Philip Jones, Hallow Holsteins, continued his winning ways at the RUAS winter fair in Balmoral with Desmond Dundee Embrace securing the supreme interbreed championship.

Topping the over 50,000kg production class, the fifth-calver went on to claim the overall Holstein championship before securing the prestigious supreme championship.

Owned in partnership with Roy Cromie, this was the cow’s second supreme win at the fair, having secured the overall title in 2014. Bred by Martin O’Sullivan, Dundee Embrace was purchased by the pair as a six-month-old calf for the handsome price of €10,200.

Sired by Regancrest Dundee and out of Budjon-JK Durham, the embryo-bred Embrace classed EX94 in her last classification and comes from eight generations of excellent classified dams.

Calved five months and giving 50l, the eight-year-old milked 12,525kg in her last lactation of 4.62% fat and 3.57% protein. Speaking of his champion, judge Paul Trapp from Wisconsin, USA, described it as “a runaway winner with great balance, openness and a perfect udder”.

This marked a great day for the Embrace family line, with Dundee Embrace’s three-year-old daughter Dalevalley GWY Embrace securing the reserve interbreed heifer championship for Dennis O’Neill and David Boyd.

Securing the reserve supreme championship was last year’s overall champion Evergreen Duplex Ebony for Liam Murphy, Co Carlow. This finishes off a great year in the show ring for the Murphy family, with Duplex Ebony also claiming the reserve overall championship at this year’s Baileys cow competition in Virginia.

Another fifth calver, she ranked EX95 in her last classification, with eight generations of EX or VG in the back breeding. Mesland Duplex was the sire behind this one ,with the dam coming in the form of Dalevalley Talent Ebony. Currently giving 48kg, she saw last year’s production hit close to 12,000kg of 3.68% fat and 3.42% protein.

Taking the position of honourable mention was Mr Trapp’s Ayrshire champion Sandyford Honest Blizzard. Owned by Antrim breeders John and Michael Hunter, she was purchased at the Tomlinson family’s dispersal sale for 3,600gns last September. Classifying Ex94, this marks the 12th Ayrshire title for the family. Having calved for the third time only a few days earlier, Honest Blizzard last year gave 9,821kg of 3.97% fat and 3.35% protein.

Interbreed heifer championship

Claiming top spot in both the Holstein heifer championship and the overall interbreed championship was Hilltara Impression Echo from S&J McCormick, Bangor, Co Down. Exhibitor-bred, Impression Echo is sired by Monument Impression and out of homebred dam Hilltara Sanchez Echo. Again, this is a family familiar with success, with Impression Echo’s grandmother winning the overall Holstein champion at the show in 2012. Recently classified VG87 as a two-year-old, the heifer sees six generations of EX dams behind her. Currently giving 42 litres and being exhibited for the first time, the win marks a great start to the two-year-old’s show career.

As previously mentioned, it was Denis O’Neill and David Boyd who secured the reserve interbreed heifer championship with their three-year-old heifer Dalevalley GWY Embrace. Out of the day’s champion, she was sired by Mr Chassity Gold Chip and sees a predicted 305-day yield of 8,809kg of 3.7% fat and 3.38% protein. No stranger to the show ring, GWY Embrace already placed second at the national dairy show held in Millstreet in October.

Jersey

Having calved two weeks previously, Clandeboye Allstar 1 Evita was triumphant in the Jersey ring. Brought out by Clandeboye Estate, this second calver was sired by Sunset Canyon Anthems and out of Paramount Iatola-bred dam Clandeboye Iatola Evita. Classifying VG87, she comes from six generations of VG or EX and claimed the heifer in milk class at Balmoral this year. Having calved two weeks previously, she gave 6,647kg of 5.58% fat and 4% protein.