National Calf Show 2025

This year, the Irish Hereford Breed Society moved to a new venue to hold their National Calf Show.

Central Auctions Roscrea played host to a great day, with a fantastic display of the Hereford stars of

the future at the 11 th National Calf Show, sponsored by Dovea Genetics, Irish Hereford Prime, AHV

and Young’s Garage Roscrea.

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The judge on the day was Mr. Basil Bothwell, from Co. Cavan. He had a tough job to judge the 10

classes. The junior male championship was awarded to the Drumm family in Co. Westmeath for their

January 2025 bull, Crowenstown Rolex HH. Rolex would later go on to be crowned Overall Male

Champion. Sired by Conmelvin Ollie and out of Grianan Orange A 974, Rolex has 5 stars for docility,

age at finish and carcass conformation.

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Reserve champion junior male was awarded to John & Liam O’Dwyer with their young bull, Scarragh

Rebel ET HH. He went on to stand as reserve overall Male Champion. Rebel is sired by IHBS Breed

Improvement sire, Karoonda Sampson, and is out of a Gageboro Eugenic sired cow, Balleen Cece

781. Rebel has 5 stars for carcass weight, carcass conformation, and daughter’s milk.

The senior male champion tapped forward by Mr. Bothwell was Co. Kilkenny breeder, Thomas

Brennan’s September ’24 bull, Balleen Willdo HH. Willdo is sired by Balleen Getway and is out of a

Ballinveney United 2 sired cow, Balleen Pansy 1266 and sports 5 stars for the Terminal Index (€90)

and DBI (€111).

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The reserve champion senior male went to Co. Roscommon, to the herd of Padraig McGrath. Kye

Paul 070 HH placed second in his class to the Senior Champion. Paul 070 is sired by Balleen Flyer and

out of a Frees Town Hotspur sired cow, Kye Holly 794. Paul also has 5 stars for the Terminal Index

(€79) and DBI (€122). Kye Paul 070 HH also took the honours in the DBI bull class, composed of the

top DBI bulls in the show.

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On the female side, it was the turn of John Appelbe from Co. Cork to take the glory in the senior, and

subsequently supreme female championships with his heifer, Appel Firecracker PP. She is sired by

Fisher 1 Profile P456 PP and out of a Solpoll 1 Lawman cow, Appel 1 Daffy. Firecraker has 5 stars for

the Replacement Index (€159) as well as for gestation length, docility, carcass weight, carcass

conformation and daughter milk.

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Reserve champion senior female was won by the McKiernan family from Co. Cavan, with their heifer

Corlismore Prim 320 HH. Prim would also go on to stand as reserve supreme female champion. Prim

is sired by Shilo-Farm Dynamite F311 and is from a Corlismore Pompeii sired cow, Corlismore Prim

788. Prim has 5 stars for carcass weight.

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Co. Offaly breeder, Jack Larkin took the honours in the junior heifer championship, with his January

25 born heifer, Corndarragh Ivy 20572 PP. Ivy is sired by Fabb 1 Northern Star PP and out of

Hillockpoll 1 Ivy, who herself has had great success at the National Hereford Show. Ivy has 5 stars for

the Replacement Index (€136) as well as for Gestation length, docility, carcass conformation,

daughter milk and daughter calving interval.

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Reserve junior female champion was Co. Roscommon breeder, John Mullooly, with Cloonfree

Buttercup 2 HH. Buttercup is sired by the IHBS Breed Improvement Sire, Knockmountagh Cuchullain

and is out of a Gageboro Morgan sired cow, Cloonfree Jean. Buttercup has 5 stars for docility.

There was strong competition in the commercial class, sponsored by Irish Hereford Prime, giving the

judge, Lesley Lewis from Dovea Genetics lots to think about. Kathleen O’Reilly from Co. Meath took

the Commercial Champion title, with her Barwise 1 Ricochet PP sired calf, “Terence”. Reserve

commercial champion of the show was awarded to John O’Heney from Co. Tipperary for his F.H.

William sired calf.

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The high quality of stock on display on the day was a testament to all of the breeders who exhibited,

with large crowds of onlookers there to watch the day’s events unfold. The IHBS thank all those who

assisted with organising and running the show, including the show’s sponsors, Irish Hereford Prime,

Dovea Genetics, AHV and Young’s Garage Roscrea, as well as all of the staff in Central Auctions

Roscrea, the judges, Basil Bothwell and Lesley Lewis, show photographer, William McElroy and all

those who helped stewarding on the day.

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