The warm day brought crowds out in huge numbers and they had a local farmer and exhibitor to cheer on in the cattle judging. Seamus Gunn, of Corratistune, Derrylin, took the major honours in the dairy ring with his seven-year-old dairy cow in milk, “Ernevale MJ Rosina Ex 93”. Not only did this cow win her class for the best dairy cow in milk, but three others from his herd took second, third and fourth places in the same class. This class champion went on to win the Farmers’ Challenge Cup, presented in its 101st year, for the supreme dairy championship.

    It was the first time for the All-Ireland Dairy Cow Championship to go to Seamus Gunn. He was just pipped for the title last year with the same animal. According to Seamus, the cow in her fifth lactation produced a high yielding 12,076kgs of milk at 4.50 butterfat and 3.70 protein in her third lactation. She is a homebred animal, her mother imported from Canada as an embryo.

    The All-Ireland Dairy Championship judge, Cyril Dowling from Baldonnell, Co. Dublin, described Rosina as “a superb dairy cow with a great exhibit of profitable traits, legs and feet and udder.” He said it was difficult to get a quantity of high quality dairy cows in a judging ring but the quality was never in question. The cow was led for Seamus by Richard Johnston.

    But there was also a great exhibition of quality stock in the beef judging rings. The County Show hosted the Northern Ireland Shows Association/Northern Bank Beef Cow Championship for which 18 pedigree beef cows had pre-qualified at 10 agricultural shows during the summer.

    It was Brian McAllister from Kells, Ballymena, who took the honours with his magnificent Charolais cow, “Burnside Nigella.”.

    Brian McAllister also took the Supreme pedigree Beef Championship with the same animal and won the pedigree class for the beef bred animals over one year old.

    In the Pedigree Calf Class, the winner was Fred Elliott, of Mullaghbane, Florencecourt with “Mullaghbane Tosh.”

    The Fermanagh Pedigree Livestock Breeders Continental Championship Cup was won by Sean McGeehan, of Mullaghfad Road, Fivemiletown, for his pedigree Continental Bull. The Fermanagh Breeders’ Native Champion Cup was won by Rodney Donaldson, of Springfield for his Aberdeen Angus animal.

    Robert Forde from Mullyknock, Tempo, finished off a superb year with his heifer, “Raceview Martina Eval,” by winning the Northern Bank Female of the Year Award organised by the Northern Ireland Simmental Breeders’ Club.

    There were other successes on the day for David Wilson, who won the major titles in the Hereford section, Thomas Bogue, Brookeborough, who took reserve in the Belgian Blue section and Alan Irwin, Fintona, who won with his Ayrshires.

    The Teemore Babe of the Year, dairy interbreed champion was won by T.S. and J.T. Henderson, Strabane, while James Morton, of Milford, Co. Armagh won the Glanbia Agri Business Dairy Heifer Championship.