Antrim Show 2024 boasts galaxy of champions, with more success for the Henry family from Ballymoney
Perhaps the finest selection of pedigree livestock ever brought together at one venue in Northern Ireland made Antrim Show 2024 a very special event indeed.
For those with a specific interest in milk production, the highlight of the summer show season culminated with the final of the Thompsons: Northern Ireland Shows Association Dairy Championship.
And the outcome of this elite competition provided yet more success for the Henry family, from Ballymoney.
Their six-year-old cow, Mostragee Bomber Louise 3, carried the day, adding to her 2024 Balmoral dairy inter-breed title, secured back in May.
Judge Philip Jones, from Co Wexford, described his champion as a totally balanced cow with an immense mammary system. He also highlighted the elite quality of all the cows taking place in the Dairy Cow of the Year final.
In tandem with the Northern Ireland Shows Association event, Antrim hosted its own dairy cow championship. The winner here was the Jersey fifth calver: Potterswalls Bontima Dawn.
Bred and exhibited by the Fleming family, from Seaforde in Co Down she is currently giving 38L of milk.
The reserve champion was the Holstein third calver: Damm Diamondback Celia. Bred and exhibited by the Simpson family from Lisburn, she is currently giving 50L of milk per day. The cow last calved 220 days ago.
Meanwhile, the beef cattle rings at Antrim Show featured national championships for a number of breeds while also hosting its own inter-breed competition. Significantly, the event boasted a 100 head increase in cattle entries, year-on-year.
And at the end of a long day’s judging, the inter-breed championship of the show was awarded to the immense Limousin: Glenmarshal The Duchess.
The 23-month-old heifer was bred and exhibited by Kilkeel herdowner: Trevor Shields. Earlier in the day, she had won the Limousin National Championship.
Judge John Finlay, from Galloway in Scotland, described his inter-breed champion as a very special animal, adding.
“She has beef in all the right places. But above and beyond this, she has tremendous mobility and excellent breed character.”
Trevor Shields described his day at Antrim Show as one that he will never forget.
“What makes it so special is the fact that the heifer is home bred. The plan now is to produce embryos from her over the coming weeks and then settle the heifer in calf.”
Meanwhile, competition was equally intense in the sheep rings at Antrim Show 2024.
The inter breed championship was won by a Blue Texel shearling ewe, exhibited by Alastair Shortt from Castlederg in North Co Tyrone.
Sheep inter-breed judge Grant Anderson, from Dumfries in Scotland, described his champion as a young ewe with an immense breeding future, adding:
“The shearling caught my eye as soon as she entered the ring. The ewe has tremendous breed character and excellent ring presence.”