Beginner's luck for Tori and Rosie at Cork Summer Show
On her first year showing, nine-year-old Tori O'Connell, Mallow, of Raceview Simmentals, took a win with 'Rosie', the Reserve Supreme Champion at Cork Summer Show. Picture: Larry Cummins.
A very special young calf and a young handler with a bright future ahead of them made their mark on the beef interbreed ring at this year's Cork Summer Show.
It was a moment not to be forgotten for Peter O’Connell and nine-year-old granddaughter Tori who clinched the Champion Simmental and Reserve Champion in the Beef Interbreed with their Simmental heifer Raceview Rosie... not bad for a first-timer.
It was showing veteran Peter’s first time showing at Cork Summer Show in ten years, but for Tori, who would have been in nappies back then, it was her first time ever at the end of the halter.
“We got into the Simmentals 34 years ago, but we didn’t get off to a great start – the first one died. But we kept at it,” said Peter.
“We always said we will breed from the best to breed the best, and anything we didn’t like, right from the word ‘go’, ended up on a meat hook.
“Yes, we have achieved a lot; we have won a lot of championships and have been in a good position, but we took a break from showing for a few years.”
And what a way to start back with a championship sash to add to the show box.
Five-month-old heifer Raceview Rosie’s lineage can be traced back around four generations to a bought-in cow, Ballinagar Kim. She is sired by Raceview Mattie J Beauty and out of Raceview Heriyosa Frauline.
“[Kim] has bred numerous champions – her daughters, granddaughters and great-granddaughters are still breeding well,” Peter told the .
“This is a very special calf because we lost her mother around a month later after a difficult calving.
“That is also why she is so quiet; she was fostered on a Friesian cow with two other calves. She was handled well and well looked after.” “There was one slight problem – when this calf was being judged in her class this morning, Tori went missing,” Peter said.
But she was back for when it counted, getting the white coat on in time to take Rosie into the ring for the interbreed championship.
“She loves to lick rosettes,” observes Tori, who said she loves all things farming.
“I help out nearly all the time during the summer, but I have school the rest of the time.
“I love farming. I just like to help out. I love to spend time with the calves, and walk up and down the fields with my grandfather and I love walking the calves too.”
Commenting on his selection, Judge Leo McRoe of Lisduff Angus, Co Cavan, said: “The Simmental is a very young animal and a very young handler too. She has massive, massive potential. We will see her again going forward.
“We will see both again, no doubt. I think the young handler has caught the bug for the showing now, but the heifer really is the job too.”
