Omagh Show: Irish rugby legend Willie Anderson has good reason to pick Black Pekin hen as champion of champions

When presented with the show’s cattle, goat, sheep and poultry champions Anderson opted for the bird, owned and bred by Matthew Donnelly, from Sheepbridge in South County Down, at Tyrone Farming Society’s annual celebration of agriculture.

So why did Anderson opt for the hen when arriving at his final decision? “I was brought up in a poultry farm,” he explained. “I also believe that as many young people as possible should be encouraged to follow a career in agriculture. So, it was as a case of Matthew ticking all those boxes.”

Anderson went on to point out that the quality of the livestock taking part in all the livestock competitions at Omagh Show this year was exceptionally high.

Given recent trends in dairy breeding, it’s the exception - rather than the rule - for a Shorthorn cow to win an inter-breed title in a modern competition setting but there was no doubting the quality of the overall dairy champion selected by the judge, Mark Logan.

The Dairy Shorthorn in question – Denamona Conrad Molly - was bred and exhibited by the Irwin family, from Fintona in Co Tyrone.

Mark Logan commented: “The cow had tremendous balance, frame and locomotion. I couldn’t fault the quality of her mammary system. And the fact that she was a fifth calver added to her presence in the ring.”

Molly is one of 170 Dairy Shorthorn and Ayrshire cows, milked by the Irwin family: Alan, Gillian and their daughter Lauren. She peaked at 50L per day during her current lactation. Molly is back in calf again to the elite Shorthhorn sire: Churchroyd Victor.

Meanwhile, Omagh Show 2023 saw the Muholland family, from Aghalee in Co Antrim, winning their third beef inter-breed beef championship of the year with the elite heifer: Deerpark Shakira. She went on to win the overall cattle championship at the event.

Raymond Stirling, a livestock auctioneer from Stirling in Scotland, judged the beef classes at Omagh. He described his champion as an elite example of the Limousuin breed, adding: “She has tremendous length, breadth and muscling.”

Shaun Irvine, owner of Ballymena Mart, also had the opportunity of assessing the heifer while judging the overall cattle championship class at Omagh. He said: “She has tremendous presence. And the fact that the heifer is so young points to the strong probability of her enjoying a very successful breeding career in the years ahead.”

The Sheep Inter-Bred championship at Omagh was won by Draperstown couple, Patrick and Veronica Fullerton, with a three-year-old Lanark Blackface ewe. Judge, Archie Hamilton, described his champion as an almost perfect example of the breed. “The ewe caught my eye as soon she entered the ring,” he confirmed.

Omagh Show 2023 also saw a total of 120 Jacob sheep taking part in a range of competition classes.

This is, possibly, the largest breed turnout ever recorded at a competition event, held in Northern Ireland.