Potterswalls prefix wins Jersey honours

“There were excellent, well-grown calves with great feet and legs in every class,” said Mr Gray who manages 100-head of dairy cattle under the Grayridge prefix.

The Fleming Family from Seaforde, Co Down, had a memorable day at the Dungannon event, claiming first prize rosettes in three of the five calf classes.

Their January 2020 heifer Potterswalls Engineer Gloria was making her showring debut, and was crowned supreme overall in the championship line-up.

“This is a wonderful example of the Jersey breed,” exclaimed the judge.

“She is well developed through the front end, and displays a good uphill run. She has no holes, and I really admire her tremendous strength, balance and openness of rib.”

The Jersey champion was bred in the Fleming Family’s 120-cow herd. Sired by Enniskillen Engineer 401, her dam is Bayview Riley Gloria 15 EX94 – purchased privately from the Bayview Herd in Lancashire, she also bred the 2019 NI Calf Show champion, Potterswalls Impression Gloria.

Claiming the reserve supreme award was the nine-month-old calf Damm Video Ruby bred by George and David Simpson from Lisburn. Their herd comprises of five Jersey cows managed alongside 200 pedigree Holsteins.

“We bought our first Jerseys six or seven years ago, and they have been graded up and bred to good bulls,” explained David.

“The reserve champion is a well-balanced heifer. She oozes style, has a good hard top and beautiful feet and legs,” added judge David Gray.

The Fleming Family’s Potterwalls Devinci Cash claimed the honourable mention award. Born in December 2020, she was sired by Grazeland Lemonhead Devinci, and bred from Potterswalls Glams Cash.

David Gray concluded: ”This is another super dairy calf. She is very feminine, well-balanced and has good openness of rib.”

Ailsa Fleming won the championship in the showmanship section.

Sisters Amy and Chloe McNeely from Magheramason were awarded the reserve champion and honourable mention awards respectively.

The calf show was sponsored by the Ulster Jersey Cattle Club.

Congratulations to the exhibitors, and thank you to David Gray for judging. Thanks also to Dungannon Farmers’ Mart for hosting the event.


Results from the judging ring

Showmanship

Champion: Ailsa Fleming. Reserve: Amy McNeely. Honourable Mention: Chloe McNeely.

Junior handler, under twelve-years-old – 1, Archie McNeely.

Intermediate handler, between 13 and 15 years-old – 1, Amy McNeely.

Senior handler, aged 16 to 20-years-old – 1, Ailsa Fleming; 2, Chloe McNeely.

Calf Classes

Heifer, born on or after 1/3/21 – 1, Fleming Family, Potterswalls Victorious Season by River Valley Victorious ET.

Heifer, born between 1/12/20 and 28/2/21 – 1, Fleming Family, Potterswalls Devinci Cash by Grazeland Lemonhead Devinci; 2, Jack King, Kirkinriola Craze Thistle by River Valley Circus Craze ET.

Heifer, born between 1/9/20 and 30/11/20 – 1, George and David Simpson, Damm Video Ruby by St Lo Video ET; 2, Clandeboye Estate, Clandeboye Everest Evita by Clandeboye Tequila Everest; 3, Fleming Family, Potterswalls Jamie Lady 2 by Guimo Jamie ET; 4, Clive and Joel Richardson, Logan Chrome Chicago ET by River Valley Cece Chrome ET.

Heifer, born between 1/5/20 and 31/8/20 – 1, Will Patton, Potterswalls Joyride Coralie by River Valley Joyride ET.

Heifer, born between 1/1/20 and 30/4/20 – 1, Fleming Family, Potterswalls Engineer Gloria by Enniskillen Engineer 401; 2, Clandeboye Estate, Elite Amazon Primrose by Ansom Amazon P.

Priestland reigns

supreme in Ayrshire

championship

A tremendous event with excellent quality cattle and a high standard of showmanship was how Scottish judge Kevin Lawrie described the Ayrshire entry at the 18th Multi-Breed Dairy Calf Show, held at Dungannon.

There was strong competition in the showmanship section, with brother and sister Jack and Amy King, Kirkinriola Herd, Ballymena, coming head-to-head to claim the champion and reserve awards in the final line-up. Honourable mention went to Katie Gordon from the Grove Herd based at Ballyclare.

The calf classes were also hotly contested, with the coveted Ardmore Trophy for the supreme overall champion awarded to the McLean Family from Bushmills for their home-bred heifer Priestland Superstud Honey.

Born in October 2020, and sired by the home-bred Priestland Superstud, she a daughter of the 2019 RUAS Winter Fair breed champion Sandyford Lucky Honey – one of 10 pedigree Ayrshire cows in the Holstein dominated Priestland Herd.

Judge Kevin Lawrie from the noted Brieryside Ayrshire and Arranview Holstein prefixes, described the supreme overall champion as faultless. “This young heifer has everything I look for in a show winner – power, style, dairyness and great width through the frontend.”

Claiming the day’s reserve championship title were Alan and Leanne Paul from Maghera, who exhibited the seven-month-old heifer Slatabogie Hector Alice. Sired by Biddesden Hector, she is out of the home-bred Slatabogie August Alice.

“This is another lovely feminine calf with great style and dairy strength. She has great presence side-on, but I gave the advantage to the champion for her ability to track well on her back legs.”

The honourable mention award went to Robert and Caroline McConnell’s Beechmount Marie Girl 32, who stood second in her class to the reserve champion. Born in January 2021, she was sired by Pam Ayrs Hawaiian, and is out of the VG87 classified Beechmount Marie Girl 15.

Kevin Lawrie commented: “Another very correct and stylish heifer calf, and certainly one to watch out for in the future.”

The Ulster Ayrshire Cattle Club is indebted to its sponsors for their continued support of the calf show – OB Construction; United Feeds and Farm Wardrobe.

Club secretary Jayne McConnell also expressed her thanks to Kevin Lawrie for giving up his time to officiate in the showring; Michael Taaffe for commentating at the show; and to the Wylie family for the use of its excellent facilities at Dungannon Farmers’ Mart.

Results from the showring

Showmanship

Fullerton Trophy for the champion handler: Jack King. Reserve: Amy King. Honourable Mention: Katie Gordon.

Junior handler, seven-years-old and under – 1, Jaden Farren; 2, Cody Paul.

Intermediate handler, aged 8 to 15-years-old – 1, Jack King; 2, Matthew Gordon; 3, Harry Fleming.

Senior handler, aged 16 to 26-years-old – 1, Amy King; 2, Katie Gordon; 3, Stephanie Farren; 4, Ellen Henderson.

Calf Classes

Ardmore Trophy for the champion calf: McLean Family. Reserve: Alan and Leanne Paul. Honourable Mention: Robert and Caroline McConnell.

Heifer, born on or after 1/3/21 – 1, Robert and Caroline McConnell, Beechmount Sandy Rose 6 by Marbrae Bigtime; 2, Robert and Caroline McConnell, Beechmount Astral 15 by Palmyra Power Remsburg; 3, Drummond Family, Cottown Yellow Rachel by Pie X Yellow; 4, Raymond Stewart, Fortfield Focus Ray by Lyner Oblique Focus.

Heifer, born between 1/12/20 and 28/2/21 – 1, Alan and Leanne Paul, Slatabogie Hector Alice by Biddesden Hector; 2, Robert and Caroline McConnell, Beechmount Marie Girl 32 by Pam Ayrs Hawaiian; 3, Martin King, Kirkinriola Perfector Velma 2 by Ardmore Perfect Outcome; 4, Thomas Gordon, Grove Rosie 63 by Harpersfield Wind in the Willows.

Heifer, born between 1/9/20 and 30/11/20 – 1, McLean Family, Priestland Superstud Honey by Priestland Superstud; 2, Martin King, Kirkinriola Famous Blossom by Hunnington Famous; 3, Drummond Family, Cottown EP Debra by Cottown Emerging Power; 4, Martin King, Kirkinriola Famous Joy by Hunnington Famous.

Heifer, born between 1/5/20 and 31/8/20 – 1, Robert and Caroline McConnell, Beechmount Molly Winks 15 by De La Plaine Blink; 2, Drummond Family, Cottown EP Tina by Cottown Emerging Power; 3, Stewart and Nyree Baxter, Erne Bigtime OPA by Marbrae Bigtime; 4, Robert Fleming, Mossburnhill Gillian 18 by Beechmount Jackal.

Heifer, born between 1/1/20 and 30/4/20 – 1, Robert and Caroline McConnell, Beechmount Sandy Rose 3 by Palmyra Tri-Star Burdette; 2, Robert Fleming, Mossburnhill Rosemary 40 by Cochranes Purity; 3, Stewart and Nyree Baxter, Erne Bigtime Dea 2 by Marbrae Bigtime; 4, Stewart and Nyree Baxter, Erne Challenger Conceit by Willhome Challenger.

r Turn to page 40 for more photographs from Dungannon