan Jennings, Leap.

HORSES

Brood mare champion: Nick Murphy, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford. Reserve: Denis Collins, Rosscarbery.

Foal champion: Seamus Lehane, Clonakilty.

Champion and reserve young horse: Seamus Lehane, Clonakilty, Co Cork.

Yearling Champion: Brian Daly, Newmarket. Reserve: Seamus Lehane, Clonakilty.

Champion hunter: Rhian Fitzgerald, Model Farm Road, Cork. Reserve: Tina Murphy, Ballinascarthy.

Led Champion: Breda & Bernadette Horgan, Macroom. Reserve: Martin O’Sullivan, Leap.

Ridden Champion: Carole Adams, Courtmacsherry. Reserve: Helena Rea, Charleville.

Mini supreme pony Champion: Lorna Twomey, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co Clare. Reserve: Ciara Egan, Clogheen, Co Tipperary.

Supreme pony champion: Martha McNamara, Newmarket on Fergus, Co Clare. Reserve: Breda & Bernadette Horgan, Macroom.

Working hunter champion: Martha McNamara, Newmarket on Fergus, Co Clare. Reserve: Carole Adams, Courtmacsherry.

Registered Irish Draught: 1, Sam Burchill, Skibbereen. 2,Michael O’Sullivan, Skibbereen.

OTHERS

Best donkey: William Ryan, Ballydehob.

Best Dog: Alice Reilly, Spur Hill.

Best poultry: Eva Hurley, Drinagh.