The 19th annual National Hall of Fame awards took place in the Sheraton Hotel, Athlone, on Sunday 30 April. Well-known Shorthorn and Irish Angus breeders Michael and Oliver Flanagan are the drivers behind the event which goes from strength to strength every year.

The awards, which are sponsored by FBD Insurance, Certified Irish Angus Producer Group, ABP, Kepak, Aurivo and Bord Bia, recognise the huge commitment that pedigree breeders give to their respective breeds. A lot of this work is often unseen behind-the-scenes work, that needs to be completed for a breed to progress.

Michael Flanagan CEO of the National Hall of Fame Awards, spoke of his sense of pride in celebrating the great and good of Irish cattle, sheep and horse breeding.

“These breeders are here tonight because they have been acclaimed by their fellow breeders and breed societies as people who have given the time, expertise and outstanding service for the betterment of each breed here.”

Fabien Peyaud, CEO of Herdwatch, received the Farmers Oscar Award which acknowledges people who have made a major contribution in the agribusiness world.

The Herdwatch app is now used on over 18,000 farms across Ireland and the UK. Peyaud said: “It is a great honour for me to receive this and I’d like to thank the National Hall of Fame Awards for recognising our contribution to agribusiness, and I’d also like to thank all of the Herdwatch team for the hard work that they put in to make us the best at what we do.”

The 2023 ovine award winners at the National Hall of Fame awards.

John Horgan, chair of the Kepak Group, received the Lifetime Achievement Award which acknowledges individuals who have made a significant contribution to the agri sector of the Irish economy.

The 2023 equine award winners at the National Hall of Fame awards.

Horgan joined Kepak in 1987 and progressed to become managing director for 20 years. Kepak has a turnover of €1.75bn, employing over 4,500 people across 13 manufacturing facilities in the UK and Ireland.

Horgan spoke of the huge challenges that face agriculture in relation to climate change but he also said that Irish agriculture was uniquely positioned to meet those challenges with genetics playing a huge role in meeting our climate change objectives.