The highlight of the day at the 80th annual Tinahely Show was the €6,000 FBD Pedigree Belgian Blue Calf Championships. Andy Ryder from the British Blue Society had the task of judging, which consisted of four classes.

The All-Ireland bull calf born after 1 September 2014 was won by David and Scott Pearson, Ballacolla, Co Laois, with Boherard Index. This super Attribut-sired calf was interbreed calf champion at the Ossory show the previous Sunday.

Reserve spot in this class went to the champion’s full brother Boherard iPad, again from David Pearson.

All-Ireland heifer calf born after 1 September 2014 went to Billy Dunne, Errill, Co Laois, with Errill Incredible, sired by Empire.

Reserve spot went to Richard and Fidelma Stanley, Bandon, Co Cork, with their Harisson-sired heifer calf Villablue Iona.

All-Ireland junior bull calf again went to David Pearson with his January-born Winston-sired calf Boherard Jackey.

Reserve spot went to Melvin Masterson, Enniscorthy, with Boroside Jones.

All-Ireland junior heifer calf went to Tommy Fitzgerald, Clonaslee, Co Laois, with his super Dynamite calf, Heatherview Joy.

Reserve All-Ireland went to Liam Lynch, Mountmellick, with Kilmainham Jessie.

In the senior Belgian Blue classes, both champion and reserve champion went to David Pearson with Boherard Hanky Panky and Boherard Hannibal consecutively.

Charolais

In the Charolais section, Gene McCann put Martin Ryan’s cow, Goldstar Ellie, forward as breed champion, before Trevor Masterson tapped her forward as interbreed champion. This exceptional six-year-old cow is sired by Caramel.

Limousin

Limousin champion went to Dan Tynan’s Elite Janette. This heifer, born in March 2014, is sired by Vantastic out of a Vision cow.

Angus

In the Angus section, Micheal Barron, The Roar, Co Kilkenny, took home overall champion and then went on to take reserve interbreed champion with his outstanding heifer, Ashtown Katie.

Simmental

In the Simmental ring, overall and reserve champion went to Garrett Behan, Co Laois, with Clonagh Absolutely Fabulous and First Class consecutively.

Commercial

In the commercial section, supreme champion went to Robert and Mark McGivern with Dynamite Dougie. In reserve overall spot was Maxwell Brothers, Castlerea, Co Roscommon.

The €1,300 super calf championship was won by Marie McCormack with her BBX calf Dawn.

The Derek Rothwell Memorial Young Stockperson 2015

The final class of the day was perhaps the most hotly contested, with 30 young handlers competing for the Derek Rothwell Memorial Young Stockperson 2015 award. Ann-Maree Manly and Trevor Masterson had the tough job of judging this class.

Champion went to Pauric Coleman, who expertly showed Liam Murphy’s Holstein calf.

In reserve spot was Mark Hurley from the Clonpaddin herd, who flawlessly showed his calf.

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Record attendance and farmhouse food prizes at Tinahely Show