Irish Angus breeders from across the country battled it out at the Irish Angus Cattle Society all-Ireland finals in Strokestown Show on Sunday.
Many came with impressive resumes, boasting decorative show careers, while others appeared for the first time this year, all looking to get their name on national silverware.
In the end, only one could reign supreme. Shown alongside her twin bull calves Kerins Coca and Kerins Cola, the 2022-born senior cow Kerins Vickemi emerged victorious.
Bred in Co Sligo by owner Bernard Kerins, this 2022-born HF Rebel daughter has hauled multiple breed and inter-breed championships this summer.
On Sunday, Portuguese judge Pedro Santos Vaz awarded Vickemi the senior female championship before crowning her Irish Angus all-Ireland champion for 2026.
It was a special achievement for the Sligo-bred cow, whose dam Kerins Riokemi is the reigning Irish Aberdeen Angus all-Ireland champion, having won the title at the National Ploughing Championships in 2025.
Male champion
Taking the reserve overall championship back to Co Kilkenny were Michael and Joe Moran with Powerstown Alec.
Just under two years old, this powerhouse of a bull also stood overall senior male champion earlier in the day.
Sired by Liscolvin T Son of Cathy, his dam Powerstown Nancy is out of Killeen Lord Iceboy.
Like the champion, he also has a glimmering show record, with a number of breed championships in his locker from this year's show circuit.
Boyce double
It was a day to remember for Mayo breeders Conor and Eunan Boyce, who came away with the junior male and reserve junior male titles.
In pole position for the Ballina men was Quignalegan Bert 669, a September 2025-born son of Westellen Diego and the Intelagri Matteo ET daughter Jesana Rich Gold.
His young stable mate Quignalegan Bert 677 had to settle for reserve on this venture. Born in December 2025, he is similarly bred to his comrade, sired by Intelagri Matteo ET and out of Jesana Lily, a Jerusalem Faraday-bred cow.
Junior female champion
Lifting the junior female championship in a tightly contested affair was Mayo man Adrian Flatley.
Doing the business for the Kilkelly man was his smart young heifer Glannview Bossy Boots. Just one year old, she is a daughter of Drumcrow Reeko and Sioda Vicky, a Coolrain Patriarch-bred cow.
The green and red of Mayo was certainly to the fore, as Joe McGreal and family from the Neale secured the reserve junior female title with Cahernacole Cindy Lou before going on to achieve the reserve senior female championship with her dam Cahernacole Wanda.
The March 2026-born Cindy Lou is a daughter of the highly-ranked AI bull Kealkil Prime Lad, while her three-year-old mother is bred from Keirsbeath Karma going back to Millbawn Twinkle.
Rounding off the championships was Tipperary breeder John Barlow with Quignalegan Albert, winner of the intermediate bull class and, ultimately, the reserve senior male championship.
Just over two years old, Albert is a son of Dovea Genetics' Keirsbeath Karma and the Mercury Royal Tinge-bred dam Quignalegan Tess.
Young breeders
Before the cattle classes got under way, there was an array of talented young stockpersons on display, put through their paces by judge Fiona Mulligan.
Her pick in the senior class was Cillian Barlow, with Liam Farrell taking first place in the intermediates, while Ryan Faughnan received the red ribbons in the junior section.
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