Simmental Finalists Crowned at Enniskillen
2012-08-10

An excellent show with some very strong classes was how County Cork judge Peter O’Connell described the Simmental entry at Enniskillen Show.

The female and supreme overall Simmental champion was Lisglass Clover 2nd, bred by Leslie and Christopher Weatherup, Ballyclare.

Mr O’Connell who runs the 40-cow Raceview herd based at Mallow, awarded the female and supreme overall championship ribbons to the January 2011 born Lisglass Clover 2^nd, bred and exhibited by the father and son team of Leslie and Christopher Weatherup, Ballyclare, County Antrim.

Sired by the 10,000gns Slimero Victory 2^nd – reserve intermediate champion at Perth in February 2009, she is bred from Kilbride Farm Eunice 36S, a daughter of the 12,000gns Dovefields Gallant.

“I loved the champion from the minute I saw her. She has it all from head to tail, exceptional confirmation, style, character, femininity, and super legs and feet. This heifer is a fine prospect for the future, “ said Peter O’Connell.

“The champion came from a strong class of nine junior heifers. There were plenty of choose from, but the top three were all very special.”

Adrian Richardson, Maguiresbridge, exhibited the junior Simmental bull Cleenagh Cannon, winner of the DANI Rosebowl, male championship and reserve supreme championship.

Claiming the day’s male and reserve supreme championship awards was the junior bull class winner Cleenagh Cannon, a fourteen-month-old Omorga Volvo son bred by Adrian Richardson from Maguiresbridge, County Fermanagh.

“The junior bull class was also well supported with eight entries on show, but the class winner stood out. He is a stylish bull with a modern carcase, and walked out well on the day,” explained Peter O’Connell.

The second prize winning junior bull, Drumlone Convoy, by Omorga Volvo, scooped the reserve male championship ribbons for Kenny Veitch, Lisbellaw. In the female section the reserve championship award went to Ranfurly Weikel 7^th, an in-calf heifer by the Danish sire Lykke Sirius, bred by David Hazelton, Dungannon.

The County Fermanagh Farming Society event marked the end of a busy show season for members of the Northern Ireland Simmental Club. Breeders travelled the length and breadth of the province to compete for a share of the plaudits, which included the final of the Ivomec Super Simmental Pair of the Year Competition.

Finalists competing for the Ivomec Super Simmental Pair of the Year title had all qualified at various nominated shows throughout the show season.  Seven pairs came under the expert eye of Peter O’Connell, who eventually tapped out Adrian Richardson’s bull and heifer duo, Cleenagh Cannon and Cleenagh Bambi, as the 2012 winners.  These home-bred animals qualified at Armagh Show, and were described by the judge as well presented, and showing great power and conformation.

The runners-up were Coolcran Lady Cara and Coolcran Juliet Cinderella, two junior heifers bred by brothers Paul and Shane McDonald from Tempo, County Fermanagh. They had qualified at Omagh Show.

Traditionally Enniskillen Show hosts the presentation of the Northern Bank’s Male and Female Simmental of the Year Awards.  The competition has been running since 1997, and the winners are determined using a points system which has been running at various nominated shows throughout the summer.

The 2012 male of the year award went to the senior bull Hockenhull Ali Baba, owned by Mike Frazer of the Bruces Hill Cattle Company based at Templepatrick. Sired by Kilbride Farm Newry, he is bred from Hockenhull Deborah 4^th – one of three cows purchased at the Hockenhull dispersal in 2009. He notched up five supreme championship titles, was reserve champion at Clogher Show, and stood first in his class at Enniskillen Show.

Reserve male of the year was Slievenagh Bon Jovi, a  December 2010 born Slievenagh Willem son, owned by new breeder Duncan McDowell from Newtownards, County Down. Bred by Robin and Darla Boyd, Portglenone, he was  reserve champion at Lurgan Show, reserve male champion at Balmoral and Ballymena, and stood second behind Hockenhull Ali Baba at Castlewellan, Clogher and Enniskillen.

Adrian Richardson secured the female of the year award with the home-bred Dripsey Super King daughter Cleenagh Bambi. This November 2010 born heifer made her showring debut at Armagh Show, winning the reserve supreme championship. She was supreme champion at Clogher Show, reserve champion at Omagh Show, female champion at Castlewellan Show, and stood first in her class at Enniskillen.

Claiming the reserve female of the year award was the Weatherup family’s junior heifer Lisglass Clover 2^nd. She was supreme champion at Lurgan and Enniskillen, junior champion at Balmoral, and reserve female champion at Ballymena Show.

NI Simmental Cattle Breeders’ Club chairman Nigel Glasgow congratulated all the prize winners, and thanked them for supporting the breed classes at the provincial shows over the last three months.

“Thanks also to our sponsors, Philip Clarke of Merial Animal Health, and John Henning of Northern Bank, for their continued sponsorship of these prestigious competitions.  

Results from the Simmental section at Enniskillen Show include:

 Specials

Brooke Memorial Cup, for the supreme champion: Leslie and Christopher Weatherup. Reserve: Adrian Richardson.

Auctioneers Perpetual Challenge Cup, for the best bull in show: Adrian Richardson.

DANI Rosebowl for the best weight recorded bull: Adrian Richardson.

Ivomec Super Simmental Pair of the Year: Adrian Richardson. Reserve: Shane and Paul McDonald.

Dale Cup, for the best calf born in 2012, owned and bred by a County Fermanagh exhibitor: Keith Nelson. Reserve: Harold Stubbs.

Classes

Bull calf, born in 2012- 1, John and William McMordie, Ballygowan, Solitude Delboy by Omorga Volvo; 2, Keith Nelson, Rosslea, Scribby Farms Dannyboy by Drumlone Anchor;  3, Keith and William Stubbs, Irvinestown, Rehall Dean 12 by Omorga Regan.

Heifer calf, born in 2012 – 1, John and William McMordie, Solitude Dolce by Omorga Volvo; 2, Harold Stubbs, Lisbellaw, Derrycallaghan Dripsey Star by Derrycallaghan Hamilton; 3, Keith Nelson, Scribby Farms Delight by Omorga Volvo.

Bull or heifer calf, born on or after 01/09/11 – 1, William and Margaret Nelson, Rosslea, Drumacritten Christina by Leeherd Woodstock; 2, Duncan McDowell, Newtownards, Castlemount Chrissy.

Bull, born on or after 01/01/11 – 1, Adrian Richardson, Maguiresbridge, Cleenagh Cannon by Omorga Volvo; 2, Kenneth Veitch, Lisbellaw, Drumlone Convoy by Omorga Volvo; 3, Harold Stubbs, Derrycallaghan Crackerjack by Slimero Victory.

Bull, born on or before 31/12/10 – 1, Bruces Hill Cattle Co, Templepatrick, Hockenhull Ali Baba by Kilbride Farm Newry; 2, Duncan McDowell, Slievenagh Bon Jovi by Slievenagh Willem.

Heifer, born on or after 01/01/11 – 1, Leslie and Christopher Weatherup, Ballyclare, Lisglass Clover 2^nd by Slimero Victory; 2, Shane and Paul McDonald, Tempo, Coolcran Juliet Cinderella by Glenturk Rolex; 3, Shane and Paul McDonald, Coolcran Lady Cara by Kilbride Farm Newry.

Heifer, born between 01/07/10 and 31/12/10 – 1, Adrian Richardson, Cleenagh Bambi by Dripsey Super King.

Heifer, born between 01/01/10 and 30/06/10 – 1, David Hazelton, Dungannon, Ranfurly Weikel 7^th by Lykke Sirius; 2, David Hazelton, Ranfurly Weikel 6^th by Raceview King; 3, Mrs Thelma Gorman, Armagh, Woodford Bluebell by Sacombe Edgar.

Cow, born on or before 31/01/09 – 1, Bruces Hill Cattle Company, Hockenhull Natalie 34^th by Dovefields Gallant.

Group of three, property of exhibitor – 1, David Hazelton; 2, Bruces Hill Cattle Company; 3, Keith Nelson.

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