Khaleesi, the Queen in every sense

Georgie Hynes with Rathard Chocochip Khaleesi, Champion Colourbreed calf at the 2024 FBD National YMA Finals

One of the highlights of our show season is the FBD National YMA Finals in Kilkenny, two days of intense showing. Unfortunately, this year's show began with disappointment before we even left home. 

The girls were due to compete in the team clipping competition, and we had given weeks to washing and halter training a heifer so she could travel to the show. All our other heifers had been recently clipped, so they were not eligible for the clipping competition. 

Unfortunately, Lexy showed up lame on the Monday morning we were due to leave, so after veterinary inspection, it was decided best to leave her at home; we can only assume she took a knock from another heifer in the pen overnight.

With feed packed and the rest of the heifers loaded, we headed to Kilkenny a little earlier this year as Becky was also working alongside Richard Jones clipping heifers for other clubs that evening; she has spent the last number of weeks working with Richard and has gained a huge amount of knowledge in preparing heifers for shows and sales.

National shows are never a holiday. It’s late evenings and very early mornings ensuring heifers are washed, fed, and their beds are clean before the day's competition begins. 

Georgie got us going in the Junior Showmanship on the first day of competition. It was only her second time showing Espresso, and it was great to see her finish in second place with nearly 20 handlers in the ring. 

Becky was in the Intermediate showmanship in what was a really hotly contested class. Gary and Izzy Jones loaned her their stunning heifer Jones Lambda Fame, who is now awaiting a journey to her new home with Hullcrest in Holland. She finished fourth in the class which was won by her good friend Will Jones who went on to win the National Showmanship title that evening.

Georgie Hynes with Rathard Chocochip Khaleesi, Champion Colourbreed calf at 2024 FBD National YMA Finals

With Georgie in the very first class on the second day, it was all systems go from a 5:30am start, but it was worth the early rise as she won the junior colour breed calf class with Rathard Chocochip Khalsi. Our in-calf Jersey heifer Rathard Chocochip Dream stood second place in her class with Becky. 

Khaleesi is a feminine title meaning "Queen" in Dothraki, and she s certainly lived up to her name, having won her class on five of her outings this year.

We weren’t sure what way the championship would go but when we watched all the heifers lined up down the centre of the ring, Khaleesi definitely had the style turned on and looked the most dairy and true to breed. 

Judge John McLean tapped her out as champion saying she was undoubtedly the most correct of confirmation heifer in the ring. It truly was a sweet moment for us as Khaleesi dam Rathard Kasey had also won the same title for us in 2022.

It was another moment for us to treasure when Georgie went into the ring with our March calf Rathard Bullseye Alanna; she is a calf we have really liked since she was born, and her dam is a real family favourite and now on her tenth lactation, not alone is she EX92 but she also has two Excellent daughters although her Bullseye heifer is the first time she was bred to a high type sire. Little Alanna finished second in her class, which really meant a lot that we had a home-bred calf do so well.

Espresso finished fifth in her class, which we were really happy with as she has had huge setbacks, and although she is nowhere near her best yet, she is improving really quickly. 

Our other heifer Jones Haniko Fame finished fourth in the intermediate heifer class, and we were very grateful to Kate Jones for doing such a good job of showing her.

Fame really is a sweet heifer, so cool on the halter, and we think she will make a super cow in time, which is what we are always on the hunt for: super cow families that we can further develop the herd with.

It was a great sense of achievement to see all our heifers finish within the top five in what is only our third year competing at National Finals and we have managed to come home with a championship rosette and trophy on each of those years. The heifers will get a little rest time now until Tullamore Show, where we have seven entered this year.

As we rushed to pack up at the show, heifers were loaded for home, but we were a teammate down as Becky was again Dublin-bound to catch a flight out to the UK. She has now safely arrived in Devon and will spend the weekend washing and clipping heifers in preparation for New Forrest Show. 

Meanwhile, we’ve been busy getting the farm back in order, all Georgies show whites have been washed as she will need a few sets for the UK as she competes alongside Becky at the three day show. 

We hear so much talk of how we all must make an effort to reduce our emissions, i agree we must all play our part but saving the world can come at a heavy price. 

We live 20 minutes from Cork airport, which is so convenient. When I priced flights to Bristol for the UK show, they seemed quite expensive compared to last year, so I had a quick look at flights from Dublin to Bristol and realized I could get the flights two-thirds cheaper. 

As much as I’m keen to do what's right for the planet, the cost of living, along with common sense, means I am not going to throw away money and myself and Georgie will be travelling via Dublin to Bristol and then on to the show. 

Politicians bombard us with climate urgency and how we all need to make a huge effort, well my question to those politicians is, why should I pay three times more for a flight on a plane which will only spend the same amount of time in the sky as the cheaper one?