VIDEO and report of National Open Evening at Dudley's, July 24th

On July 24th 2026 the Irish British Friesian Club held our National Open Evening at the farm of Henry, Yvonne & Sam Dudley. 

There was a sale of 20 Dekeana Divas; spring born heifer calves, sold via a timed online auction through Thurles Mart. The sale closed the following evening at 7pm, making a very exciting half hour as the sale closed lot by lot, with top price of €1500, no heifer below €1,000.

The Dudleys, with their family and friends put on fantastic hospitality on a beautiful sunny evening. Homemade cupcakes, biscuits, and pulled pork & salad rolls from a pig on a spit, with live traditional music adding to the atmosphere. 

The evening was made possible through the support of our main sponsor Moonsyst and their cattle monitoring technology. Des Savage, Moonsyst's COO was busy for the duration of the event talking to interested farmers. 

Other exhibitors on the evening, with plenty of time dedicated to the over two hundred attendees were Eurogene, Progressive Genetics, Dovea Genetics, Centenary Co-Op, Agri-Lloyd, Dairy Geyser and Agristock. 

As usual, the support of IHFA and FBD underpin everything we do. 

The stock judging drew over eighty entries, keeping the IHFA team of Donal and Patrick very busy. All entrants were in with a chance to win one of several spot prizes, some donated by Henry's vet, Fitzgerald's in Roscrea, and by Henry Dudley himself, donating two buckets of calf lick.

The evening went on to well after dark and the club was delighted with the support of club members, new members, and the keen interest from other farmers in this quality herd and the benefits the British Friesian cow can bring to many dairy systems.

Thanks to Mark Walsh for making this drone video of the evening!