This article is from page 13 of the 2006-08-25 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 13 JPG
CLARE farmers John and Martina Keating scored a magnificent double at last week’s Tullamore Show when their animals won both the prestigious Supreme Champion Saler Cow and the best Irish Bred Saler Champion Heifer of the show.
The Keating’s winning cow, Riquita, saw off stiff competition from 25 animals, each of which qualified from regional competitions and were of the highest of quality. Riquita has a long history with the show having claimed second place in last year’s event and third the year before.
“I am absolutely delighted with the win,” said Mr Keating, from Kilnaboy. “The Salers are new breeds for Clare and have just been starting to make an impact over the last ten years or so.
“A lot of Charlet and Belgian Blue breeders are using them because of their calfing ability. They are ideally suited for wintering in the Burren.”
The Keatings hail from Ballymackeogh Lodge in Kilnaboy, and have a long association with breeding quality animals.
“There is an awful lot of hard work involved in producing a champion animal,” continued Mr Keating. “We have worked very hard for this over the last 8 years because the quality is awful good.”
Aside from Riquita’s success, her daughter Elzy was also a big winner in Tullamore taking home the first ever award for Irish Bred Saler Champion Heifer.
“To win Tullamore is the ultimate – it’s the highest level you can reach with an animal in Ireland,” said David Clarke of the Tullamore.
“There were more than 50,000 people in Tullamore for the one day show so if you do well there you know you are good.
“The animal was second last year and fourth the year before, so it shows you that a lot of work has gone into it over the years.”
The Tullamore Show is Ireland’s foremost agricultural event and the supreme champion from each category qualifies for a Pan European Show.
“You don’t go to Tullamore unless you are the very best – it really sorts the men from the boys,” continued Mr Clarke.
“It is the highest prize that you can get in Ireland so it a great honour. She is number one in Ireland and her daughter is the number one heifer.”