PICTURES and RESULTS: Ballymoney Show
The many people gathered around the show rings were provided with a unique opportunity to view a selection of Northern Ireland's elite pedigree livestock taking part in a series of very closely fought competition classes.
Ballymena Holstein breeder Wallace Gregg won the Inter Breed Dairy Championship with his impressive second calver Frosses Goldwyn Primrose.
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Hide AdA home bred cow, she is currently giving 57 litres of milk per day.
The Beef Inter Breed Championship was won by Maghera breeder Gilbert Crawford with his excellent heifer Coolnaslee Countess. Sired by the renowned bull Allanfold Super Scot, she is currently in calf to Goldie's Carnival.
The Sheep Inter Breed title was won by Carnlough breeder Michelle Wright with an excellent Blue Faced Leicester ewe.
Newly-elected Ulster Farmers' Union president John Thompson attended the show on Saturday. He told the News Letter that the event was a tremendous day out for all the family.
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Hide Ad"The excellent weather has helped to attract very large crowds this year," he added.
"Ballymoney Show always attracts an excellent turnout of pedigree cattle and sheep. And this year was no different.
"The show is unique in being organised by members of three local Young Farmers' Clubs: Finvoy, Kilraughts and Moycraig.
"And it's wholly down to their tremendous efforts that we have been able to enjoy such an excellent show for so many years."
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Hide AdHowever some sheep producers involved with the show were furious at what they regarded as the totally unacceptable way in which department of agriculture staff interpreted the new EID (Electronic Identification) tagging regulations.
They claim the difficulties which ensued resulted in an almost 30 per cent drop-off in the number of sheep taking part in the competition classes scheduled for Saturday past.
"I am absolutely livid at what happened," leading pedigree beef and sheep breeder Victor Chestnutt told the News Letter.
"My son David manages the sheep and we knew from the middle of last week that our order of EID tags would not arrive in time for the show.
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Hide Ad"I then rang the department of agriculture and asked if they would agree to recognise the fact that so many flock owners are having to wait for weeks to receive their new tag orders.
"I was told this could not be done, so we decided to leave the sheep at home this year.
"But I know that sheep producers coming to the event were met by department officials as they arrived and were advised that flockowners entering the showgrounds with sheep not properly tagged ran the risk of losing a proportion of their single farm payment.
"As a result of this a number of flockowners simply turned and headed back home."
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Hide AdThe Bushmills farmer went on to confirm that he had tried to order the new EID tags back in February but was told then that no manufacturer had, at that stage, been licensed to carry out the printing process.
"Sheep producers are not responsible for the current delays in getting the new tags printed," Victor Chesnutt continued.
"Yet many were left with no option but to either stay away from Ballymoney Show today or, having arrived at the gates, make the decision to turn directly for home because of the total inflexibility shown by department of agriculture staff.
"The reality is that even prior to the introduction of the new EID regulations, adult pedigree sheep were possibly the most comprehensively tagged and documented category of livestock in Northern Ireland. My ewes are already tagged to meet the criteria of the department's previous identification system plus they carry a micro chipped bolus to comply with the Scrapie regulations."
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Hide AdVictor Chesnutt concluded: "Showing is in the blood of every pedigree sheep producer.
"In my own case I attended a past Ballymoney Show three days after undergoing a surgical procedure in hospital.
"Flockowners do not want to break any regulations. It was not their fault that such long delays have been incurred in ordering the new EID tags.
"However, many are deeply annoyed at the way the department of agriculture took such an inflexible approach when it came to determining who could and who could not take part in this year's Ballymoney Show."
Ballymoney Show Results 2010
Supreme Championship - Cattle Section
Champion: Gilbert Crawford
Reserve: Wallace Gregg
Inter Breed Dairy Championship
Champion: Wallace Gregg
Reserve: The Brady Family
McLarnon's Feeds'/NISA Dairy Cow Championships Qualifiers
Wallace Gregg
The Brady Family
Ayrshire Cattle
Champion: J W Suffern
Reserve: J W Suffern
Maiden Heifer:
1st: Irwin Brothers
Heifer in Calf
1st: J W Suffern
2nd: Irwin Brothers
Cow in Calf
1st: Irwin Brothers
Cow in Milk - 3 calves:
1st: J W Suffern
2nd: Irwin Brothers
Cow in Milk – 3 calves
1st: J W Suffern
2nd: Irwin Brothers
Holstein
Champion: W Gregg
Reserve: J D & I D Maybin
Heifer: born after June 1st 2007
1st W Gregg
Heifer: born after June 1st 2008
1st W Gregg
Heifer: born after June 1st 2009
1st M Henry and D McAfee
Cow in Milk – 2 calvings
1st: W Gregg
2nd: JD & ID Mabin
Jersey
Champion: Brady Family
Reserve: Brady Family
Heifer Classes:
1st: Brady Family
2nd: Brady Family
Cow Classes:
1st: Brady Family
2nd: Brady Family
Beef Inter Breed Championship
Champion: Gilbert Crawford
Reserve: Zara Chesnutt
Aberdeen Angus
Bull born after January 1st 2009
1st: A & G Parke
2nd: R J Sufferin
Cow or heifer in calf or in milk
1st: Henderson
Heifer born on or after January 1st 2009
1st: A & G Parke
2nd: R J Sufferin
British Blue
Champion: Zara Chesnutt
Reserve: W J Ervine
Senior Bull
1st: W J Ervine
Junior Bull
1st: A Craig
2nd: Z Chesnutt
Cow or heifer born on or before September 30 2008
1st: Z Chesnutt
2nd: Z Chesnutt
Heifer born after October 1st 2008
1st: W J Ervine
2nd: Z Chesnutt
Animal born after July 1st 2009
1st: W J Ervine
2nd: J M Morrison
British Blonde
Champion: H Griffin
Reserve: F J Mullan
Bull
1st: H Griffin
2nd: W Tomb
Heifer
1st: F J Mullan
Charolais Cattle
Champion: Gilbert Crawford
Reserve: Gilbert Crawford
Senior Bull Classes:
1st: G Crawford
Cow Class
1st: G Crawford
Senior Heifer Class
1st: G Crawford
Bull or heifer born after September 1st 2009
1st: A & G Parke
Hereford
Champion: Michael Lagan
Heifer born on or after September 1st 2009
1st: Michael lagan
Limousin
Champion: R Crawford
Reserve: R Crawford
Cow – any age
1st: R Crawford
2nd: L Campbell
Heifer born after January 1st 2008
1st: L Campbell
2nd: L Campbell
Heifer born after January 1st 2009
1st: R Crawford
2nd: L Campbell
Senior Bull
1st: L Campbell
Junior Bull
1st: L Campbell
Animal born after January 1st 2010
1st: R Crawford
Parthenaise
Champion: D & R Sloan
Reserve: J Nevin
Heifer born after January 1st 2008
1st: D & R Sloan
2nd: S McDonnell
Heifer born after January 1st 2009
1st: J Nevin
2nd: W Tomb
Animal born after June 1st 2009
1st: W Tomb
2nd: D & R Sloan
Senior Bull
1st: D & R Sloan
Simmental Classes
Champion: W A Patterson
Reserve: R Boyd
Heifer born after January 1st 2008
1st: N Smith
Heifer born after January 1st 2009
1st: R Boyd
2nd: N Smith
Animal born after September 1st 2008
1st: R Boyd
2nd: N Smith
Bull Class
1st: W A Patterson
Beef Shorthorn Cattle
Champion: T & K Madden
Reserve: D Alexander
Heifer any age
1st: D Alexander
2nd: T & K Madden
Cow in calf or milk
1st: D Alexander
2nd: T & K Madden
Bull Class
1st: T & K Madden
Sheep Inter Breed Championship
Champion: Michelle Wright
Reserve: M & C Millar
Beltex
Champion: E McAllister
Reserve: E McAllister
Ram, Ewe and Lamb Classes
1st: E McAllister
2nd: E McAllister
Perth Blackface
Champion: R Crawford
Reserve: T Wray
Two Shear Ram
1st: R Crawford
Shearling Ram
1st: T Wray
Ewe any age
1st: R Crawford
Blue Faced Leicester Champion: Michelle Wright
Reserve: J Loughrey
Ram Class
1st: McCormick Bros
Ewe – two years and up
1st: Michelle Wright
Ewe Lamb
1st: J Loughrey
Border Leicester
Champion: I Kennedy
Reserve: I Kennedy
Ram Any Age
1sT H Dickey
Ram Lamb
1st: I Kennedy
Charolais
Champion: W McAllister
Reserve: E & J Gould
Ram Class
1st: E & J Gould
Ewe Lamb
1st: W McAllister
Dorset
Champion: G Cubbitt
Reserve: S Caldwell
Ram Class
1st: T & S Knox
Shearling ewe
1st: S Caldwell
Ewe Lamb
1st: G Cubitt
Grey Faced
Champion: Michelle Wright
Reserve: J Adams
Ewe 2 years and older
1st: J Adams
Ewe Lamb
1st: M Wright
Hampshire Down
Champion: J Wray
Reserve: R Laird
Ewe any age
1st: R Laird
Ewe Lamb
1st: J Wray
Ile De France
Champion: E Adamson
Reserve: Porter & Hyndman
Ram Any Age
1st: E Adamson
Ewe Any Age
1st: Porter & Hyndman
Kerryhill
Champion: D Wylie
Reserve: D Wylie
Ram any age
1st: D Wylie
Ewe Lamb
1sr D Wylie
Mule
Champion: M Elliott
Reserve: McCormick Brothers
Ewe 2 shear and up
1st: M Wright
Ewe Lamb
1st: M Elliott
North Country Cheviott
Champion: A McNeill
Reserve: T McKean
Ram 2 shear and up
1st: T McKean
Ewe Lamb
1st: A McNeill
Rouge De L'oeust
Champion: Pollock & Tannahill
Reserve: Pollock & Tannahill
Ram, Ewe, Lamb Classes
1st: Pollock & Tannahill
Suffock
Champion: R C & J C Watson
Reserve: J McKay
Ram 2 shear and up
1st: P Gurney
Ewe Lamb
1st: J McKay
Zwartbles
Champion: L Campbell
Reserve: S McAllister
Ram Any age
1st: R Elder
Ewe Lamb
1st: L Campbell
Texel
Champion: M & C Millar
Reserve: A Gault
Senior Ewe Class
1st: M & C Millar
Ram Lamb
1st: A Gault
GOAT SECTION
Champion: R Colvin
Reserve: Galbraith Brothers
GOATLING CLASSES
Champion: M Murphy
Reserve: R Colvin