Honouring the cream of Holstein Friesians
There was an impressive geographical spread of winners at the Holstein Friesian Association Awards where some familiar faces also received further recognition, reports
BREEDERS from seven counties stretching from Cork to Donegal shared the top awards when the best Holstein Friesian herds in the country were honoured at the recent Irish Holstein Friesian Association (IHFA) All-Ireland Awards in Portlaoise.
The herd of Philip and Linda Jones at Killowen, Gorey, received a further two championship awards for their outstanding Hallow Advent Twizzle 3 ET, which swept the boards in 2016, winning both the Emerald Expo and Diageo Bailey’s Championships.
The exceptional cow was named the IHFA Champion Mature Cow 2016 and also took the inaugural award of overall IHFA Champion Cow.
IHFA President Alex Bryan presented the awards to Philip at the function at the Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise. Roy Cromie of Carnone, Castlefin, Co Donegal, received two championship awards for Dalevalley Dorman Embrace 2 ET — from the same herd which bred Dalevalle OTI J Lulu.
She was purchased as a heifer in milk by Eugene Murphy and his son Sean from Waterfall in Cork before going on to become Baileys Irish Champion cow in 2011, Reserve in 2012, Honourable Mention in 2013 and Champion again in 2014 as a nine-year-old.
This established a unique achievement and a record that no cow had previously achieved.
The individual champion winners were announced by Charles Gallagher, CEO, IHFA, and the awards — based on the verdicts of 17 IHFA judges — were presented by newly appointed Agri Aware CEO, Deirdre O’Shea.
The IHFA Gold and Diamond Awards were presented by Jim Ryan, Chief Commercial Officer, FBD, sponsors of the awards, to Brian Lyons, Michael Hickey, Tom and James Kelly, Michael McDonald, Richard Hellen, Michael Coleman and Trevor Lockhart.
A Gold Award is presented for a cow who has produced 3,000kg of protein in her lifetime. A Diamond Award is presented for a cow that has produced 3,000kg of protein and is classified excellent on conformation. CHAMPION ALL-IRELAND HEIFER BORN AFTER JAN 1, 2016 Roy Cromie, Carnone, Castlefin, Co Donegal (Dalevalley Dorman Embrace 2 ET) CHAMPION ALL-IRELAND HEIFER BORN BETWEEN JULY 1 AND DECEMBER 31, 2015 Roy Cromie, Carnone, Castlefin, Co Donegal (Dalevalley Dorman Tracey ET) CHAMPION ALL-IRELAND HEIFER BORN BETWEEN JANUARY 1 AND JUNE 30, 2015 Padraic Greenan, Crosshugh, Co Monaghan (Greenlea Stonewall Oceane) CHAMPION ALL-IRELAND HEIFER BORN BETWEEN JANUARY 1 AND DECEMBER 31, 2014 John & Garry Hurley, Ballymoyle, Arklow, Co Wicklow (Clonpaddin Windbrook Fame 2 ET) CHAMPION ALL-IRELAND 3-YEAR-OLD COW IN MILK John Barrett & Sons, Lehenaghmore, Togher, Cork (Laurelmore Wyman Lavender) CHAMPION ALL-IRELAND 4-YEAR-OLD COW IN MILK Boyd/Greenan/O’Neill/Timlin/Moore, Co Monaghan (Drumlina Atwood Megan) CHAMPION ALL-IRELAND MATURE COW IN MILK Philip Jones, Killowen, Gorey, Co Wexford (Hallow Advent Twizzle 3 ET) CHAMPION ALL-IRELAND IRISH PURE FRIESIAN HEIFER IN MILK Bill O’Keeffe, Church Clara, Co Kilkenny (Churchclara Jason Circus) CHAMPION ALL-IRELAND IRISH PURE FRIESIAN COW IN MILK Micheal Spillane, Tullamaine, Fethard, Co Tipperary (Mountain Bounty Dixie ET) CHAMPION IHFA CHAMPION COW 2016: Philip Jones, Killowen, Gorey, Co Wexford (Hallow Advent Twizzle 3 ET)