Solpoll 1 Powerhouse from John and William Mc Mordie sold for 5,100 guineas at the Hereford Association’s Premier Show and Sale in Dungannon.
Hereford bulls topped the trade at last weeks Native Breeds sale in Dungannon. The top call of 5,100 guineas was paid for Solpoll 1 Powerhouse from father and son partnership, William and John Mc Mordie from Ballygowan. Sired by the Danish born Moeskar Mentos, Powerhouse boasted outstanding performance figures for both growth and muscle and is eligible for the Superior Carcass Sire incentive funded by the Hereford Cattle Society. He joins a newly established suckler beef enterprise in Co Londonderry.
Annaghbeg Eli sold for 3,500 guineas for Mark Moore from Aughnacloy.
It was a good day at the office for Mark and Lawrence Moore from Aughnacloy – selling at 3,500 guineas for Annaghbeg Eli – a well-muscled son of Guteragh Gladiator.
The Supreme Champion at the Premier Show and Sale of Hereford bulls was exhibited by Henry Richmond and went on to sell for 3,000 guineas.
Pick of the bunch for judge Michael Molloy was Mervyn and Henry Richmond’s Corraback Lenny who took the red rosette in the intermediate class before going on to win the Supreme Championship. This is another good son of the very successful Mara Flook and he was much admired when displayed on the Hereford Breeders stand at the recent RUAS Winter Fair. He sold for 3,000 guineas.
Jack Wilson with his the overall reserve champion Lisrace Lumberjack 21st, selling for 2,900 guineas.
Stars of televisions Rare Breed, David Wilson and sons Jack and Robbie were among the successful sellers making 2,900 for their reserve champion Lisrace Lumberjack 21st – a stylish bull with strong EBV’s for growth rate and calving ease while Lisrace Loyalist 19th for the same herd sold for 2,600 guineas.
The average price for 11 bulls sold was a healthy £2,825. Hereford Association chairman Adrian Irvine was delighted with the demand – “I think we had a lot of good bulls on offer with power and quality and this is reflected in the prices with both top price and the average significantly better than last year”. “ We’ll be back with another strong line-up on 23rd April for the Association’s Spring Show and Sale said Adrian”.
Hereford judge Michael Molloy ponders on another difficult decisions at the Native Breeds Sale in Dungannon.
Some of the quality females which earned second place in the UK herds competition for John Conlon.
At this time of year local Hereford Breeders are focussed on preparations for one of the big events on the Hereford calendar – the Premier Show and Sale in Dungannon mart . This is the major sale for the Hereford Breeders Association and offers the biggest and best selection of young Hereford sires each year. With just over a week to go to the big event, – bulls have been washed, haltered and are being trained to present themselves to good advantage in the show ring. With 31 bulls catalogued, Association Chairman, Adrian Irvine is pleased with the entry – “ Our breeders are responding to the increased demand for Hereford bulls. We have seen a 300% increase in the numbers of Hereford sired calves born in the province since 2010 and the throughput of the Hereford beef schemes has increased by 400% over the same period. This is driving the growth in popularity of the breed as a terminal sire in commercial beef and dairy herds and our breeders are stepping up to the challenge – producing more good, growthy bulls to meet the demand.” This year’s offering includes some stars of the 2018 show season – plus many which have impressive performance figures as well as distinguished pedigrees behind them. Four of the bulls catalogued are eligible for the Hereford Society’s Superior Carcass incentive. These are bulls which demonstrate exceptional performance in terms of growth and carcass traits, measured through the breeds recording scheme and purchasers can claim £5 per calf ( up to 100 calves ) from the Society on their progeny. The pre-sale weighing and a thorough veterinary inspection ensures that all bulls are up to breed standard for growth and are sound, functional breeding animals. “Many of the long established herds are represented in the line-up but the resurgence of interest in the Hereford has brought an influx of new breeders and some of them are staking their claim to be major influencers of the breed in the future” says Adrian.
Cill Cormack Nevada, judged best stock bull in the Northern Ireland Herds competition. Herd Sire at John Conlon’s Drumatee Herd
One such breeder is John Conlon from Markethill who is consigning two bulls to the sale. John purchased his first Hereford just eight years ago and his Drumatee herd has been developed with the addition of some of the best bloodlines from across the British Isles. The herd has enjoyed considerable success – winning the Northern Ireland herd competition in 2018 and going on to take second place in the competition for best Hereford herd in the UK.
A young bull calf with its mother in the Drumatee herd near Markethill.
Food is big business and the current fascination with cookery programs and celebrity chefshas created a much greater awareness of the provenance of what we eat. Quality is recognised and products and brands which can deliverthat special taste factor can command substantial premiums.
Hereford beef is such a product and the success of the breed in recent years has been built on delivery of a consistently superior eating experience and the growing recognition of the Hereford brand by quality conscious consumers.
Northern Ireland farmers usingregisteredHereford sires arealreadysharing premiums of well over £1.5millioneach yearin terms of the bonuses paid by the various retailschemes.
This representsagreatopportunity for local beef producers to cash in on asupply chain which can deliver significantly better returns from their beef enterprise.
Farmers using Hereford sires have discovered that the better beef price is only part of the story however. The natural feed efficiency and ease of fleshing of the Hereford cross means that cattle will reach slaughtercondition earlier and with less expensive feed than continental bred cattle.
This means a shorter finishing period and lower feed rates, resulting ina much more efficient system and major cost reductions.
For producers this combination of low input costs and higher prices for the end product represents a “win – win” and makes the Hereford the natural choice for crossing in either beef or dairy herds.
Bulls on offer
This years’ Premier Show and Sale of Hereford bullshas been scheduled for Tuesday 12thFebruary.This event, organised bythe local Hereford Breeders Associationin conjunction with the Native Breeds sale in Dungannon Farmers Mart, again offers the largest selection of young Hereford sires in the province. Quality is guaranteed by the pre-sale veterinary inspection and weighing to ensure performance is up to breed standard. The event is recognised as an official sale by the Hereford Cattle Society and the entries are DNA tested to prove parentage and freedom from genetic defects. All entries are BVD vaccinatedand the health status of the herd will be displayed in the catalogue and at the sale.
Catalogues are available from Dungannon Farmers Mart and can be viewed on the Hereford Society website –www.herefordcattle.org
The December Show and Sale of Herefords at the Native Breeds sale in Dungannon took place on the 4th.
Winter trade resulted in 7 bulls selling for an average of £2385 with females averaging £1450.
Judge John Blackburn’s Champion on the day went to a bull bred by Ivan Elliot which sold on the day for 2200 Guineas to G Forsythe, Ballymully 1 Barcley who was out of Solpoll 1 Dynamite and Solpoll Starlet L9.
Ivan Elliott’s Champion Ballymully 1 Barclay
The two top prices went to J&W McMordie with Solpoll 1 Partner going under the hammer at 3100 Guineas to Roy Ferguson and Picasso an ET son of Panmure 1 Henry and Dorepoll R51 Duchess 525 who took reserve champion in the show ring at 2500 Guineas to WJ Martin.
Reserve Champion Solpoll 1 Picasso
The associations next Premier show and sale will be on Tuesday 12th February 2019 at Dungannon Farmers Mart.
The cream of the Northern Ireland Hereford Association Calves turned out in force to attend this years NIHBA UNITED Feeds Calf show at Dungannon. Richard Edwards from the UK had the task of judging. Richard who has spent his life around Herefords, is a well known Cattle fitter and hoof trimmer also follows in the footsteps of his father Steve in judging such events.
Senior and supreme Male Champion Solpoll 1 Rival owned and bred by J&W McMordie
Leading the way in the Male section was 2 Moeskaer Upgrade sons with judge Richard Edwards awarding Male Champion to Solpoll 1 Rival, a September born calf whose dam is by Henry and out of a Dynamite cow. This is the fourth successive year the herd has claimed this award. Reserve Male went to Solpoll 1 Rudolph who was born on Christmas day out of a Dynamite dam and won the second bull calf class.
Solpoll 1 Rudolph reserve Supreme an senior Male Champion from J&W McMordie
Standing Reserve in the Junior Male Championship was the winner of the January & February class Solpoll 1 Real Good, an ET son of NBG 697 The Wonderer and a daughter of Solpoll 1 Dainty N11 whose full brother Pounder sold to AI Services at 11 months old. To top the day off Rudolph and Real Good teamed up to win the pairs in a very big class.
Drumgold 1 Finn Junior Male Champion owned by Peter Collins
Peter Collins took the Junior Male Champion with Drumgold Finn with other class wins going to Mark Moore’s Annaghbeg Fernando on the day.
Supreme female and junior female Champion Drumshambo 1 Journey owned and bred by Gerry and Ethan Small
Females on the day where led by the junior Champion Drumshambo 1 Journey, the eye catching junior female shone on the day for Ethan and Gerry Small of Randalstown. This is the second success for the family as they claimed Junior Bull last year. The home bred Heifer didn’t stop their and went on to take overall female Champion showing that age doesn’t come before beauty and certainly one with future potential.
Reserve Supreme and reserve Junior champion female Lisnaree 1 Ruby owned and bred by Marcus Murdock
Reserve Supreme female and reserve Junior female went to on of the youngest heifers Lisnaree 1 Ruby owned and bred by Marcus Murdock, another young Heifer who was at home when it come to the show ring.
Senior Female Champion Richmount 1 Ruby Royale owned by James Graham and handled by Son Bradley
Senior female went to Richmount 1 Ruby Royale who is owned and bred by James Graham, a female who is not unfamiliar to winning was crowned junior female Champion at the National show in Omagh this year. Ciaran Kerr’s Heifer Kinnego 1 Rainbow showed her colours to take the reserve Senior female back to Lurgan for the family.
Kinnego 1 Rainbow owned and bred by Ciaran Kerr took reserve Senior heifer
Richard’s partner Emma Smith who runs the National Hereford Youth team judged the young handlers on the day, again Emma who has been with Cattle all her life scrutinised the young handlers to award the overall to Ethan Carey-Small.
Ethan Carey-Small who took overall Junior Handler with judge Emma Smith
Results
Supreme Male Champion
Solpoll 1 Rival J&W McMordie
Reserve Supreme Male
Solpoll 1 Rudolph J&W McMordie
Supreme Female Champion
Drumshambo 1 Journey J&G Small
Reserve Supreme Female
Lisnaree 1 Ruby Marcus Murdock
Senior Male Champion
Solpoll 1 Rival J&W McMordie
Reserve Senior Male
Solpoll 1 Rudolph J&W McMordie
Senior Female Champion
Richmount 1 Ruby Royale James Graham
Reserve Junior Male
Solpoll 1 Real Good J&W McMordie
Junior Female Champion
Drumshambo 1 Journey J&G Small
Reserve Junior Female
Lisnaree 1 Ruby Marcus Murdock
Young Handle Champion
Ethan Small
Class 1 Bull Calf born 1/9/17-31/10/17
1) Solpoll 1 Rival J&W Mcmordie
2) Richmount 1 Red Rock James Graham
3) Kinnego 1 Rocket Man Ciaran Kerr
4) Nancy Beckham T Morton
5) Mountview 1 Genesis T&S Andrews
6) Richmount 1 Rockafella James Graham
Class 2 Bull born 1/11/17-31/12/17
1) Solpoll 1 Rudolph J&W Mcmordie
2) Holestone 1 Parapet Brian Mawhinney
Class 3 Bull born 1/1/28-28/2/18
1) Solpoll 1 Real Good J&W McMordie
2) Annaghbeg 1 Felix Mark Moore
3) Tamnabrady 1 General Derek McCrea
4) Castlepoll 1 Henry C&M Beatty
Class 4 Bull born 1/3/18-30/4/18
1) Drumgold 1 Finn Peter Collins
2) Kinnego 1 Rolex Ciaran Kerr
3) Annaghbeg 1 Ferdinand Mark Moore
Class 5 Bull born after 1/5/18
1) Annaghbeg Fernando Mark Moore
2) Carneyhill 1 Ribeye J&K Taggart
3) Lisnaree 1 Romeo Marcus Murdock
4) Umgola 1 Challenger Stephen Baxter
5) Nancy 1 Carson G&T Morton
6) Nancy Cooper G&T Morton
Class 6 Female born 1/9/17-31/10/17
1) Kinnego 1 Rainbow Ciaran Kerr
2) Drumshambo 1 Sparkles J&G Small
3) Holestone 1 Sadie Brian Mawhinney
4) Drumshambo 1 Tessa J&G Small
5) Mountview 1 Gelato T&S Andrews
6) Dorepoll 1 Classic Kim JE,RI&W Haire
Class 7 Female born 1/11/17-31/12/17
1) Richmount 1 Ruby Royale James Graham
Class 8 Female born 1/1/17-29/2/17
1) Drumshambo 1 Journey J&G Small
2) Dorepoll 1 Duchess JE,RI&W Haire
3) Richmount 1 Rosemunde James Graham
4) Richmount 1 Radio Gaga James Graham
5) Castlepoll 1 Molly 4th C&M Beatty
Class 9 Female born 1/3/18-30/4/18
1) Lisnaree 1 Ruby Marcus Murdock
2) Dorepoll 1 Sparkler 665 Stephen Cherry
3) Annaghbeg Flora X Mark Moore
4) Umgola Sabrina 2nd Stephen Baxter
5) Carneyhill 1 Emma 22nd J&K Taggart
Class 10 Female born after 1/5/18
1) Nancy Candie G&T Morton
Class 11 Pairs
1) J&W Mcmordie
2) J&G Small
3) Brian Mawhinney
4) Ciaran Kerr
5) James Graham
6) James Graham
7) Mark Moore
Class 12a Young Handler 12-14
1) Bradley Graham
2) Nathaniel Shaw
3) Jamie Bunting
Class 12b Young Handler 15-18
1) Ethan Small
2) John Andrews
3) Marcus Murdock
4) Corchannia Dorman
5) Emma McCrea
Championship lineup with Trevor Andrews (president) Richard Edwards (judge) and John Gill (Chair)
Jamie Bunting, James Graham, Lindsey McCallister and Bradley Graham. Picture: Cliff Donaldson
Friday 19th October saw 60 members of the NIHBA including their family’s celebrate at the Valley Hotel in Fivemiletown for the Awards Evening to recognise the the Herds who have excelled over the showing year.
Robert Irwin, centre, FarmWeek, guest speaker, with NI Hereford Breeders Association committee members Ivan Haire and Trevor Andrews. Picture: Cliff Donaldson
Guest speaker on the evening was Farm Weeks Editor Robert Irwin who looked back over the last ten years and what was behind the headlines in the farming world and also covered some of the prize winners from a decade ago.
John Gill, chairman of the NI Hereford Breeders’ Association, with Clarence Calderwood, United Feeds, Andrew McMordie, United Feeds, and Trevor Andrews, president of the NI Hereford Breeders’ Association. Picture: Cliff Donaldson
A thank you must go to the sponsors United Feeds and Dunbia who continue to support the NIHBA and make such events possible.
Trevor and Sheevaun Andrews, from Larne. Picture: Cliff Donaldson
The awards throughout the year have been dominated by James Graham and family with his Richmount Herd. On the show circuit he gained the most points with numerous wins at agricultural shows province wide and the National Show held in Omagh. He also picked up Bull of the year and Polled bull with Richmount 1 Peppermint but to name a few. This young bull has bagged James his fourth bull of the year for the Richmount Herd and is off to pastures new as a stock bull.
Andrea and Greer Watson, from Crossgar. Picture: Cliff Donaldson
Other special mentions must go to John Conlon who took the award for overall Herd of the year and also managed to take reserve in the U.K.
John, Helen, Victoria and Andrew McMordie, from Ballygowan. Picture: Cliff Donaldson
Female of the year and Polled female went to Bertie and Greer Watson with Gerry and Ethan Small taking reserve.
Mervin Richmond secured both wins in the Horned and reserve horned female of the year with a joint tie for Glenn Morton and Eamon McCorry taking the Horned Bull of the year.
Michael and Margaret Small, with Mary, Gerry and Ethan Small. Picture: Cliff Donaldson
After such a good year Ethan and Gerry Small lifted the Novice Award along with Ethan securing Young Handler of the year.
Claire and John Conlon, from Markethill. Picture: Cliff Donaldson
Sire of the year went to John & William Mcmordie’s Panmure Henry, a bull that continues to produce show quality stock and prize winners year on year.
NIHBA 2018 Awards
Sales
Wenlock Cup
January Sale Champion J & K Taggart
Omagh Mart Cup
Spring Show & Sale Champion Rurai McKenna
Balmoral Show
Sydney Mawhinney Cup Best Naturally Polled Animal Bred in the UK and The F W McMordie Cup Junior Champion at Balmoral
J & W McMordie
National Show
News Letter Rose Bowl for the Champion at the National Show
James Graham
The Ralston Cup for the best heifer exhibitor bred
James Graham
The Barron Cup for the Junior Female James Graham
Robert Clarke Cup Best Poll exhibitor bred James Graham
The NIHBA Cup for the Calf Champion Ciaran Kerr
The Clow Cup for the best group of three Exhibitor bred
James Graham
Robinson & O’Kane Cup for the Exhibitor gaining the most points
James Graham
Best Young Handler under 18 Ethan Small
Calf Show
Kerridge Cup Female Champion Trevor Andrews
McCaffrey Cup Male Champion J & W McMordie
Christie Cup Champion Young Handler C Dorman
Yearly awards
Bull of the Year Cup
James Graham
The Robert Haire Cup for the Poll Bull of the Year Cup
James Graham
Reserve Bull of the Year & Reserve Poll Bull of the Year
A J Farms Ltd
The TT Simpson Cup for the Horned Bull of the Year
Joint Winners Glen & Tracey Morton & Eamon McCorry
Mountstewart Trophy for the Female of the Year and the H W Coates cup for the Poll Female of the Year
Bertie & Greer Watson
Reserve Female of the Year and reserve Poll Female of the Year
J & G Small
A S O’Connor Cup for the Horned Female of the Year and the Reserve Horned Female of the Year
Mervin Richmond
Ulster Bank Rose Bowl Progeny Pair of the Year
James Graham
Novice Award
J & G Small
Haven Cup Sire of the Year
Panmure 1 Henry J & W McMordie
Cuddy Cup Champion Herds Competition John Conlon
Summer Show Champions
Balmoral J & W McMordie
Ballymena Greer Watson
Lurgan J & G Small
Clogher Valley Mervyn Richmond
Newry & Castlewellan Marcus Murdock
Antrim Armagh Saintfield Omagh Enniskillen
James Graham
Niall Kerr and Ciaran Kerr, from Lurgan. Picture: Cliff Donaldson
