40th Anniversary Celebrations.
NI Charolais Club – Special 40th Anniversary Celebrations. - The Northern Ireland Charolais Club Annual Dinner took place this year in Walsh’s Hotel in Maghera, one hundred and seventeen members, guests and sponsors attended this gala event.
Attending were founder members, Bo Simpson and his wife Yvonne, Caldwell McAskie and his wife Lila, John Currie and his wife Margaret who presented the awards; John Currie was the guest speaker at the event giving us a brief run down on how the Charolais breed had been introduced to Northern Ireland.
He spoke about the process of quarantine and testing that had to be gone through before there was any hope of establishing a small pedigree Charolais herd. In these early days extortionate prices were paid for Charolais heifers in a bid to get the breed started and a few herds established in Northern Ireland, a few pioneers were willing to invest large sums of money with a long-term goal in sight. John Currie a current committee member and a founder member of the club, was directly involved in sourcing suitable stock and buying heifers in the first consignments John has enjoying much success with his Tullygarley Herd over the past 40 years. It was a real pleasure for all those present that John was willing to share the history of the arrival of the first Charolais animals to Northern Ireland.
Amongst our distinguished guests were; Mr Martin Donaghy, chairman of the British Charolais Society, Mr Randal Hayes, Chairman of the Ballymena Show Society, past Secretary Mrs Mary McCormack, Mrs Ruth Montgomery Secretary of Clogher Valley Show who host the NI Charolais Championships. Our sponsors on this special occasion were; Mr Ian Cummins of A N Irwin’s who sponsor a class at the National Show in Fintona and a Spring Club Show & Sale in Dungannon, Mr Cormac McKervey, Ulster Bank sponsor of the eight regional suckled calf competitions and the November Show and Sale in Dungannon, Mr John Henning Northern Bank sponsor of the March Show and Sale in Dungannon.
Mr Sam Watson of United Feeds sponsor of the Young People’s Stock judging NI event, which enabled our club to send three teams to the UK finals in 2011 resulting in Stuart Wilson gaining first place and winning a trip to France and Peter Somerville gaining 3rd place in his age group. Ms Keri McGivern of Moore Concrete Ltd was unable to attend as she was attending the Ploughing Match in Athy.
The Chairperson, Sandra Cochrane in her address spoke of the dedication and support given by sponsors over the years and without their financial support many of the events throughout the year simply would not take place. She went on to thank the guests for attending the evening and relayed a warm welcome to the founder members that had come along to join us on this special occasion. Founder members along with the chairperson cut the Anniversary cake baked and suitably decorated by Mrs Viola Hamilton.
The Awards were presented by Mrs Margaret Currie:
November Show and Sale
Lambeg Cup - Supreme Champion
2011 P J Vallely Glassdrummond Echo
Auctioneers Trophy - Best exhibitor bred animal
2011 P J Vallely Glassdrummond Echo
Ulster Bank Rose bowl - Female Champion
2011 J & S Middleton Hollywell Decota
March Show and Sale
The Millar Trophy - Supreme Champion
2011 L A Richardson Blossom Eoghan
Northern Bank Salver - Best exhibitor bred animal
2011 Divine Bros. Brownhill Ellen
First Trust Bank Salver - Best animal opposite sex to champion
2011 Divine Bros. Brownhill Ellen
May Show and Sale (Ballymena)
The Simpson Trophy - Supreme Champion
2011- W H Robson & Sons Kilbride Farm Everest
May Show and Sale
The Elmpark Cup - Supreme Champion
2011 James McBride Moorlough Falcon
Balmoral Show
The Bardin Trophy - Best Charolais Balmoral 2011
2011 Goldie’s Carnaval – G J Crawford
The Orage Trophy Best Female Balmoral 2011
2011 G J Crawford Coolnaslee Diane
NI Charolais Club Breeders Trophy Supreme Champion Bull
2011 G J Crawford Goldie’s Carnaval
H A Curry Cup Champion Junior Bull Balmoral 2011
2011 G J Crawford with Foreman
John K Currie Cup Champion Junior Heifer Balmoral 2011
2011 Mr & Mrs J A Watson & Son Cornascriebe Flo
Stock Judging
McAllister Shield - Senior Stock Judging
2011 Harold Stubbs
Miller Shield – Junior Stock Judging
2011 Clarke Balfour
UK Stock Judging Trophy
2011 Stuart Wilson
BCCS Championships at Clogher Valley:
Senior Male Champion
Derryharney Fantastic – Harold Stubbs
Intermediate Male Champion
Aghafad Foreman – R H Sinnamon
Junior Male Champion
Brentwood George – Mark Ritchie
Senior Female Champion
Cornascriebe Flo – J A Watson & Son
Intermediate Female Champion
Coolnaslee Fergie – G J Crawford
Junior Female Champion
Tonaghmore Gillian - Harold Crawford
NI National Charolais Show
Robert Scott Shield
Supreme Male Champion
2011 RH Sinnamon Aghafad Foreman
Desmond Anderson Memorial Cup
Supreme Female Champion
2011 Valerie McDonald Glencoe Elegance
McAllister Livestock Trophy
Commercial Champion
2011 K C Veitch
Animax Cup Champion Young Handler
2011 Alan Burleigh
Ms Kathryn Marshall presented Mrs Margaret Currie with a bouquet of flowers on behalf of the club. A special presentation was organized for Mrs Rosemary McAllister who had served as our club treasurer for many years, and Mr John Currie was presented with a token of appreciation by Mr John Watson.
At the end of the presentation of awards; Club Chairperson Sandra Cochrane wished all breeders every success, and a special welcome to the new breeders who joined the club in the past year.
Sandra extended a special word of thanks to the Club members who had put in a tremendous amount of work and effort into preparing their cattle for competitions shows & sales, for sharing their expertise with younger members and helping with the organization of the many club events in the NI Charolais Club calendar not forgetting the time and effort behind the scenes by other family members. We are very proud of our three teams of young people who represented NI at the UK Stockjuding finals and to all those young people who took part in the Animax Young Handler competition at Fintona.
Sandra thanked all the club’s loyal sponsors who give us the financial support that keeps things going.
To Mr Basil Buchanan Moira for hosting the young stock judging event, to the management of Clogher Valley Show for their assistance with the Charolais Championship and Omagh District Council and all the team at the Ecclesville Centre for their help with the rollout of NI National Charolais Show..
Finally, I want to thank the Secretary Mrs Ann Orr the committee members and all the NI Charolais Club members and friends for their continued support. Sandra thanked Walsh’s Hotel for serving a lovely meal and to all those who attended and made the 40th Anniversary Dinner Dance such a success, the evening was rounded off with some lively music by ‘Take Two’