The Irish Hereford Breed Society hosted its 11^th National Calf Show at Central Auctions, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary, on Saturday, November 8.

The society described the event as "a great day, with a fantastic display of the Hereford stars of the future".

The judge on the day was Basil Bothwell, from Co. Cavan, who had his work cut out judging the 10 classes.

The junior male championship was awarded to the Drumm family in Co. Westmeath for their January 2025 bull, Crowenstown Rolex HH.

Rolex later went on to be crowned Overall Male Champion. Sired by Conmelvin Ollie and out of Grianan Orange A 974, Rolex has 5 stars for docility, age at finish and carcass conformation.

The Reserve Champion Junior Male was awarded to John and Liam O’Dwyer for their young bull, Scarragh Rebel ET HH.

He went on to stand as Reserve Overall Male Champion.

Rebel is sired by IHBS Breed Improvement sire, Karoonda Sampson, and is out of a Gageboro Eugenic-sired cow, Balleen Cece 781.

Rebel has 5 stars for carcass weight, carcass conformation, and daughter’s milk.

The senior male champion tapped forward by Bothwell was Co. Kilkenny breeder Thomas Brennan’s September 2024-born bull, Balleen Willdo HH.

Willdo is sired by Balleen Getway and is out of a Ballinveney United 2-sired cow, Balleen Pansy 1266 and sports 5 stars for the Terminal Index (€90) and DBI (€111).

The reserve champion senior male went to the Co. Roscommon herd of Padraig McGrath. Kye Paul 070 HH placed second in his class to the Senior Champion.

Paul 070 is sired by Balleen Flyer and out of a Frees Town Hotspur-sired cow, Kye Holly 794.

Paul also has 5 stars for the Terminal Index (€79) and DBI (€122). Kye Paul 070 HH also took the honours in the DBI bull class, composed of the top DBI bulls in the show.

On the female side, it was the turn of John Appelbe from Co. Cork to take the glory in the senior, and subsequently supreme female championships with his heifer, Appel Firecracker PP.

She is sired by Fisher 1 Profile P456 PP and out of a Solpoll 1 Lawman cow, Appel 1 Daffy.

Firecraker has 5 stars for the Replacement Index (€159) as well as for gestation length, docility, carcass weight, carcass conformation and daughter's milk.

Reserve champion senior female was won by the McKiernan family from Co. Cavan, with their heifer Corlismore Prim 320 HH.

Prim would also go on to stand as reserve supreme female champion.

Prim is sired by Shilo-Farm Dynamite F311 and is from a Corlismore Pompeii-sired cow, Corlismore Prim 788. Prim has 5 stars for carcass weight.

Co. Offaly breeder Jack Larkin took the honours in the junior heifer championship, with his January 2025 born heifer, Corndarragh Ivy 20572 PP.

Ivy is sired by Fabb 1 Northern Star PP and out of Hillockpoll 1 Ivy, who herself has had great success at the National Hereford Show.

Ivy has 5 stars for the Replacement Index (€136) as well as for Gestation length, docility, carcass conformation, daughter's milk and daughter calving interval.

Reserve junior female champion was Co. Roscommon breeder, John Mullooly, with Cloonfree Buttercup 2 HH.

Buttercup is sired by the IHBS Breed Improvement Sire, Knockmountagh Cuchullain and is out of a Gageboro Morgan-sired cow, Cloonfree Jean. Buttercup has 5 stars for docility.

There was strong competition in the commercial class, sponsored by Irish Hereford Prime, giving the judge, Lesley Lewis from Dovea Genetics lots to think about.

Kathleen O’Reilly from Co. Meath took the Commercial Champion title, with her Barwise 1 Ricochet PP-sired calf, “Terence”.

Reserve commercial champion of the show was awarded to John O’Heney from Co. Tipperary for his F.H. William-sired calf.

A statement from the society commended "the high-quality of stock on display" describing it as "a testament to all of the breeders who exhibited, with large crowds of onlookers there to watch the day’s events unfold".

The society thanked all who assisted with organising and running the show, including the show’s sponsors, Irish Hereford Prime, Dovea Genetics, AHV and Young’s Garage Roscrea.