The champion of champions honour in the International Online Irish Moiled show went to the 3-year-old, second calver cow, Burren Princess Pandora exhibited by N & M Moilies (Nigel Edwards and Michelle McCauley) of Dungannon, Co. Tyrone.
Princess Pandora is classified at VG89 points, the maximum points a second-calver can achieve and is sired by Castledale Maurice EX94 bred by Gordon Stockdale and out of Curraghnakeely Pandora 7th EX94 bred by Nigel Edwards.
Judging the classes in both the haltered section and the non-haltered section was Irish Moiled breeder, Sally Crowe from Keiss, Scotland.
With well over 100 entries in total, which equated to the mass number of 318 photographs and 112 videos, Sally had the task of picking her top animals in each of the classes which then went to public vote on Facebook.
A two-horse race
The haltered section was to see the public’s final vote go mainly towards two animals in the senior category. Two outstanding animals in the breed both with maximum classification points for their age went head-to-head in what was a show full of quality animals.
It was a two-horse race with the tremendous stock bull belonging to Brian O’Kane of Martinstown, Co. Antrim, Woodbine Casper EX97, who demonstrates width, muscle, and power, with great locomotion for a senior bull against the young 3-year-old, 2nd calver cow belonging to N&M Moilies, Burren Princess Pandora VG89, a cow full of breed character oozing power with femineity.
It ended up a tiebreaker between the two animals and Crowe decided that both animals duly deserved to go through to the champion of champions to meet the overall champion of the non-haltered section.
Non-haltered
The non-haltered section was straightforward with the young homebred cow of Sam Smiley of Ballynahinch, Co. Down, Glassdrummond Cherry 116 (M1) EX92 with an excellent mammary, conformation, and locomotion, who caught the eye of all the public voting.
In the final championship, she was consistently placed 1st by everyone who voted.
Reserve champion in the non-haltered section went to the homebred yearling heifer of Nigel Edwards of Tempo, Co. Fermanagh, Curraghnakeely Sylvia 0594, a typically coloured heifer who had a lovely presence and again full of breed character and power.
Champion of champions
The final day of online voting was certainly intense between the champion of champions line up of Burren Princess Pandora, Woodbine Casper and Glassdrummond Cherry 116 (M1).
At the end of the voting time, it was a close call between Burren Princess Pandora and Woodbine Casper.
The final count, using the points system, calculated that the champion of champions title went to Burren Princess Pandora, closely followed by Woodbine Casper taking the reserve champion of champions title with second to reserve champion going to Glassdrummond Cherry 116 (M1).
The winner of this year’s novice section went to Robert McKelvey of Castlederg, Co. Tyrone with his eye-catching stock bull Beauty Hill Jameson with reserve champion novice going to Dermot McGeady of Derry City, Co. Derry/Londonderry with Dring Cu Chulain a young bull with a promising future.
Spokesperson comments
According to a spokesperson for the society, “this year’s show had ten new breeders enter the online competition with beautifully presented cattle”.
The spokesperson continued: “Huge praise was given by the judge to the two young handlers who entered the show.”
“Olivia Haywood represented the GB constituency with a lovely junior heifer and Dermot McGeady Jnr represented the NI constituency with a junior bull,” the spokesperson commented.
On behalf of the Irish Moiled Cattle Society, chairperson, Michelle McCauley, thanked Sally for all her hard work, judging, editing, and promoting the show each evening on Facebook.
Full list of results with commentary from the judge to follow on www.thatsfarming.com…
