Rachel White, Breed Promotion and Marketing Officer of the Irish Holstein Friesian Association, reports from National YMA Finals.
The highly anticipated National YMA Finals returned to Cillin Hill Mart, Co. Kilkenny this year on July 25th and July 26th.
This event is the culmination of months of hard work for young dairy enthusiasts around the country and saw a superb display of calves and handlers.
The national finals saw 10 regional YMA (Young Members Association) clubs take part, with handlers and calves qualifying to compete through their regional shows held across June and July.
YMA has evolved over the years to include all young people with a passion for pedigree dairy animals and the larger dairy industry.
Along with the calf and handling competition, there is a clipping competition and an Ag Analysis competition, where teams are posed challenged to present their findings and recommendations on various agricultural concerns and farm management practices.
It is highly encouraging to see young people from all over the country, many not coming from a dairy background or even a farming background, working hard as a team, learning and growing as individuals throughout the course of the few days.
Sponsors:
It’s a testament to the quality and prestige of this event that it has been supported by well-known sponsors FBD Insurance, AgriNet and Volac for the last number of years.
Alison Beattie of Farm Wardrobe also sponsored beautiful belt buckles for the championship winners, with David Clarke Livestock sponsoring the clipping competition and Censortec sponsoring the Ag Analysis competition.
Judges:
Husband and wife duo Colin and Izzy Laird, Blythbridge Herd, Peeblesshire, Scotland were responsible for judging this year’s competition.
The couple, along with Colin’s parents and their children Chloe and Gregor, run a herd of 540 pedigree Holstein Friesian cows and are no strangers to the show ring.
Both have competed extensively in the UK YMA equivalent shows across the pond and have had great success at National Shows all across the UK.
Izzy took charge of the handling classes on Tuesday, she put the handlers through their paces around the ring, also asking questions about calves’ parentage or what element of the calf the handler would like to improve to see how much each handler knew or noticed about their charges.
With large classes to contend with, Izzy took great care to congratulate and constructively critique all handlers, which was greatly appreciated by all and hugely beneficial to all these young people as they continue to improve and gain more experience.
Colin Laird took over judging for the calf classes and expertly got through both the coloured and Holstein classes.
Show proceeedings:
The first day of the show saw a hive of activity in the mart; proceedings kicked off with the clipping competition.
Club members could compete either as individuals or pairs. The competitors then had 90 minutes as an individual or 70 minutes as a pair to fully clip a calf.
The Cork team of Stephen Shannon and Kate Lehane took first place in the team competition with Rachel Corley of the Breffni/Oriel Club winning the individual competition.
While this was taking place, teams were strategizing for the Ag Analysis competition. They were asked to analyse bull daughter performance in herds, make culling decisions for a group of females and select the best candidates for sexed semen in a herd.
This competition has been running for several years and helps young breeders to see how important information and analysis is in making farming decisions.
The Kerry team of Jack Walsh, Muiris Harty and Christopher Heffernan took first place this year.
Cork came out on top in the handling competition with Becky Hynes, the first-place handler in the intermediate class, taking overall champion handler of the show.
The Cork club also had the best performance of any team of handlers and took home the Kildare Friesian Breeders’ Club Perpetual Trophy for Handling.
Rachel Corley, Breffni/Oriel, was tapped out as Reserve Champion Handler and Will Jones, Slaney, completed the final line up as Honourable Mention.
On Wednesday, it was the calves’ time to shine, the show kicked off with coloured breed classes, where we saw exceptional quality Jersey & Brown Swiss calves on display.
Gary & Izzy Jones September born Jersey calf Jones Ferdinand Cupid was crowned Coloured Breed Champion, handled by their son Ted Jones.
Reserve Champion was Rathard Choco Dream D Chalain for Peter & Paula Hynes, handled by daughter Georgina Hynes.
It was a Brown Swiss calf that completed the lineup as Honourable Mention; Rathrone Ifeeling Elli owned by Gerry Flynn and handled by Billy Lloyd.
No less than seven Holstein classes followed with a great showing of animals from across the country.
Following a first placing in the Senior Calf Class Cornboro Denver Lulu took the Champion rosette for Brian Corley, led by daughter Rachel Corley.
Reserve Champion went to Gary & Izzy Jones and Knowlesmere Holsteins with Jones Knowlesmere Skick Poppy led by Paige Galkine. Honorable Mention went to Greenlea Kalo Oceane 1793 owned by Padraic Greenan and handled by Sarah Lyster.
Impressively this show was only Sarah’s second ever outing as a handler – her first being the Brefni/Oriel qualifier show a few weeks ago, also placed first in her novice handling class
Sarah could not have asked for a better first outing to the YMA National Finals! The Breffni/Oriel Club took home the best team of calves’ perpetual trophy.
Chairperson comments
National YMA Chairperson, Sinead O’Sullivan, thanked all the participants and IHFA staff for a successful show.
“For my first National Finals as YMA Chair, I could not be happier with how these few days have gone.”
“We have had a spectacular show of young handlers, and calves, and it is clear to see how much everyone has enjoyed the show.”
“YMA is all about learning to take care of, prepare and handle young calves. It teaches our members how to work as a team and it is where lifelong friends are made.”
“Congratulations to everyone who took part this year and I look forward to having you all back in Cillin Hill for next years show.”
Results
Individual clipping competition:
- 1st: Rachel Corley (Breffni/Oriel)
- 2nd: Will Jones (Slaney)
The Team Clipping Competition:
- 1st: Stephen Shannon + Kate Lehane (Cork)
- 2nd: Hannah Greenan + Zoe Greenan (Breffni/Oriel)
- 3rd: Manus Murphy + Amy Roche (Carlow/Kilkenny)
- 4th: Kate Maunsell + Jennifer Harty (Kerry)
Ag Analysis Competition:
- 1st: Jack Walsh, Christopher Heffernan, Muris Harty (Kerry)
- 2nd: Bane Boal , Megan Boal, Thomas Feeney (Galway)
- 3rd: Aimee O’ Donovan, Emma McNamara, Shane Earner (Limerick/Clare)
Handling Classes:
Novice – A Class
- 1st: Andrea Deane (Cork)
- 2nd: Mary Roche (Carlow/Kilkenny)
- 3rd: Jack Windrum (Breffni/Oriel)
Novice – B Class:
- 1st: Jacque O’Connell (Kerry)
- 2nd: Lenna Freeney (Galway)
- 3rd: Lauren Doran (Galway)
Novice – C Class:
- 1st: Sarah Lyster (Breffni/Oriel)
- 2nd: Luke Porter (Breffni/Oriel)
- 3rd: Lauren O’Toole (Carlow/Kilkenny)
Junior Handler:
- 1st: Georgina Hynes (Cork)
- 2nd: Josephine Kelleher (Cork)
- 3rd: Zoe Greenan (Breffni/Oriel)
Intermediate Handler:
- 1st: Rebecca Hynes (Cork)
- 2nd: Will Jones (Slaney)
- 3rd: Josh Synnot (Slaney)
Senior Handler:
- 1st: Hollie Kennan (Breffin/ Oriel)
- 2nd:Nikki McLoughlin (Kildare)
- 3rd: Hannah Williamson (Breffin/Oriel)
Mature Handler:
- 1st: Rachel Corley (Breffni/Oriel)
- 2nd: Doireann Mulhall (Carlow/Kilkenny)
- 3rd: Andrea Rafferty (Breffni/Oriel)
Handling Championship:
- Champion: Becky Hynes (Cork)
- Reserve Champion: Rachel Corley (Breffni/Oriel)
- Honourable Mention: Will Jones (Slaney)
The Coloured Breed Calf Classes:
Coloured Breed Junior Calf
- 1st: Rathard Choco Dream D Chalain, P Hynes (Cork)
- 2nd: Rathrone Ifeeling Elli, G Flynn (Kildare)
- 3rd: Rathrone Arrow Billi 3, G Flynn (Kildare)
Intermediate Calf Coloured Breed
- 1st: Jones Ferdinand Cupid, G&I Jones (Slaney)
- 2nd: Rathrone Bunby 3 ET, G Flynn (Kildare)
- 3rd: Rathrone Bunny 1 ET, G Flynn (Kildare)
Coloured Breed Senior Calf:
- 1st: Rathard Kasey, P Hynes (Cork)
- 2nd: Tonemace Chrome Urchin, T Cahill (Galway)
Coloured Breed Championship:
- Champion: Jones Ferdinand Cupid, G&I Jones (Slaney)
- Reserve Champion: Rathard Choco Dream D Chalain, P Hynes (Cork)
- Honourable Mention: Rathrone Ifeeling Elli, G Flynn (Kildare)
March Calf:
- 1st: Coolnagree Rager 2167 Banker R, S O’Leary (Slaney)
- 2nd: Lisnalty Charity 3, P Hannan (Limerick/Clare)
- 3rd: Cornboro Hanukkah Charity, B Corley (Breffni/Oriel)
February Calf:
- 1st: Jones Lamda Fame G&I Jones (Slaney)
- 2nd: Jones Knowlesmere Skick Poppy, G&I Jones & Knowlesmere (Slaney)
- 3rd: Greenlea Doc Rhapsody, P Greenan (Breffni Oriel)
Junior Calf:
- 1st: Jones Lambda Jasmine ET, B Allen (Slaney)
- 2nd: Greenlea Doc Tokyo Et, P Greenan (Breffni/Oriel)
- 3rd: Grangecon Shower Red 1895, E McLoughney (Laois/Offaly)
Intermediate Calf:
- 1st: Cornboro Miss Lambda Gold, B Corley (Breffni/Oriel)
- 2nd: Hallow Alligator Carmen, P Jones (Slaney)
- 3rd: Croagh Susie Mist 260, E&P Kennelly (Kerry)
Senior Calf:
- 1st: Cornboro Denver Lulu, B Corley, Breffni Oriel
- 2nd: Greenlea Kalo Oceane 1793, P Greenan, Breffni Oriel
- 3rd: Jones Chief Jay Z, P & P Hynes, Cork
Intermediate Calf:
- 1st: Cornboro Miss Lambda Gold, B Corley (Breffni/Oriel)
- 2nd: Hallow Alligator Carmen, P Jones (Slaney)
- 3rd: Croagh Susie Mist 260, E&P Kennelly (Kerry)
Summer Yearling:
- 1st: Jones Knowlesmere B Prosecco Jones & Hullcrest Holsteins (Slaney)
- 2nd: Sprucegrove Crushabull Sirtea, Keypoint & Mirah Holsteins (Galway)
- 3rd: Danville Crush Et Fame 3323, J&M Mulhall (Carlow/Kilkenny)
Mature Calf:
- 1st: Knockbrown Haniko Rosary, D O’Sullivan (Cork)
- 2nd: Cornboro Denver Ada, B Corley (Breffni/Oriel)
- 3rd: Hilltara Diamondback Clevage, P Jones (Slaney)
Calf Championship:
- Champion: Cornboro Denver Lulu, Brian Corley, (Breffni/Oriel)
- Reserve Champion: Jones Lamda Fame G&I Jones (Slaney)
- Honourable Mention: Greenlea Kalo Oceane 1793, Padraic Greenan, (Breffni/Oriel)
