by Robert Forde
It is hard to imagine that so many changes could actually take
place in the space of twelve months, as have done since I last wrote
my report. This year has thrown up an immense challenge to the farming
community – no matter what was purchased, farmers found it
was at least costing 30-200% more than it had done in the previous
year, coupled with unseasonal weather conditions, which made the
saving of crops troublesome. However, for our breed and club, its
light shone brightly throughout the year. A steady demand at our
Spring Sale for pedigree and commercial stock alike, resulted in
members going home feeling well satisfied with their winter’s
work – an excellent World Congress Pre-Tour to our province – coupled
with good breed promotion over the summer show season. Members success
at the Perth Bull Sales continued with a quality presentation of
stock, which was duly rewarded with top prices and honours at both
the Spring and Autumn Sales. Over the past year, it has been pleasing
for me as Chairman, to see several new young members appearing in
various classes at the summer shows and club events. To you, I would
like to say, you are very welcome and we will be watching your progress
with interest. Here now follows a brief summary of events as they
happened throughout the year.
 |
| The Haematology Research Trust Unit at Belfast
City Hospital were presented with a cheque for £7,500,
proceeds of the annual Charity Barbeque and Auction held at Dungannon
Rugby Club. Dr. Mark Catherwood,
on receiving the cheque from club officers and committee members
thanked everyone connected to the club
for such a fantastic donation and for all their hard work and
kindness. |
FEBRUARY
The first club meeting of
the new year was held early February when a good attendance of members
heard the guest speakers, Trevor Adams from Nutribio talk about the
various mineral products available from the company with particular
reference to Immuno Boost. Derek Nelson from Alltech followed with
more technical information on mineral supplementation. Considerable
interest was generated as was evident from the questions which followed.
The Perth Spring Bull Sales mid-month when club members had yet another
memorable trip to Scotland, claiming four of the top places in the
championship line-up and many of the sales leading prices. 20 bulls
from the province sold to an average of £4,436 per head. Top
honours in the show ring went to the Kilbride Farm herd of the Robson
family, who secured the Intermediate and Supreme Championship with
Kilbride Farm Tarrant, selling to Corskie for 10,000 gns. Which helped
to provide the herd with an average of £4,368 for five bulls
sold. Other leading honours and prices went to Slatequarry Tommy,
7,500 gns from Jim and Ian Hamilton; Cecil Chartres and David Farrell,
who sold Lakeside Tommy for 7,500 gns; Drumacritten Titan from William
and Margaret Nelson secured the Reserve Intermediate Championship
and sold for 7,000 gns; Pat and Frank Kelly, Reserve Junior Championship
selling for 7,000 gns; and finally in the top bracket were the Omorga
herd of John Moore, selling Omorga Tarbuck for 7,000 gns to return
to the Corrick herd of Cecil and Neil McIlwaine. Several other breeders
also secured satisfactory prices for quality bulls.
MARCH
The Club’s
annual dinner dance and prizegiving was held in the Glenavon House
Hotel, Cookstown on Friday 14th. A large turnout of members and friends
celebrated the successes enjoyed over the past year with the presentation
of cups and trophies. We were delighted to have in attendance the
President of the Irish Simmental Cattle Society, Mr. Bertie Houston
accompanied by his wife Daphne. Bertie gave the gathering an interesting
update on breed developments and events south of the border. The
evening concluded with entertainment by Knoxville. The Annual General
Meeting was held on Thursday 27th, when the club welcomed along as
guest speaker, David Graham, AFBI, who gave an interesting talk on
the newly proposed Health scheme. Sam Watson conducted the election
of officers which resulted in all officers and committee being elected
for another year, with the addition of David Hazelton to the committee.
Thanks were extended to the members by the Chairman, for their excellent
support over the past year and for the honour they had bestowed in
returning him to office for a second term as Chairman.
APRIL
A packed
gallery and ringside at Dungannon Farmers Mart for the annual Spring
Show and Sale witnessed an excellent trade for all classes of stock.
A quality entry of bulls saw prices peak at 5000 gns paid for the
Reserve Supreme Champion, Ashland Teviot, from Pat and Frank Kelly,
Tempo who sold to F. Watson, Cloughey, Newtownards. Corrick Vanguard,
having lifted the red ticket from class three fetched 2900 gns for
his breeders, Cecil and Neil McIlwaine. Vanguard was keeping the
Corrick herd to the forefront having bred the 2007 sale Champion.
Twin bulls from Keith Nelson, sold for 2600 gns and 2200gns with
Scribby Farms Venus lifting the Supreme Championship in the judging
ring. The Hiltonstown herd of Robert and Richard Rodgers sold bulls
at 2500 gns and 2200 gns. Nigel Glasgow sold Bridgewater Farm Victor
for 2400 gns. Overall the 20 bulls sold averaged 2175 gns. Topping
the pedigree female section was the second prizewinning Lisglass
Vicky from Leslie and Christopher Weatherup. Vicky sold for 2800
gns. Best Opposite Sex to the Champion, Drumagarner Vicky was forward
from Messrs. M. and E. McCloskey, Kilrea. The ten pedigree heifers
sold to average 1620 gns. After the pedigree sale, 30 commercial
heifers sold to average an outstanding £877. Leading a storming
trade for these popular suckler replacement heifers were three incalf
heifers at £1400, £1350 and £1020 from D. Henderson,
Enniskillen. Messrs. Michael and Norman Robson, Ballyclare, achieved
a top price of £1050 paid twice for two maiden heifers for
their pen of 5 to average £960. William Dick, Saintfield, sold
eight heifers to average £802. Messrs. R. J. and S. R. Mawhinney,
Draperstown, sold five yearling heifers to average £720. A
cow and calf outfit from W. D. Hazelton, sold for £1900. Thanks
to the Northern Bank who sponsored the event.
MAY
The RUAS Balmoral
Show kicked off yet another season of Summer shows where we were
blessed with a few of the driest days of the year. With a homebred
Judge and a homebred Champion the event proved very much to be a
taste of Ulster. We were delighted to welcome Billy Robson OBE, as
our Judge, whose wealth of experience and expertise with the breed
has kept his herd at Kilbride Farm very much to the forefront of
Simmental breeding for many years. As his Female and Supreme Champion,
he chose the Raceview King sired cow, Mullyknock Princess with bull
calf at foot, much to the delight of the Club Chairman, with the
Intermediate heifer class winner, Dripsey Twilight Princess Kim as
Reserve Female and Reserve Supreme. The Camus Vibrant sired Twilight
was shown by Wesley Abraham. The Male Championship was awarded to
the Omorga Prince sired Ashland Vagabond, shown by Frank Kelly, with
the Reserve Male Championship going to Ranfurly Vigilante, sired
by Knox Haped and exhibited by David Hazelton. The marquee was in
full swing for the three days of the show offering the usual refreshments
and cookies. Special thanks to the Club members wives, some of whom
spent long hours, providing the hospitality, much to the benefit
of exhibitors and visitors alike.
JUNE
The first Monday night of
the month brought club members together in the surroundings of the
Ranfurly herd at Dungannon, where young and old pitted their skills
against the Master Judge, Billy Robson OBE – the event was
the annual Junior Stockjudging competition kindly hosted by David
and Jackalyn Hazelton and family. Everyone was made extremely welcome
with excellent hospitality and an extremely well organised and presented
show of stock for members to judge and view. Going forward to the
Royal Show to represent the club in the over 21 section were Thomas
Hamilton and William Ferguson and in the U21 section were Jamie Boyd
and Mark McConnell, certainly an experience for two very young members.
With many committee meetings over the past few months and numerous
ideas suggested, the format for the forthcoming Pre-Congress tour
to Northern Ireland by International Delegates attending the 17th
World Congress to the United Kingdom were now very much in place.
With delegates booking in on Saturday/Sunday, 14th/15th June to the
Plaza Hotel at the International Airport, all we hoped for would
be favourable weather.
On Sunday evening, the Chairman gave a welcoming
address to the delegates, followed by a light buffet supper. On Monday,
the delegates departed on two coaches to Doagh, for a morning herd
visit to the Kilbride Farm herd, the property of the Robson family.
With an excellent display of stock on show, delegates were escorted
around the farm by Billy, Michael and Norman who gave a descriptive
talk on each animal as they walked from field to field. The visit
was concluded with excellent hospitality by the hosts.
Onward to
the North Antrim Coast in the afternoon, with a visit to the Carrickarede
Rope Bridge and the Giant’s Causeway, culminating with an evening
meal in the Royal Court Hotel, Portrush, before departing back to
base for a well earned night’s kip. Day two, Tuesday, it was
off for a visit to the Ballinlare Farm herd of Joe Wilson and family.
Tractors and trailers escorted the delegates around the 30+ acre
fields at Rathfriland where the quality of the stock was again much
admired, with particular attention being drawn to Ballinlare Farm
Moneypenny, the herd’s prolific prizewinning show cow and an
up-and-coming Whitemire King Kong sired daughter. Once again hospitality
of the highest order for the visitors before they set off en-route
to Omagh for a Show of cattle from numerous Club members. Judge for
the day, David Lowry had the difficult task of placing close on 80
entries, amidst an afternoon of continuous rain showers. Despite
the weather the delegates remained steadfast in their anticipation
of seeing all the classes judged.
Onward to the Ulster American Folk
Park to enjoy a tour various attractions before the day ended on
an enjoyable note with a barbeque, music and much socialising. After
saying our farewells, a tired party returned to the Plaza Hotel where
the following morning it was off to the ferry for the sailing to
Scotland for the Opening Ceremony. We enjoyed the company of the
delegates immensely over the short time they were with us and I hope
we can meet again to renew friendships in the future.
JULY
With our
young members off on their travels to the Royal Show to compete in
the Junior Stockjudging finals, we were quietly optimistic (as usual)
about our chances of success. All four gave an excellent account
of their ability – however, for Thomas Hamilton and William
Ferguson, our heartiest congratulations on finishing runners-up in
the over 21s section where competition was fierce from an extremely
large entry. With the show season entering the second half, competition
and rivalry was beginning to hot up, thus ensuring that classes had
more entries and rosettes were harder to come by. At Clogher Show,
the A. N. Irwin Cup and the Ulster Bank sponsored Junior Heifer Derby
Final ensured an excellent turnout of stock. Homebred heifers filled
the top positions in the Junior Heifer Derby which was won by Thelma
Gorman with Woodford Snow White as chosen by Judge, Peter O’Connell.
David Hazelton was runner-up with Ranfurly Weikel 2nd. The A.N. Irwin
Cup for Best Junior Bull was won by Ashland Vagabond from Pat and
Frank Kelly.
AUGUST
Friday 1st, Dungannon Rugby Club and Barbeque
time. The Club’s annual charity fundraising event, with proceeds
going to the Haematology Unit at Belfast City Hospital, was perhaps
the most enjoyable yet. Excellent steaks and salads, great atmosphere,
an array of donated items (including the star lot, a commercial heifer
carrying a Pedigree Simmental embryo generously donated by John Moore),
and two excellent auctioneers, who added an extra dimension to a
splendid auction. All in all, a top class social evening. Many thanks
to everyone who contributed to its success, least especially the
ladies whose culinary skills and hard work ensured its success. The
next week saw Finals Day and conclusion of the show season. Enniskillen
show saw an excellent turnout of stock from members right across
the Province, to provide our Judge, Douglas Barr, Farm Manager at
Delfur Farms, with some searching questions. The Supreme and Female
Championship was awarded to Broomfield Treasure, from Kenneth Veitch,
with the Reserve Championship going to Ashland Vagabond, the Male
Champion. The Northern Bank sponsored Simmental Female of the Year
for 2008 was won by Dripsey Twilight Princess Kim, from Wesley Abraham.
Consistently being at or near the top all season was rewarded with
top honours for this excellent Camus Vibrant sired heifer, earning
her owner his second consecutive female of the year title. In runner-up
position was the Freighduff Brendan sired Broomfield Treasure from
Kenneth Veitch. Kenneth’s ‘Treasure’ lifted enough
points from the last three shows to ensure the Reserve Female of
the Year title. The Northern Bank Male of the Year title was won
by Ranfurly Vigilante, from David Hazelton. This Knox Haped son enjoyed
much success over the show circuit in 2008. The Reserve Male of the
Year title went to Pat and Frank Kelly’s Ashland Vagabond,
again lifting enough points from a few shows to ensure runner-up
spot. An excellent turnout of pairs for the Merial sponsored Eprinex
Pour-On Pair of the Year provided much attention from a large crowd
of spectators. The Pair of the Year for the third consecutive year
was won by the Ashland herd. Ashland Vagabond and Raceview Topaz
lifted the title for Pat and Frank Kelly, a tremendous achievement
given the strength of the opposition. In runner-up spot, lifting
the Eprinex Reserve Pair of the Year was the homebred team of Corrick
Vena Diana and Corrick Viscount 2nd from Cecil and Neil McIlwaine’s
Corrick herd. Congratulations to all those who savoured success and
to all those who supported the shows this year. The end of the month
saw a visit to the Province by the Cornwall and South West Club members
who visited the Kilbride Farm, Omorga, Ranfurly and Ballinlare Farm
herds whilst mixing Simmental cattle with sightseeing some of the
scenic hotspots of Northern Ireland.
SEPTEMBER
Mid month and the
Welsh Club paid another visit to Northern Ireland to view some of
the herds missed the previous year. They visited the Corrick, Ashland,
Mullyknock, Glebefarm, Ballinalare and Omorga herds during their
three day visit.
OCTOBER
Friday evening, the 3rd, saw a cheque presentation
of £7,500 the proceeds from the Club’s annual charity
barbeque made by club officers and committee to Dr. Mark Catherwood
of the Haematology Unit at Belfast City Hospital just prior to the
commencement of the harvest sale at Dungannon Farmers Mart. Dr. Catherwood
expressed his sincere thanks for such a generous donation which he
assured members would be totally used for research within the unit.
A packed ringside for the harvest sale of Bulls and Females was followed
by 30 Commercial Females. Quality was scarce but the tops sold well.
Pedigree females peaked at 2300gns paid for Ballyvallough Vienetta,
from Andy Weatherup and also for Ranfurly Kleeb 12th from David Hazelton.
Jackson McCaw received 2100gns for Ashdale Judy 9th and her twin
heifer calves at foot. Bull trade reached 1800gns paid for Lummin
Vann from David and Margaret Thompson while Norman Weatherup received
1700gns for Slimero Victory 2nd. Commercial females peaked at £750
for a 450 kg heifer (£300 over £1 per kg) with the general
prices ranging from £200-£250 over £1 per kg.
Mid
month saw four members claiming five out of the eight Championship
titles in the judging ring at the Perth Bull Sales. The Reserve Junior
and Reserve Supreme titles went to Corrick Viscount 2nd, from Cecil
and Neil McIlwaine. Viscount sold at 8000gns to Delfur Farms. Kilbride
Farm Viagara lifted the Intermediate Championship for the Robson
family before selling for 9000gns. Robin Boyd, Judge of the event,
sold his sole entry for 8000gns having not been shown due to his
commitments. Joe Wilson received 7000gns for Omorga Veron having
claimed the Reserve Intermediate Championship the previous day. The
Reserve Senior Championship was won by Pat and Frank Kelly with Ashland
Vagabond who sold for 3200gns. Congratulations once again to all
concerned on a highly successful event. A club meeting on Thursday
30th gave members an enlightening insight into the advantages of
herd health when the guest speaker was William Sherrard MRCVS from
Pfizer Animal Health. William gave an excellent presentation on BVD,
Lepto, etc. followed by an active question and answer session.
NOVEMBER
As I complete my report, it’s the night after our annual Table
Quiz held at Dungannon Rugby Club. Again it was well supported by
the general public, with proceeds of £522 going to club funds.
And finally, my sincere thanks to the committee and officers for
their genuine support throughout the year, in particular to those
who did so much to ensure the smooth running of the Pre-Congress
events. A special thank-you to Robin Boyd for his dedicated professionalism
as Club Secretary and to Leslie Weatherup for his up-to-theminute
record keeping of the finances as Treasurer. To the ladies, many
thanks for all your help with the catering behind the scenes at Club
events (not an easy task) and to the members, thanks for your encouragement
throughout the year and your support of club events.
ENNISKILLEN
COLLEGE PREMIUM QUALITY BEEF HERD MOVES ON . . .
As reported in last
year’s review, the Enniskillen College Premium Beef Herd was
dispersed privately – with the cows and bull being purchased
by Stephen Maguire and Thomas Moorehead. Since then both farmers
have had excellent results with their purchases, all cows calved
safely, some twins, with one cow proving barren. Here follows a short
update from both herds. Thomas Moorhead runs a large suckler to beef
enterprise at the foot of Slemish mountain in Co. Antrim: To date
the cow type has been Saler, Aberdeen Angus and British Blue with
Charolais, British Blue, Aberdeen Angus and Euro Angus bulls used.
17 Simmental/Limousin cows purchased from the Premium Quality Herd
at Enniskillen College were introduced late last year. These cows
calved in April and May mainly to the Simmental stock bull from the
College, Kilbride Farm Taylor (also purchased) and are currently
rearing 19 calves – 8 heifers and 11 bulls. Thomas prefers
the smaller compact cow to suit his land type, and finds that they
can produce just as heavy a calf with as much quality, as the bigger
framier cows. The aim on the farm is to use these cows as the foundation
for breeding replacements, and so all the heifers will be retained
and go to the Euro Angus bull the first time. The Simmental x male
calves will be finished on the farm as bull beef at approx. 14 months
old. Kilbride Farm Taylor has been used on all the Enniskillen cows
this year along with some home bred British Blue cows, as Thomas’ experience
so far has been very satisfactory – easily calved and growth
equal to or better than the other x bred calves on the farm, and
not forgetting one very important trait, they have an excellent temperament.
Steven Maguire farms in the west of the province, at Maguiresbridge,
County Fermanagh where the main enterprise is the production of quality
suckled calves. These calves are sold each year through Steven’s
local market, where repeat customers are willing to pay premium prices
knowing they are getting superior stock which will thrive on and
finish well. The purchase of 17 Simmental x Limousin cows served
to a Simmental bull from Enniskillen College have proved a useful
addition to an already high quality suckler herd, where the emphasis
is very much on running a profitable business. The first five Simmental
bull calves were sold this autumn, born from 26th January to 13th
April 2008, they averaged 346 kgs at £514 per head, the remainder
of the bull calves will be sold in the Spring, with the heifer calves
being retained for herd replacements. “In general, I would
be very satisfied with the first batch of calves from the cows” stated
Steven, whose aim is to eventually upgrade the herd to Simmental
cross status. “Obviously there are coloured mixed breed cows
which are doing an excellent job and will be retained as long as
possible” he said. With the purchase of Hiltonstown Talisman,
a Woodhall Premier son at the N.I. Simmental Club Spring Show and
Sale in April 2008, Steven awaits his progeny with interest as calving
commences in late January 2009. I imagine a lot more will be heard
in the near future about the progress of both these herds, who we
wish all the best for the future.
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