January Newsletter 2023

Northern Ireland Charolais Club Suckler herd of the year 2022
CO DOWN FARMER TAKES TOP PLACE
IN SUCKLER HERD COMPETITION.
Overall Champion of Champions
Winning the title NI Suckler Herd
of the Year and a £1000 prize was
awarded to Co Down Farmers Colin
and Laura Maxwell, Clough.
1st place winner for Co Londonderry,
Kevin O’Kane pictured with sponsor
Northern County Co-Op, judge Albert
Connelly, Rachel Mulligan NICC Secretary
and Andrew Dunne NICC PRO.
Co Fermanagh winner, Davy Boles
pictured with sponsor Topstock judge
Albert Connelly, Rachel Mulligan NICC
Secretary and Andrew Dunne.
Overall Winner and 1st place in Co
Down, Colin and Laura Maxwell with
judge Albert Connelly, Rachel Mulligan
NICC Secretary and Andrew Dunne
NICC PRO.
With Charolais taking top prices at
local markets across the province, it’s
no surprise that places were hotly
contested for the title “NI Charolais
Suckler Herd of the Year”. The
competition attracted significant
entries from commercials breeders
across the province. The Northern
Ireland Charolais Club recognises
the importance of producing quality
beef and sought to promote and
demonstrate the strength of a
Charolais sire on the herd. The club
encouraged entries from breeders who
were focused on the promotion of
the best and most sustainable Suckler
Herds in Northern Ireland. With all
herds producing commercial calves
using a Pedigree Charolais Bull.
A special thanks to our judge, Albert
Connelly, who took on the task of
judging the herds. Albert took into
consideration several factors such as
calving pattern, calving return and
carried out an on-farm assessment
before arriving at his decision.
The Northern Ireland Charolais
Club acknowledged that they are
indebted to all their sponsors for
the competition- SAFE, F.S. Heron,
Topstock, Northern County Co-Op,
Nugent Engineering and Bank of
Ireland. Results were announced
at the club show and sale held in
Swatragh Livestock Mart on Friday 4
November 2022 and were awarded as
follows. The results were:
Overall winner and 1 place for Co
Down, sponsored by F.S Heron went to
Colin & Laura Maxwell, Clough. 2 place
for Co Down was Aaron O’Rourke,
Newtownhamilton.
1 place for Co Antrim, sponsored
by Bank of Ireland went to Philip
McConnell, Belfast and 2 place went to
Mark McConnell, Muckamore.
1 place for Co Armagh, sponsored by
SAFE went to Dermott Kennedy & Sons,
Tassagh and 2 place went to Dawayne
Litter, Portadown.
1 place for Co Fermanagh, sponsored
by Topstock went to Davy Boles,
Lisbellaw and 2 place went to David
Henderson, Enniskillen.
1 place for Co Londonderry, sponsored
by Northern County Co-Op went to
Kevin O’Kane, Greysteel and 2 place
went to John Campbell, Swatragh.
1 place for Co Tyrone, sponsored by
Nugent Engineering went to Kieran
Quinn, Strabane and 2 place went to
Richard McIlwaine.
NI Charolais Club will be running their
suckler herd competition again in 2023
and are also looking forward to their
Spring Spectacular show and sale being
held at Clogher Valley Livestock Mart
on Friday the 3 March 2023.
1st place winners for Co Armagh,
Dermott Kennedy & Sons, with judge
Albert Connelly, Rachel Mulligan NICC
Secretary and Andrew Dunne.
Co Tyrone winner, Kieran Quinn, with
sponsors Nugent, judge Albert Connelly,
Rachel Mulligan NICC Secretary and
Andrew Dunne.
Co Antrim winner, Philip McConnell, with judge Albert Connelly, Rachel Mulligan
NICC Secretary and Andrew Dunne.
46
No bull works harder No for bull the works farmer, harder the for plate the and farmer, the planet the plate and the planet