With the absence of Maud, the Queen of Kings Hall, the outcome of the winner was a much more open affair and with one of the best turn outs of animals forward for many years it was left to Bruce Mode from Ontario, Canada to find the winners. It was great to see the lines full of cows and back to how it used to be.
First class of the day in the Holstein section was for maiden heifers and our judge explained it was a close placing but with a slight advantage in legs and feet and locomotion gave the red ribbon to Clandeboye CCR Rosina from Clandeboye Estates. Second place went to W & J Crawford with Ardmore Lyster Snowdrop.
Heifer in calf winner came from the Crawford’s with Ardmore Royanne Jill who our judge said was an easy winner showing great style, balance and dairy character. Second place went to the Porters from Lisburn with Hayleys Promise 17th.
The Crawford’s with Ardmore CL Pamela led the dry cows. Judge Mode really admired her for her angularity and overall body confirmation. Second place went to Newry Wade Mayflower from the Stevenson family.
Riverdane Champion Boo led junior heifers in milk from B &L Lilburn, and judge Mode explained she was an easy winner. Gaining best udder and showing great rib and dairyness judge explained although she was not the biggest she had lots of class. Second place went to the Halls of Co Down with Kilcote SS Dinah, one of the first September Storm daughters to be shown in milk.
The Haffey brothers led the way in the intermediates with a top class heifer Bricknell Rubens Ethel 3rd who again judge Mode greatly admired. He explained to the ringside which was now standing room only she had the best udder, great bone quality, an excellent top-line and lots of dairy strength. The Crawford’s with Ardmore B/Ruben Jill gained second place.
Senior heifers saw judge Mode taking longer than previous classes to make his mind up but he finally went for the Cleland family’s entry Lecale Capri Sweet giving her best udder. She was cleaner right through and he explained the longer he looked the better he liked her. Hilltara Leduc Starvale from the McCormick’s strong team gained second place for her size and strength.
Sam McCormick claimed the red ribbon in the junior second calver class with Blacksnape Aeroline Jet Appel, a cow praised by judge Mode for her depth of front and rear rib and an udder full of milk. Great to see Ian Montgomery watching this cow he was once part owner of. Second place went to the McCormicks’ with Cumrew Journalist Debra.
The Crawford team came up with another winner in the senior second calf class with Ardmore Lee Jill in another excellent class of cows. Judge Mode explained although not the biggest she was the most correct and had great locomotion and dairy character together with the best udder. Second place went to Hilltara Gibson Maud, a grand daughter of the legionary 97 point Supreme Maud.
The Crawford’s Ardmore Storm Lee fought off a very close placing over Hilltara Mtoto Dawn after long deliberation from Bruce Mode. He told the ringside this was a great class and had difficulty splitting the two top cows. He admired the overall dairy character, locomotion and angularity of his winner but gave best udder to Dawn.
Cows having four calves had an easier winner in another from Hilltara, a winner from previous years and from the Maud family by Storm. Our judge admired the power, scale of body and teat quality of his winner ahead of the Robinsons from Co Down with Cramar Aeroline Faith.
Last class of the day went to the Patterson’s well-known cow Ballycrockan Formation Avice who just had too much scale and power for the great old dairy cow from Seamus Gunn, Ernevale M J Rosina.
A Championship with a ring full of great cows - the best overall for many years - but Denis O Neill was once again at the helm and led Sam McCormick’s Blacksnape Aeroline Jet Appel to victory over William Crawford’s Ardmore Lee Jill just having more strength and power.
Northern Ireland breeders can be proud of the top quality show of cows they put on for a packed ringside with people from all over the UK and Europe.
