Next Gen Herefords Youth Competition 2022 continues to be a success!

Next Gen Herefords held their second annual Youth Competition in GVM Tullamore on Friday 18th November as part of the Hereford event incorporating the National Hereford Calf Show & the Genetic Gems.

The weekend kicked off on Friday 18th November with the Next Gen Herefords Youth Competition which saw 42 young handlers competing in three age categories; Junior, Intermediate & Senior. The event incorporated a Young Handlers Competition whereby each young handler showed an animal. The competition was judged by Mr. Sean McEnroe from Liss Angus, Meath. There was also an IMF scanning demo during the evening and an informative talk and demo from local veterinary surgeon; Janet Lewis. Many thanks to the facilitators for giving up their time and sharing their expertise with the groups. Many thanks also to the Deverell family for supplying cattle for the IMF scanning demo.

Competition winners;

Junior:

1st: Aveen Curtin

Judge Sean McEnroe with Aveen Curtin

2nd: Aine Heffernan

Judge Sean McEnroe with Aine Heffernan

3rd: John Cregan

Judge Sean McEnroe with John Creegan

Intermediate:

1st: Saoirse Kenny

Judge Sean McEnroe with Saoirse Kenny

2nd: Clodagh McCaffrey

Judge Sean McEnroe with Clodagh McCaffrey

3rd: Liam O’Reilly

Judge Sean McEnroe with Liam O’Reilly

Senior:

1st: Mark Hyland

Judge Sean McEnroe with Mark Hyland

2nd: Neil Twomey

Judge Sean McEnroe with Neil Twomey

3rd: Brian Duignan

Brian Duignan

Sponsors:

As with all great events there were great sponsors behind this competition. Many thanks are extended to Clippers Ireland who sponsored an Egro Pro Cattle Clippers which was awarded to the Senior first Prize winner and the a Dual Motor Blower which was awarded to first prize winner in the Intermediate section. Clippers Ireland also provided four handy trimmers which were awarded to second and third prize winners in the Intermediate and Senior section.

Another generous sponsor of the event was Animal Farmacy who sponsored three Junior Showkits to the first, second and third prize winners of the Junior group.

To ensure each competitor received a token for participating, each Senior entrant received a voucher for AI Breed Improvement straws, each Intermediate entrant received a Metal Halter and each Junior entrant received merchandise from Farm Wardrobe.

Guess the Weight

There was a Guess the Weight draw held on the night also. Many thanks to Niall & Lisa Daly for providing and weighing two cattle for this activity. There were three separate draws held for the Intermediate group, the Senior group and the General Public.

Congratulations to the winners; Joint Intermediate winners, Tara Drumm & Anna Losty, Senior winner, Kieran Power and Eoghan O’Connor also. Each winner received a nose clip and clipper blades as provided by Clippers Ireland also. The combined weight of the two cattle was 920kgs.

Irish Hereford Charity Calf Rearing Programme

To cap the evening off, there was a parade of Hereford cross calves that are being reared by Hereford breeders across the country in aid of local charities. The calves were a credit to their young handlers as they were in top condition and turned out extremely well. These calves are a great advertisement for what the Hereford cross calf bred from a dairy cow can do for the farmer on the ground. Each of the calves returned home with their rearer after the event where they will be kept until next Autumn and sold in their local marts for their chosen charities. There will be continued updates on the Next Gen Herefords social media channels as the stories of these Hereford cross cattle progress.

Hereford Heifer Raffle

The Next Gen Herefords committee held their raffle at 3pm on Saturday – just ahead of the Genetic Gems Sale.

Congratulations to the winners;

1st Prize: Hereford Heifer donated by Lynch Family – James Thompson

2nd Prize: Balleen Embryo sponsored by Tom Brennan – Tom Eaton

3rd Prize: Dinner for two at FIRE Steakhouse & Bar sponsored by Irish Hereford Prime – Marian O’Herlihy


Thanks to all who supported the raffle and purchased tickets on the day and in the run upto the weekend in Tullamore. Thanks also to the Lynch family of Droumdaniel Herefords, Cork, Tom Brennan of Balleen Herefords & Irish Hereford Prime for sponsoring these amazing prizes. The total amount of money raised from the raffle has been totted up and is a staggering €5300!

The Next Gen Herefords Committee are shocked and humbled by this figure and the amount raised and wish to extend their gratitude and appreciation. Given the large amount of money raised the committee are delighted to make two charitable donations to two very worthy causes; they will be donating €750 to the Air Ambulance Service and €750 to Cancer Research in Ireland. Many thanks again!

National Hereford Calf Show

The following day, Saturday 19th November saw the hosting of the National Hereford Calf Show. This show was hugely supported with 100 calves catalogued and nearly 90 exhibiting on the day. There was good competition across all classes which made for an interesting show for breeders and a tough job for the judges; Mr. Steve Edwards from the UK judged the Pedigree Hereford classes and Mr. Nigel Heatrick from Glaslough Herefords, Monaghan judged the DBI & Commercial class. There was hot contest for the Overall Female and the Overall Male Championship but in the end North Leinster took home both titles. Phil & Catherine Smyth from Meath won the Moocall Senior Female Championship and the Overall Female Championship with Ardmulchan Clover 938. Michael Molloy from Offaly won the Dectomax Junior Hereford Male Champion & the Overall Male Champion with Moyclare Vidal 2.

Supreme Female Champion Ardmulchan Clover 938 with breeder Catherine Smyth & IHBS President Adrian Bateman
Supreme Male Champion: Moylcare Vidal 2 with breeder Michael Molloy, Judge Steve Edwards & IHBs President Adrian Bateman

Genetic Gems

The weekend was closed off with the Genetic Gems sale which saw new records broken as Gouldingpoll 1 Ravette, by Matthew Goulding, sold for €22000 to Cork breeder Kieran Mariga of Lighthouse Herefords. The hammer fell at €11000 for the half share with the breeder and purchaser later agreeing to sell both shares of Ravette for €22000, smashing the 2021 record of €9000. The majority of the lots on the day were sold and there were excellent prices achieved with the average price resting at €6070.

Gouldingpoll 1 Ravette sold for €22000

Thank you to all the volunteers & organisers, to GVM Tullamore for facilitating the event, to the DAFM for facilitating the movement certs, to Willie McElroy for taking the photos, the judges on both days; Mr. Sean McEnroe, Mr. Steve Edwards and Mr. Nigel Heatrick, to John Lynch for facilitating over the weekend, to the Deverell family & Daly family for providing cattle, to all the generous sponsors, to all the exhibitors who attended, to all the spectators, to Irish Hereford Prime for providing vouchers, facilitating cattle for the various activities & also providing practical support during the event and to the Next Gen Herefords Committee for making the youth event happen successfully; Sinead Conry, Catherine Smyth, Michael Barrett & Eoin Lynch!

Congratulations also to all young handlers, calf show exhibitors and sellers and purchasers of the Genetics Gems.

We look forward to hosting more events & activities in the New Year & meeting everyone again soon!

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