The wet weather on Sunday failed to put a dampener on the spirits of exhibitors and spectators at Nobber Show in Meath where numbers in the cattle section are believed to have more than tripled from last year's event.
With classes to suit all types of cattle, including two very attractive classes for a pedigree calf and a commercial calf with a €2,000 prize money forward for each class, the northeast-based show also boasted the first-ever haltered class for Highland cattle in Ireland.
The task of judging the entire cattle section fell to the hands of Scottish man Andrew Ewing, who had many tough decisions to make.
Top pick
He selected Carrickmore Tina as his top pick, with the plaudits going to brothers Karl and John Connell from Oldcastle, Co Meath.
The September 2022-born pedigree Limousin heifer was sired by Elgin and out of the World Congress champion Baileys Ice Princess. Tina also won the Limousin heifer class, the interbreed heifer class and the Nobber Show pedigree calf championship.
The reserve pedigree championship was won by Michael and Brodie Molloy with their Belgian Blue heifer calf.
Breeders' choice
Nobber Show also hosted one of the first Irish Shows Association breeders' choice traditional four-star or five-star breeding heifer classes of the year, which was won by Noel and Lisa Dowd from Creggs, Co Galway, with their March 2022-born Shorthorn heifer Creaga Una, which was sired by Napolian of Upsall.
Second prize in the breeders' choice was won by Eamon and John McKiernan with their Angus heifer and Michael Bird finished in third with his Hereford heifer.
Commercial
In the commercial classes, the top spot was awarded to Wicklow-based brothers Aaron and Pauric Whelan with their January-born Limousin-cross calf Dream.
Dream was purchased just two weeks ago by the Whelans at the elite commercial heifer sale in Stranorlar, Co Donegal, for €8,600 after being brought forward for sale by Laois man Sean Ramsbottom.
The Wicklow men also stepped up to secure the Nobber Show non-pedigree calf championship.
Sneaking in to scoop the reserve champion title was the father and son duo Pat and Mike Rosengrave from Crusheen, Co Clare, with their October 2022-born Limousin-cross bull calf Bundee, which has already secured one championship and one reserve championship this showing season. This calf was also bred by Sean Ramsbottom.
