Welsh Judge Praises 2011 Irish National Holstein Show
2011-03-24

A fantastic event with an awesome second calver class was how Welsh judge, Bev Baker, described the 2011 Irish National Holstein Show, held at the Pedigree Sales Arena, Moira.

Sean Reid and Gavin Connaughty, Cookstown Dairy Services, congratulate the Patterson Family, John, Fiona, James and Andrew, on winning the supreme championship with Wiltor Goldwyn Lausine. Included is judge, Bev Baker.

The evening event attracted over 250 spectators and an entry of almost 90 pedigree Holsteins from over 20 exhibitors.

“I’m privileged to have been asked to judge such a wonderful show,” said Mr Baker, owner of the noted 300-cow BB Holstein herd based in the Usk Valley, south east Wales. “The quality of cattle from start to finish has been fantastic, but the second calver class was the highlight of the show. It’s been an honour to judge a class with 15 tremendous animals. Quality and numbers were in abundance, and the top placed animals in each class exhibited extra quality.”

“Holstein NI should be proud of its event, and the breeders are to be congratulated on their achievements. A lot of work has went on behind the scenes, and both my wife, Theresa, and I, have enjoyed the show and the hospitality.”

A popular choice for the supreme championship ribbons, sponsored by Cookstown Dairy Services, was the EX92 Wiltor Goldwyn Lausine owned by veterinary student, James Patterson, whose family own the 120-cow Ballyginniff herd based at Crumlin, County Antrim. Sired by the noted Braedale Goldwyn, and bred from Ridgefield Cousteau Lausine, she calved her third - a bull calf by Duplex - in mid January and is currently giving 55 litres daily.

James Patterson bought this cow at the Stars of Sahara sale in September last year. “I was attracted to her show style, and the fact that she has high components with yields over 5% butterfat and protein to 3.6%. She also has a super pedigree – her dam comes from the famous Canadian-bred Comestar Laurie Shiek family.”

Wiltor Goldwyn Lausine was champion heifer in-milk at the Royal Welsh Show in 2009, and third prize senior three-year-old at the National All Breeds Show in 2010.

The judge described the overall champion as an outstanding individual. “She displays superior quality throughout, and has a super mammary system – high and wide with tremendous veination.”

Claiming the reserve championship award was the much admired Copywood Goldwyn Sara 2 EX90, brought out by the father and son team of Philip and Simon Haffey, Portadown, County Armagh. She was class leader in the hotly contested second calver class. “This is a capacious dairy cow with super depth and sweep of rib,” added Bev Baker.

Also by Goldwyn, she was bred from Copywood KJ Sara 2 EX92, and was purchased privately by the Haffey duo as a six-week-old heifer calf. Copywood Goldwyn Sara 2 EX90 is no stranger to show success, and has never been beaten in her class. She was reserve intermediate heifer champion at the Centenary Causeway Classic in 2009; junior champion at the RUAS Winter Fair in 2009, and reserve interbreed champion at the RUAS Winter Fair in 2010; Reserve All-Britain junior heifer in-milk in 2009; and best overall heifer in Holstein NI’s 2010 Herds Inspection Competition.

She calved at the end of October and peaked at 65 litres per day. Copywood Goldwyn Sara 2 EX90 has contract interest from leading AI companies throughout the world, and has been flushed extensively to bulls such as Shottle, Jasper, Man O Man and Windbrook. She has three Canon Breeze Allen daughters and one Damion daughter milking in the Glasson herd.

Honourable mention in the overall championship line-up went to the senior heifer in-milk class winner, Clandeboye Champion Francesca VG86 owned by Clandeboye Estates based at Bangor, County Down. This was her first outing on the local show circuit. She calved in mid November and is projected to produce 11,500 kilos in her first lactation.

Clandeboye Champion Francesca VG86 also scooped the intermediate championship, sponsored by Genus ABS, and the exhibitor-bred championship, sponsored by Animax. “This animal is a super heifer. She has a high and wide rear udder and is carrying a tremendous volume of milk,” explained the judge.

The reserve intermediate championship and reserve exhibitor-bred championship went to Hilltara Bolivia Dawn, the junior heifer in-milk class winner, shown by the father and son team of Sam and John McCormick, Bangor, County Down – three times winner of Holstein NI’s Premier Herd award.

Honourable mention in the intermediate line-up was the second prize winning junior heifer-in-milk, Derrydorragh Shottle Kimo, owned by Gareth Smyth from Cloughmills, County Antrim.

The junior championship, sponsored by McLarnon Feeds, was won by first-time exhibitor, Neal Pepper from Dromore, County Down. He exhibited the in-calf Braedale Goldwyn daughter, Sahara Goldwyn Ambrosia 4 ET – purchased last year at the Stars of Sahara sale.

“The junior winner oozes dairy strength and is one to watch out for in the future.”

David Wilson, Newtownabbey, scored a double in the junior championship line-up, taking both the reserve and honourable mention awards with home-bred heifers. The reserve champion was Gravelhill Auntie Nell, a May 2009 born daughter of the home-bred sire, Gravelhill Correspondent. Taking the honourable mention was the Glen Valley BW Captain daughter, Gravelhill Glen-Lyn.

Sam and John McCormick claimed the premier breeder and premier exhibitor awards, sponsored by John Thompson and Sons.

Holstein NI chairman, John Patterson said:”I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who supported of the 2011 Irish National Holstein Show. A special word of thanks to our judge, Bev Baker, and to our valued sponsors, without whom this event would not have been possible.

“Thanks also to our commentator, Michael Taaffe; Northern Bank, who supplied caps for the exhibitors; and to Tom Leeman who provided the backing music for the show.

The event boasted a total prize fund of almost £4,700 and sponsors included: Cookstown Dairy Services, Genus ABS, Animax, McLarnon Feeds, Volac, FT Products, Tulivin Laboratories, Trouw Nutrition, Global Genetics Ltd, Moore Animal Feeds, Sloan Sawdust, FarmGate Nutrition, SC Feeds, Trioliet, Clandeboye Yoghurt, Crystalyx, John Thompson and Sons and Northern Bank.

For full round-up of pictures from the event log on to www.holstein-ni.co.uk

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