Results: ‘Very special cow’ wins 2022 RUAS Winter Fair

Canadian judge Pierre Boulet, described his 2022 Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS) Winter Fair interbreed champion as a “very special cow”.

The animal in question is the Jersey fourth calver, Potterswalls Chrome Glamour.

Bred and exhibited by the Fleming family from Seaforde in Co. Down, she gave 8,000L at 6.25% fat and just over 4% protein in her third lactation. Glamour was reserve Jersey breed champion at the 2021 Winter Fair.

She calved down for the fourth time four months ago and is currently giving 37L/day day. Boulet described his interbreed champion as an elite cow.

“She has an excellent mammary system with tremendous feet and legs,” he confirmed.

RUAS Winter Fair

A native of Quebec, the Winter Fair judge milks a selection of Holstein, Jersey and Brown Swiss cows.

The reserve interbreed champion from the event was Sterndale Colt Rae, exhibited by Liam and Sandra Murphy from Co. Carlow.

The sixth calver was also selected as the event’s Holstein champion. She was purchased from the UK’s renowned Sterndale Holstein herd.

Pierre Boulet described the cow as a tremendous example of the Holstein breed with tremendous stature, a fantastic udder, plus great feet and legs.

He specifically highlighted the production ability of the cow. This is the second time that the Murphy family has won the black and white championship at the Winter Fair.

They described the show as the best dairy event of the year.  

A third calving Holstein cow, bred and exhibited by Co. Meath-based John Dowling, was selected as the Winter Fair interbreed championship – honourable mention.

The judge described Baldonnel Soloman Ebony as an excellent young cow with a tremendous future.

Outlook

This year’s Winter Fair attracted tremendous crowds from across the island of Ireland and further afield.

The event is fast-turning into an all-island dairy spectacular with approximately half the cattle breeders and commercial trade stands hailing from the Republic of Ireland.

Despite the significant strengthening of all input costs across the dairy sector over the past 12 months, recent research confirms that farmgate milk returns have increased at rates well above the impact of input cost inflation.

Trade exhibitors at the 2002 RUAS Winter Fair confirmed that they did significant levels of business at the event.

Many of the stands had a strong focus on sustainability and the need to introduce management systems that can and will reduce the carbon footprint of dairy farming businesses.

Results

The full results from the RUAS Winter Fair 2022 are as follows:

• Interbreed champion: Fleming family;
• Reserve interbreed champion: Liam and Sandra Murphy;
• Honourable mention, interbreed championship: John Dowling;
• Interbreed heifer champion: Jones Holsteins and Knowlesmere Holsteins;
• Reserve interbreed heifer champion: Fleming family;
• Honourable mention, interbreed heifer championship:  J and C Richardson;
• Interbreed junior champion: Gary and Isobel Jones;
• Reserve, interbreed junior champion: G and D Simpson;
• Honourable mention, interbreed junior championship: McLean family.

Dairy Shorthorn classes

• Champion: McLean family;
• Reserve: McLean family.

Maiden Heifer class:

1. Sunrise Shorthorns;
2. Sunrise Shorthorns.

Heifer in-milk class

1. McLean family;
2. McLean family.

Best exhibitor-bred animal: McLean family. 

Heifer champion: McLean family.

Junior champion: Sunrise Shorthorns.

Jersey classes

Champion: Fleming family;

Reserve: Fleming family.

Maiden heifer class

1. G and D Simpson;
2. Fleming family.

Heifer in-calf class

1. Fleming family;
2. Fleming family.

Heifer in-milk class

1. Fleming family;
2. J and C Richardson.

Junior cow in-milk class

1. Fleming family;
2. Jack King.

Senior cow in-milk class

1. Fleming family;
2. Lynch family.

Best exhibitor-bred animal: Fleming family.

Heifer champion: Fleming family.

Reserve heifer champion: J and C Richardson.

Junior champion: G and D Simpson.

Reserve Junior champion: Fleming family.

Ayrshire Classes

Champion: Raymond Stewart;

Reserve Champion: Raymond Stewart.

Maiden heifer class

1. McLean family;
2. Baxter, Stewart and Nyree.

Cow in-calf class

1. Raymond Stewart;
2. Baxter, Stewart and Nyree.

Heifer in-milk class

1. Christian Keenan;
2. R and C McConnell.

Cow in-milk class – second lactation

1. Rebecca Bratney and Jay Warden;
2. Christian Keenan.

Cow in-milk class – third or later lactation

1. Raymond Stewart;
2. Sam Wordsworth.

Best exhibitor-bred animal: Raymond Stewart.

Heifer champion: Christian Keenan.

Reserve heifer champion: R and C McConnell.

Junior champion: McLean family.

Reserve Junior Champion: Baxter, Stewart and Nyree.

Holstein classes

Champion: Liam and Sandra Murphy;

Reserve champion: John Dowling.

Heifer class – born or before June 1, 2022 and on or after December 1, 2021

1. S and J McCormick;
2. Ballywalter Dairies.

Heifer class – born or before December 1, 2021 and on or after June 1, 2021

1. Gary and Isobel Jones;
2. Alan and William Paul.

Heifer class – born or before June 1, 2021 and on or after December 1, 2020

1. Hallow Holsteins;
2. Sam and Mark McIntyre.

Junior heifer class

1. Jones Holsteins and Knowlesmere Holsteins;
2. George and Jason Booth.

Intermediate heifer class

1. Hallow Holsteins;
2. S and J McCormick.

Senior heifer class

1. Henry and McIlhatton;
2. Henry and McIlhatton.

Cow in-milk class – two calvings

1. S and J McCormick;
2. J and C Richardson.

Cow in-milk class – two calvings (B)

1. Hallow Holsteins;
2. George and Jason Booth.

Cow in-milk class – three calvings

1. John Dowling;
2. Hallow Holsteins.

Cow in-milk class – four or more calvings

1. Liam and Sandra Murphy;
2. Simon Haffey.

Best exhibitor-bred animal: John Dowling.

Heifer champion: Jones Holsteins and Knowlesmere Holsteins.

Reserve heifer champion: Hallow Holsteins.

Junior champion: Gary and Isobel Jones.

Reserve junior champion: William and Alan Paul.

Showmanship classes

Junior handlers class

1. Kate Jones;
2. Niamh Murphy.

Intermediate handlers class

1. Will Jones;
2. Ava Montgomery.

Senior handlers class

1. Holly Keenan;
2. Sarah Williamson.

Mature handlers class

1. Alexander Tinney;
2. Amy King.