Haire family dominates Herefords

With class numbers increasing by 8% on previous years the breed saw just shy of 70 entries which made it one of the most supported breeds at the venue.

“Great quality of cattle in good numbers, well presented and my type of animal, I always look for something that stands out and is that little bit special,” commented Andrew Hughes, a well known stockman and breeder from the UK who had the task of judging on the day.

Ivan Haire and family from Dundrod claimed both Champion male and female on the day with his recently purchased stock Bull Panmure 1 Monster taking the Supreme Championship.

Monster, now just turned two years old, caught Ivan’s eye at a Show and Sale in Hereford back in October. Bred by the Cant family from Scotland who are well known for producing prize winning stock Ivan had to bring him back to Ulster to add to his already prolific Dorepoll herd. His home bred female Dorepoll 1 Catalina 641 who won the Intermediate heifer class went on to claim the overall Female Champion. This heifer comes from one of the most successful lines of breeding for the Haire family to date.

Other victories on the day for the Haire’s were 1st in the senior Bull class with Dorepoll 1 Knighthawk, a Bull who weights in at over 1500kg and a shear crowd pleaser.

Peartree 1 Ed, Reserve Male & Reserve Supreme Champion was bred by first time exhibitor William Connolly from Saintfield. Sired by Solitude 1 Kingdom who was bred by Andrew McMordie, Kingdom previously took Reserve Male Champion at Balmoral in 2014 his dam Solpoll 1 Starlet H10 an ET daughter of the three times Balmoral Champion Solpoll 1 Dynamite and Starlet B10 the 2007 Balmoral Female Champion.

Reserve Female Champion was lifted by Greer Watson with Barnburn 1 Nancy. This stylish Heifer showed great ring presence and was sired by Pinmoor 1 Kingsley who took reserve NI Bull of the Year 2016 and Supreme Bull at The National Show in Enniskillen to mention but a few.

Solpoll 1 National, the Junior Champion bred by John & William McMordie, was sired by the legendary Solpoll 1 Dynamite. This 13 month old bull was previously Junior Champion at the 2016 Pedigree Calf Fair and is considered as one of the best ever bred by the herd.

Reserve Junior Champion went to David Wilson’s Lisrace Lumberjack 18th, previously Junior Champion at the NIHBA calf show in October. He is the first calf out of David’s stock Bull Knockmountagh Master who himself won the ROI calf show 2014 and ROI sale 2015, his dam Lisrace Prettymaid 19th was reserve female champion at Balmoral in 2015 and went on to win female of the year.

Victoria Orr won the Junior Female class which had the largest entry of the day of 14 with her foundation heifer, Rempstone 1 Fashion. Bought at the Designer Genes Sale last December she is a daughter of the best cow in the Remstone herd.

Class results

Overall Supreme Champion: Panmure 1 Monster. JE, RI and W Haire

Overall Reserve Champion: Peartree 1 Ed. William Connolly

Adult Male Champion: Panmure 1 Monster. JE,RI and W Haire

Reserve Adult Male Champion: Peartree 1 Ed. William Connolly

Adult Female Champion: Dorepoll 1 Catalina 641. JE,RI and W Haire

Reserve Adult Female Champion: Barnburn 1 Nancy. Greer Watson

Junior Breed Champion: Solpoll 1 National. J & W McMordie

Reserve Junior Breed Champion: Lisrace Lumberjack 18th. David Wilson

Class 579 Cow or Heifer born before 31/12/14: 1st, Baltimore Orange 449. Coote Geelan; 2nd, Dorepoll 1 Classic Kim. 583 JE, RI & W Haire; 3rd, Lusky 1 Honour. WJ Gill & AJ Weir.

Class 580 Heifer born between 1/1/15 -30/6/15: 1st, Dorepoll 1 Catalina 641. JE,RI & W Haire; 2nd, Barnburn 1 Marigold. Greer Watson; 3rd, Solpoll 1 Starlet M19. J & W McMordie.

Class 581 Heifer born between 1/7/15 - 31/12/15: 1st, Barnburn 1 Nancy. Greer Watson; 2nd, Ballymartin 1 Hazel. Aaron Patterson; 3rd, Solpoll 1 Pansy N7. J & W McMordie

Class 582 Heifer born after 1/1/16: 1st, Rempstone 1 Fashion E430. V Orr & W McMordie; 2nd, Hawkesbury 1 Veronica. Stephen Cherry; 3rd, Dorepoll 1 Tessa 656. JE,RI & W Haire

Class 583 Bull born prior 1/4/15: 1st, Dorepoll 1 Knighthawk. JE,RI & W Haire; 2nd, Pinmoor 1 Kingsley. Greer Watson; 3rd, Mallaghdoopoll 1 Elite. Ciaran Kerr.

Class 584 Bull born after 1/4/15 - 31/12/15: 1st, Panmure 1 Monster. JE,RI & W Haire; 2nd, Peartree 1 Ed. William Connolly; 3rd, Mountview Enzo. Trevor Andrews.

Class 585 Bull born after 1/1/16: 1st, Solpoll 1 National. J & W McMordie; 2nd, Lisrace Lumberjack 18th. David Wilson; 3rd, Annaghbeg Decimus. M&L Moore.

Class 586 Group of three: 1st, J & W McMordie; 2nd, JE,RI & W Haire; 3rd, C Geelan.