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Despite the torrential rain and intermittent sunshine at Bonniconlon Show, exhibitors from all over Ireland waded through the mud to contest some large and high-quality commercial classes on bank holiday Monday.
Commercial cattle
Commercial cattle are one of the biggest attractions every year at the show and it’s no surprise, with numerous all-Ireland titles up for grabs, which all carry substantial prize funds.
Two of the biggest are the baby beef championship and all-Ireland junior commercial calf championship.
John Connell and Arthur Bredin shared the judging duties in the commercial rings.
Arthur was tasked with the junior commercial classes and finally settled on Shane Giltinane’s Belgian Blue-cross-Charolais calf as his winner.
The dam of this young bull calf is a previous commercial champion winner at the National Charolais Show.
Top honours in the senior all-Ireland calf class went to Noel and Lisa Dowd’s Foxy Fella.
Sired by Brutus Hashtag, he is out of a dam by BYU. This guy is no stranger to success and has taken red rosettes at a feast of other shows throughout the summer.
In the Simmental ring, Jennie Aherne judged the VK Agri Simmental crossbred in-calf or maiden national heifer championship. Securing top spot here was Sandra Killoran’s maiden heifer which was purchased at the Ballymote commercial Simmental heifer sale off Declan Oates for €6,750. She was sired by Monaduff Snorter.
In the senior commercial classes, John Connell selected the Flatley brothers’ Limousin-cross heifer Glennaven Jessie by Elite Forever Brill as his champion in the breeding heifer class. Originally bred by Dermot Mullaney, she was purchased at last year’s winter fair in Carrick-on-Shannon for €4,100.
Jessie then went on to win the commercial championship and ended a hugely successful day being crowned the overall champion of the show.
Mohill show to celebrate 90th show
Mohill Agricultural Show committee will host its 90th annual agricultural show day on Sunday 20 August and the committee, under chair Mack Crowe, has a range of exhibit classes for all breeds in the pedigree cattle section. There are classes for Angus, Hereford, Shorthorn, Friesian, Charolais, Limousin, Simmental and Belgian Blue stock, along with a broad range of classes for commercial livestock.
The committee has worked hard down through the decades to develop its pedigree cattle classes and spectators are ensured of a fantastic display of livestock.
In the Angus section, for instance, to commemorate the 90th show, both societies have joined together to sponsor four Angus calf classes with very attractive prize money.
The show will also host a qualifier for the Irish Angus bull calf championship – with the final to be held at Iverk Show the following week 26 August.
The Connaught Perpetual Provincial Trophy presented by the Irish Aberdeen Angus Association will also be judged at this year’s Mohill Show.
The main features of the commercial cattle section will be the special beef animal classes sponsored by Kevin P Kilrane & Co Solicitors, Mohill, and two special classes for non-pedigree heifers and weanlings sponsored by Aurivo.
Entries for Mohill Show must close on Thursday 10 August and if you wish to be part of this historic occasion, contact Mohill Show office today on 071-963 1007, 071-963 6092, 087-205 4746 or 086-871 0215. You can also email mohillshow@gmail.com.
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