Co Down cow takes the honours at a competitive Antrim Show
Antrim Show traditionally hosts the final of the Northern Ireland Shows Association (NISA) Dairy Cow of the Year Championship.
The event represents a unique opportunity to profile the performance of Northern Ireland’s best dairy cows during the mid-summer period.
This year’s championship has surpassed itself with regard to the quality of the cows taking part.
But at the end of the day, it was up to the judge – Canadian native and dairy classifier of note, Lynden Bustard, to tap out his champion.
He chose Potterswalls Bontima Dawn, the elite Jersey cow owned and bred by the Fleming family from Seaforde in Co Down.
The judge characterised his champion as a truly elite Jersey cow.
“It was hard to fault her at all,” he added. “Adding to her attraction is the fact that she has calved five times. So it’s a case of combining fertility with production capacity and true style.”
Mr Bustard continued: “The overall quality of the cows taking part in the championship class was extremely high with any of the cows having the potential to perform well in any dairy class held throughout the UK and beyond.
Meanwhile, the standard of competition in the beef rings at Antrim Show 2025 was equally keen. There was a tremendous entry of cattle scheduled for all the events.
The beef inter-breed championship was won by the tremendous Liomousin cow Deerpark Shakira entered the show ring looking an absolute picture with her bull calf at foot. She was bred and exhibited by the Mulholland family from Co Antrim.
Antrim was the latest in a series of inter-breed titles won by the young cow during 2025. Judge, Cyril Millar, commented; “There was a tremendous entry of cattle entered for all the classes at Antrim this year.
“The winning cow had real show presence. And the fact that she had the calf with her added to the impact.”
The Mulholland family is confirming that Shakira will be retried from the show circuit at the end of the 2025 season. After that, anyone wishing to view the cow can do so on-farm. The cow will be maintained at the very heart of the Mulhollands’ herd breeding plans for the future.
But the winning of the beef inter-breed championship at Antrim turned out to be a very close run thing. Cyril Millar admitted that the Simmental champion and inter-breed reserve is another young cow with a tremendous breeding future.
Ballinalare Farm Nikita entered the show ring with her twin calves at foot. Bred and
exhibited by the Wilson family from outside Newry, she too looked tremendous throughout the day at Castlewellan Show 2025.
The sheep inter-breed championship at Antrim Show 2025 was won by Alastair Gault with an outstanding Texel gimmer.
He commented: “She had previously won Ballymoney’s sheep inter-breed title at the beginning of the summer.
“The plan is to breed from here next year.”
Dye Clark, from Lanark in Scotland, judged the sheep classes at Antrim Show 2025. He
confirmed that his champion had all the attributes of the Texel breed, adding: “The standard of all the sheep taking part in the show was outstanding.”