National Dairy Show: Fame hits the right note to clinch supreme champion at Millstreet
AXA National Dairy Show 2023, Irish Examiner Supreme Champion – Pictured are Tom McCarthy, AXA Farm Insurance, Headline Sponsor, Ursula Forrest, Cork Holstein Friesian Breeders Club President, Judge Ashley Fleming, Richard Hamilton IHFA President, Jason, Laura, Sylvia and Robert Helen with the 2023 Supreme Champion Cow Eedy Doorman Fame, Rachel Martin, Irish Examiner Farming Editor, and Denis Kiely, Show Director. Picture: Maria Kelly
It might now be 30 years on since the Eurovision circus came to town, but ‘Fame’ was once again the talking point at the Green Glens Arena as Eedy Doorman Fame, a powerful homebred cow with Holstein royalty in her blood, dominated the National Dairy Show.
For exhibitor Jason Helen, it was a special victory in more ways than one. Not only was this year’s Irish Examiner supreme champion homebred, but she is also the daughter of the very first calf that he bought to celebrate a special birthday.
It seems like even at a young age he had a good eye as his pick is descended from Moralta Inspiration Fame, the only cow to clinch the supreme champion title at Millstreet three times in a row in the mid-90s. She also was the only cow in Ireland to attain the maximum possible classification score of EX97.
Jason’s 2019-born third-calver is out of Clonpaddin Bk Fame ET and sired by Val-Bisson Doorman.
Speaking to the Irish Examiner, he said: “We’re absolutely delighted. We had never won an open milking class at the national dairy show until today, and today we won the mature cow class as well.
“It has been a really consistent family for us. When I’m selecting my stock, I try to continually aim for consistently good performance.” It is also four-year-old Doorman Fame’s first appearance at a major show, and came just weeks after her last calving but it didn’t stop her from also picking up Best Udder and Exhibitor Bred.
With a yield of 9,700kg in her last lactation at 4.2% butterfat and 3.5% protein projected across a 305-day lactation.
“She’s only been out once before at a local show and she finished up second to another of our own – another cracking cow which we have since sold,” Jason explained.
Jason runs a high-yielding, year-round-calving herd in partnership with his mother and father, Sylvia and Robert, and wife, Laura, in Clonakilty, with Fame one of the 80 pedigree Holstein cows currently going through the parlour.
The Helen family also picked up honourable mention with Edey Damion Acclaim.
Explaining why he’d tapped Fame out as his show-topper, judge Ashley Fleming said he was particularly impressed by her youthfulness and performance.
“She’s an awesome individual,” he said. “For three calves, she is so youthful. She moves so freely and handles a significant volume of milk well. She is so beautifully balanced. She is only four or five weeks fresh too – so she will only get better from here too.” Mr Fleming last judged at the show more than 15 years ago and has overseen the national herd competition in previous years. In that time, he says he has only seen the standard improve.
“To be asked back here twice is a pure privilege,” he said. “The standard of the cows in milk down here has been phenomenal. There were six mature cows, and every one of them was a really good individual cow. The standard at the top end just gets better and better.” It was a good day out for Philip & Linda Jones of Hallow Holsteins, who exhibited Reserve champion Hallow Diamondback Twizzle 3.
The pair also won both the Premier Breeder and Premier Exhibitor awards at the show.
Sired by Mr D Apple Diamondback and out of Hallow Solomon Twizzle ET, also comes from a strong pedigree lineage.
“Her mother was an excellent second-calver, and she goes back to a 96-point excellent cow Advent Twizzle that won supreme champion at Millstreet and the Baileys the same year,” Mr Jones said.
Diamondback Twizzle 3 is projected to achieve 7,816kg at an average of 3.98% butterfat and 3.40% protein across a 305-day lactation.
Earlier in the year, she also won the Junior cow section at the Diageo Baileys Champion Cow competition at the Virginia show in Cavan.
The family’s seven cows at the show picked up an array of red and blue rosettes. Highlights included Alligator Carmen, who was named Junior champion and her mother, Atwood Carmen, who was placed second in the mature cow class and won the production cow class. While Brother Gary’s calf, Jones Lambda Twizzle, also won the Holstein Junior Championship.
Those looking to buy into the genetics can watch out for the Dalevalley Sky-High Protein sale, where the Jones family typically sell between 12 and 20 heifers each year.
At home, the 90-strong milking herd averages around 10,000kg of milk a year at 3.45% protein and 4.4% butterfat.
