Paula Hynes: From paddock to showring - the Cork Summer Show was a week to remember
Becky & Paula Hynes with Supreme Dairy Champion Eedy Rubicon Acclaim & Reserve Supreme Dairy Rathard Chocochip Kali being presented with the RDS medal by Maura Waters with Ann O Mahony & John Jeffrey at Cork Summer Show. Picture: Maria Kelly
Given a few dry days together, work in the paddocks became busy. We mowed several paddocks for surplus bales, pre-mowed a number of others and, forgive me, we also topped a paddock.
The cool, wet weather appears to have stressed grass quality at times, so we are now working hard to restore quality across the grazing platform. The damper conditions also provided an opportunity to spread watery slurry on cleaned-off paddocks, adding some P and K, as protected urea now accounts for the majority of our fertiliser applications.
We are also focusing on gradually drying off autumn calvers, allowing them eight weeks dry based on their expected calving date.
Some readers may remember Cash, our first-lactation Jersey heifer that won at Millstreet. She went in-calf to sexed semen on her first service and we deliberately extended her lactation so that she would calve fresh in the autumn. This gave her additional time to mature and she now looks to have all the makings of a fantastic cow.
The decision paid off well. Cash produced 744kg milk solids from 9,050 litres over a 409-day lactation. Her sister also appears to be developing into a very nice cow and competed at the Royal Highland Show last weekend.
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Becky and Georgie were busy during the week helping at the CHFC field evening at the Knockbrown herd near Bandon, owned by the O'Sullivan family. The event formed part of a series of field evenings organised by CHFC.
Georgie was placed second in the 12-18 age category stock judging competition, while Becky won the 18-26 category.
The Knockbrown herd is a fantastic group of cows and the hospitality on the evening was equally impressive.
We did not attend the Royal Highland Show this year as it clashed with Cork Summer Show, where we had three milkers and four young Jersey heifers competing.
Cork Summer Show is our local show and we have always enjoyed exhibiting dairy animals there. Becky spent two days clipping the team at home, while the two January-born Jersey calves received plenty of walking practice ahead of their first show. We had only decided to halter-break them a few weeks ago.
Sweet Dream has developed into a really smart calf since being clipped. Her dam and granddam both previously won at Cork Summer Show, with her granddam having been crowned Jersey champion. The other January-born Jersey heifer was a daughter of the cow that won Jersey champion for us at Cork Summer Show last year.
Bill Hannon from the Lisnalty herd officiated as dairy judge on his inaugural day in the role. While the sun was blazing, Bill was not feeling the heat. He took his time to ensure he was happy with his line-up and provided excellent explanations to support his decisions.
Georgie started the day in style by winning the junior showmanship competition and taking reserve champion handler. Aisling placed fourth in junior showmanship and coped admirably despite her heifer being bulling and proving difficult to handle.
There was no showmanship class for Becky at Cork Summer Show, but she was busy making final preparations for our animals while also helping to prepare heifers for the Kingston and Curtin families.
The effort invested in halter-breaking the two young Jersey heifers paid off. Kahlua won the January-born Jersey heifer class, with Sweet Dream taking second place. Congratulations also go to the O'Sullivan family, whose Jersey heifer purchased from us secured third place.
We had two entries in the Jersey maiden heifer class, with Kalani taking first place and Kaela finishing second.
Kali, who won the Jersey championship and reserve supreme dairy title at Cork Summer Show last year, returned to defend her title and successfully retained the Jersey championship for a second consecutive year. She is also the dam of Kahlua.
We also exhibited two Holstein milkers. Alanna, a first-lactation cow whose dam completed 11 lactations and was classified EX92, has improved tremendously in recent months. She won the Holstein heifer in-milk class before Acclaim entered a highly competitive Holstein cow class.
Now in her third lactation, Acclaim is classified EX92 and achieved maximum points for her udder. She remains a young cow but continues to mature impressively, with her udder improving all the time.
Acclaim won her class and went on to claim the Holstein championship, with Bill selecting Alanna as reserve champion.
Winning both the Jersey and Holstein championships made it an unforgettable day. Acclaim secured the supreme dairy title, while Kali claimed reserve supreme dairy for the second consecutive year.
Team effort behind the scenes It truly takes a team to exhibit that many animals in a short space of time, particularly when three of them are milking cows.
A huge thank you goes to Gordon and Jennifer Kingston, as well as Josephine Kelliher, for all their help. We simply could not have done it without them.
Thanks must also go to the dairy ring stewards, who kept exhibitors updated on ring timings and always seemed to have paper ready whenever a cow decided she needed the toilet at the least convenient moment.
This year marked the inaugural presentation of an RDS medal to the supreme dairy animal at Cork Summer Show. The initiative forms part of efforts to strengthen links between the Royal Dublin Society and Cork Summer Show. A similar arrangement is also being developed with Balmoral Show.
Representatives from the Royal Dublin Society travelled to Cork to present the medal. It was a huge honour to receive it and we are very proud that Acclaim now has one to her name. Who knows, perhaps she may have the opportunity to win one at Balmoral in the years ahead.
Our farm has a long-standing connection with the Munster Agricultural Society, so winning the supreme dairy title meant a great deal to us. We hope those who came before us were looking down and smiling.
The girls have enjoyed success at many Royal shows. Acclaim has now won twice at a Royal show, but Cork Summer Show is our home turf. Many people may not realise that the RDS also holds special significance for us, as we previously enjoyed success there with equine entries in Ballsbridge.
Memories are made in the showring. A huge thank you to photographer Maria Kelly for capturing the memories of what was truly a magical day.
