Amazing crowds and tremendous weather were the order of the day at this year’s Clogher Valley Show – its first outing since 2019.
And one very special feature of the event saw Herbie Crawford from Co. Fermanagh celebrate 71 years of showing cattle with a famous victory in the Beef Inter-Breed Championship class.
It was won by a seven-month old bull calf, Rathkeeland Tommy, sired by the noted bull, West Pit Omaha. The young animal is still on its mother.
Beef Inter-Breed Championship judge, James Little, a pedigree manager with the Carlisle-based auctioneering business, Harris and Hetherington, described his champion as an excellent example of the Limousin breed.
And, he commended the quality of the cattle and sheep entered into the show, which he said was “truly exceptional”.
“It reflects very positively on the standards being achieved across agriculture in Northern Ireland as a whole,” he added.
The Crawford family confirmed that the winning bull will be kept, at least for the foreseeable future, and the first objective is to collect semen from him in 2023.
Clogher Valley Show – landmark victory
But the landmark victory of the day went to Holstein breeder, Jason Booth from south Tyrone. He won the Inter-Breed Dairy Championship with elite second calver, Wye Valley Sidekick Barb.
For good measure, she went on to secure the Champion of Champions accolade when put into the ring against the pedigree inter-breed beef and commercial cattle champions.
“We are truly delighted with today’s result. This has been her first show outing of the year, having calved for the second time only five weeks ago,” Booth commented.
“Our plan is to take the cow to the Royal Ulster Winter Fair in December.”
Purchased at a Wye Valley dispersal sale last year, she is currently giving 48L of milk per day with exceptionally high butterfat and protein percentages.
James Little also judged the Champion of Champions class and described the victorious cow as a “truly elite example of the Holstein breed”.
Clogher Valley Show – great turnout
Northern Ireland Shows’ Association (NISA) chairman, Graham Furey, was one of the many visitors taking in the sights and sounds of this year’s Clogher Valley Show. He confirmed that attendances at all this summer’s event were well up on previous years.
“Obviously, the good weather has been a major plus. People want to get out after the two years of lockdown.
“And all of the local shows have provided the perfect tonic in this regard. Farmers feel very relaxed at their local shows. They are days out that everyone looks forward to.
“All the shows play a pivotal role in showcasing our farming and food sectors.
“And they will play an even more important role as agriculture in Northern Ireland looks to the future.”
Furey also confirmed that the Covid-19 support funds for agricultural shows, previously committed to by the Stormont Executive, should be made available over the coming weeks.
“I am aware that the application process put in place has been very bureaucratic in nature. However, most of the show societies have now submitted the information required.”