National awards recognition for Westmeath sheep farmer

Westmeath farmer, John Bell from Monaghanstown, Castletown-Geoghegan was declared the National Sheep Farmer of the Year at the Zurich Insurance Farmer Awards held at the Hodson Bay Hotel in Athlone last week.

Two other Westmeath farmers – Alex Butler from Streete in the Tillage Section and Nichola Murtagh, Ballynacargy in the Beef Section were shortlisted for the Awards.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner after the presentation with cash prize of €2,000, a delighted John admitted that he had not expected to win the coveted national title. He was put forward for the Award by his Mullingar Teagasc advisor, David Webster.

John was loud in his praise of the role played by Teagasc advisors, particularly David, in helping to encourage and support farmers, for example setting up farmers’ discussion groups which have made a huge difference to farmers.

John has been farming on the outskirts of Castletown Geoghegan for nearly 30 years. He keeps 600 breeding ewes on 120 acres of grassland, lambing down in March. His flock is generally Belclare, Belclare Cross, and Texel/Belclare Cross bred to terminal sires.

“The run of my farm would be grass based – a low cost system”, he explained. Over the last ten years he has developed a grazing system that works well, letting the sheep eat out an area quickly so as to bring better quality grass and more vigorous growth.

To operate John’s stocking rate, he uses a paddock system whereby sheep spend three to four days in any block of land, and uses electric fences and his trusty quad bike. His scanning rate is 2.15 and all sheep are housed before lambing.

John moved from his native Louth nearly 40 years ago, “for love”. His wife, Marese is originally from Slane, Co. Meath. She taught in St Finian’s College, Mullingar, for many years and is now principal of Loreto College, Mullingar. John and Marese work well together and have developed a good set up which takes much of the “pulling and dragging” out of their operation.

When asked if he would recommend farming as a career, John admitted that he would be a bit biased as he has been farming all his life. “It’s a good way of life, but you have to have a good business head on you. It’s not just about farming”, he warned.

The Awards featured six categories – Dairy, Beef, Tillage, Sheep, Rising Star and Farm Safety, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award.

The youngest finalist in the Awards was 21-year-old Alex Butler from Streete. He was shortlisted for the National Tillage Farmer of the Year Award. Alex works as an agricultural contractor with his father, but he also leases 100 acres and has a share farming arrangement with three farmers. Of the 100 acres leased, 35 acres is in tillage and the rest is in grass from which he sells two crops of silage. He also winters store lambs.

Having spent a year in Gurteen Agricultural College, Alex studied Crops and Machinery Management Level 6 in Kildalton College and last year, he spent four months harvesting in Australia. Share farming has enabled Alex to expand his enterprise and he feels it is an ideal option for older farmers or for those without up to date machinery.

Twenty-three-year-old Nichola Murtagh from Ballynacargy was a finalist in the Beef Farmer of the Year category. Her face will be familiar to many farmers as Nichola has a two-year contract with AIB as part of the Backing the Brave Campaign.

She farms part-time and combines her work as an AI technician with running a 30 acre suckler farm which she leases near Mullingar. Having grown up on a farm, Nichola has always had an interest in animals and working outdoors. After her Leaving Cert, she spent two years studying for her Green Cert in Mountbellew Agricultural College. This led to her leasing the farm, where she now has a herd of 35 suckler cows and calves.

The Zurich Farm Insurance Farming Independent Farmer of the Year Awards, in their fifth year, shine a light on this important sector. Almost 200 attended the awards ceremony, presented by Ear to The Ground’s Helen Carroll.

Speaking at the awards, Graham Minogue, Head of Agri Sales for Zurich Insurance, said: “As a passionate insurer of Irish farms, we are proud to sponsor these awards which reward Ireland’s farmers for the challenging, important work they do.”