Barnburn 1 Nolana secures top spot

Barnburn 1 Nolana secures top spot

Many turned out to witness the thirty-six entries forward for this year’s Northern Ireland National Hereford show at Antrim. For the second time in one week, judge Allen Massey from Bury, Lancashire, was put through his paces, assessing the quality cattle presented on the day.

Barnburn 1 Nolana stole the heart of the show and the judge taking many titles to her name, including overall breed and female champion. This eight-year-old veteran is a Panmure 1 Henry daughter, out of a Barnburn 1 Fancy cow and secured best polled animal exhibitor bred and IHBS Champion Cup to name but a few.

Nolana is no stranger to winning and earlier in the year at Lurgan Show she won the cow with calf at foot class and then went on to take overall champion. This strong cow paraded the ring alongside her smart calf, Barnburn 1 Nolana 2^nd who competed in her own heifer born on 1^st September 2023 and before 31^stDecember 2023 class, demonstrating the power of the Hereford breeds strength and maternal qualities.

Next in the lineup was Kinglee 1 Victorious from Trevor Andrews and family. This bull has already successfully taken winning tickets at Balmoral Show in May, where he obtained the overall champion title. Bred by Pete Cobley, Stanton Farm of the Kinglee herd, Victorious now lives with the Mountview Herd and is proving to be a worthy purchase. The young man is out of Kinglee 1 Star 371 and was sired by Cleland 1 Nelson, packing a punch on his pedigrees. This has shone throughout his showing career as he was bull calf champion, overall junior champion and male champion respectively at the National Hereford Poll Show in 2021.

Success was also in the stars for breeder Ciaran Kerr taking not only the reserve male, junior male and overall junior champion with bull Kinnego 1 Amazon but locking in the reserve and junior female champion title with Kinnego 1 Ann too. This outstanding duo then teamed up to take home the progeny pair title.

Kinnego 1 Amazon, a flashy young bull is sired by County Crest Jack and is born out of a homebred cow Kinnego 1 Verity. Kinnego 1 Ann is a March 2023 born heifer and is out of Dernaroy 1 Joy cow and is also sired by County Crest Jack, displaying that show quality really does run in the family.  This half sibling duo naturally caught the eye of the judge, earning the pair many accolades.

Congratulations must go to Ryan and Russell Kelly of the recently established Rossdowney Herd. These new breeders from Co Londonderry are having a successful first show season with their newly purchased heifer Somerville 1 Winnie, winning the heifer born on or after 1^st July 2022 and before 31^st December 2022 class. She then went on to take home the reserve female champion title. Bred by H King of the Somerville herd, Winnie now lives with her new owners. She is out of a Solpoll 1 Fashion cow and is sired by popular bull Normanton 1 Laertes. Finishing off their triumphant day by winning the group of three class, it was clear that it was a good show all round.

Alan Shaw of the Benburb herd celebrates his success by not only taking home the reserve junior female champion title with Benburb 1 Alice 8^th but the reserve junior male championship with Benburb 1 Bert too. Alice is sired by Fabb 1 Northern Star and is out of Benburb 1 Alice 5^th. Benburb 1 Bert is sired by Moorside 1 Panda and is out of Appel 1 Starlight. These 2023 born animals contributed into the Shaw family winning the Robson and OKane Cup for the exhibitor acquiring the most points.

Experienced show handlers and breeders J & W McMordie from Ballygowan, Co Down secured the NIHBA calf champion with Solpoll 1 Amber B2. This young September 2023 born heifer is out of Solpoll 1 Amber N4 and is by Square-D Diesel 957U. A great achievement for their first outing this year, beating all other calves present that day. The flashy young female has a bright future ahead of her.

The Clow Cup was awarded to John Taggart of the Carney Hill herd from Newtownards, Co Down, for the best group of three animals bred by the exhibitor.

In the young handler section Gary Andrews displayed excellent handling and leading skills, earning him first place. He then went on to win the stock persons shield for the best under 18. Gary is a member of the UK Hereford Youth program.

Full results – NIHBA National Show Antrim 2024

Supreme and female champion – Barnburn 1 Nolana – Greer Watson

Reserve supreme and male champion – Kinglee 1 Victorious – Trevor Andrews and family

Reserve male and overall junior and junior male champion – Kinnego 1 Amazon – Ciaran Kerr

Reserve female champion – Somerville 1 Winnie – R&R Kelly

Reserve and junior female champion – Kinnego 1 Ann – Ciaran Kerr

Reserve Junior Female Champion – Benburb 1 Alice 8^th – Alan Shaw

Reserve Junior Male – Benburb 1 Bert – Alan Shaw

Antrim Show Awards

IHBS Champion Cup – Barnburn 1 Nolana – Greer Watson

Tunney Meats Cup (opposite Sex to Champion) – Kinglee 1 Victorious – Trevor Andrews and family

Show Society Cup (Group of 3) – R&R Kelly

Morrison Cup (bull calf) – Benburb 1 Burt – Alan Shaw

NIHBA awards

Newsletter rose bowl (Champion) – Barnburn 1 Nolana – Greer Watson

Barron Cup (Junior Female) – Kinnego 1 Ann – Ciaran Kerr

Ralston Cup (best heifer exhibitor bred) – Kinnego 1 Ann – Ciaran Kerr

Clow Cup (Group of 3 exhibitor Bred) – John Taggart

Stock persons Shield (best under 18) – Gary Andrews

Robert Clarke Cup (best polled animal exhibitor bred) – Barnburn 1 Nolana – Greer Watson

NIHBA Calf Champion – Solpoll 1 Amber B2 – J&W McMordie

Robson and OKane Cup (exhibitor with most points) – Alan Shaw Benburb

Cow or heifer born on or before 31^st December 2021, in calf or calf at foot

1^st Barnburn 1 Nolana – Greer Watson

2^nd Ballypallady 1 Showstopper – R & R Kelly

3^rd Cornriggs 1 Vanity 2^nd – Marcus Murdock

Heifer born on or after 1^st January 2022 and before 30^th June 2022 in calf or calf at foot

1^st Luskypoll 1 Watermelon – John Gill

2^nd Moyadd 1 Winnie – Ciara Fitzpatrick

3^rd Somerville 1 Wren – R & R Kelly

Heifer born on or after 1^st July 2022 and before 31^st December 2022

1^st Somerville 1 Winnie – R & R Kelly

2^nd Benburb 1 Annie – Alan Shaw

3^rd Solpoll 1 Starlet A4 – J &W McMordie

Heifer born on or after 1^st January 2023 and before 31^st August 2023

1^st Kinnego 1 Ann – Ciaran Kerr

2^nd Benburb 1 Alice – Alan Shaw

3^rd Carneyhill 1 Emma 25^th – John Taggart

Heifer born on or before 1^st September 2023 and before 31^st December 2023

1^st Solpoll 1 Amber B2 – J&W McMordie

2^nd Barnburn 1 Nolana 2^nd – Greer Watson

3^rd Moyadd 1 Poppy – Ciara Fitzpatrick

Bull born on or before 31^st March 2022

1^st Kinglee 1 Victorious – Trevor Andrews and family

Bull born on or after 1^st April 2022 and before 31^st December 2022

1^st Carrowboy 1 Perfect – Martin Hamilton

2^nd Lusky 1 Al – John Gill

3^rd Benburb 1 Alan – Alan Shaw

Bull born on or after 1^st January 2023 and on or before 31^st August 2023

1^st Kinnego 1 Amazon – Ciaran Kerr

2^nd Carneyhill 1 Alberto – John Taggart

Bull calf born on or after 1^st September 2023 and on or before 31^st December 2023

1^st Benburb 1 Bert – Alan Shaw

Bull calf born on or after 1^st January 2024

1^st Moyadd 1 Bulmers – Ciara Fitzpatrick

2^nd Roselodge 1 Bon Appetit – Gemma McCorry

3^rd Somerville 1 Bandit – Heather King

Progeny Pair

1^st Ciaran Kerr

2^nd Alan Shaw

3^rd R&R Kelly

Group of Three

1^st R&R Kelly

2^nd John Taggart

3^rd John Gill

Young Handlers

1^st Gary Andrews

2^nd Holly Taggart

3^rd Nathaniel Shaw