Hillockpoll 1 Ivy has shown nothing but potential since her first outing on the 2022 summer show circuit.

Ivy was crowned the FBD National Livestock Show pedigree-registered Hereford female reserve champion in 2022 at the National Hereford Show in Tullamore.

Following this success, she was then sold by breeder Mark Hyland, Co Leitrim, to a new and young breeder, Jack Larkin from Tullamore for €5,000 at the Genetic Gems sale in November 2022.

Jack took to the show circuit with this Norman 1 Laertes daughter in 2023 and won several titles including:

  • Supreme Hereford champion in Trim.
  • Supreme Hereford champion in Nenagh.
  • Reserve Hereford champion in Mullingar.
  • National supreme reserve Hereford champion 2023 in Tullamore.
  • FBD National Livestock Show pedigree-registered Hereford female champion 2023.

    • Hereford champion of the world is a competition organised by PJ Budler and after an online judging process by four Hereford breeders from around the world took place – Hillockpoll 1 Ivy was crowned Miss Europe.

    Hillockpoll 1 Ivy is a Norman 1 Laertes daughter and has just recently had her first calf to Fisher 1 Profile. \ MacGregor Photography

    Following on from this win, Mark and Jack were invited to attend the awards ceremony in Fort Worth, Texas, this week, which was kindly sponsored by Irish Hereford Prime. Ivy calved her first calf on 3 January – a heifer calf by Fisher 1 Profile.

    In a joint statement to the Irish Farmers Journal, Mark and Jack commented: “We’d like to say a massive thanks to PJ Budler for giving us the opportunity to go on this trip.

    “Never did we imagine a Leitrim-bred animal could lead us to Dallas to look at Herefords.”

    Next Gen Hereford news

    The Irish Hereford Breed Society will be bringing a team of four young Hereford breeders to the world Hereford conference in Kansas in the US in October 2025. There is a dedicated young breeders’ competition that will run as part of the conference from 19 to 25 October.

    The society will be running a competition throughout this year to choose a team of four young Hereford breeders to travel to Kansas and compete against Hereford breeders from around the world.

    Contestants will take part in a variety of skills-based events cantered around the US agricultural industry.

    To conclude the competition, the youngsters will participate in a fitting and showmanship competition at the American Royal on 25 October 2025.

    The winners will be crowned at the closing reception.