Presentation marks major contribution to Grassland Club by Alan Warnock

Brian Donaldson • Published 5 Jan 2012 13:00 0 Comments

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Outgoing Chairman of Fermanagh Grassland Club, Alan Warnock (right) is presented with a painting by Yvonne Wilson, by club members (from left) Harold Hamilton, William Johnston, secretary and James Murphy.<

The new Chairman of Fermanagh Grassland Club is Mr. Ivan Henderson, a veterinary surgeon and a suckler and beef farmer from Lisnaskea.

He was elected at the Club's annual meeting earlier this month in the Killyhevlin Hotel. He had held the post of Vice-Chairman for the past year and succeeds Mr. Alan Warnock who has completed his term of office as Chairman.

At the annual meeting, a presentation was made to Alan in recognition of the service he has given to the Club. Committee member, Harold Hamilton, announcing the presentation of a painting of Lough MacNean by artist, Yvonne Wilson, said that Alan had been secretary of the Club for as remarkable 34 years, stepping down from that role to become Club Vice-Chairman for a year and finally as Chairman.

He commended Alan for his dedication to his roles especially as the Club looks forward to its 50th anniversary next year. He recalled some of the major events over the past number of years in which Alan has been responsible for organising including some high profile speakers.

The other office-bearers of the Club are;

Vice-Chairman - Cormac McKervey

Secretary - William Johnston

Treasurer - Cormac McKervy

Committee - James Murphy, Albert Foster, Harold Hamilton, David Brown , Maurice Hurst and Robert Graham. The outgoing Chairman, Alan Warnock, as well as the other office-bearers are ex-officio members of the Committee.

The secretary's report revealed a busy year for the Club's 180 members. It began with taxation advice from local accountants, Des Crudden and George Johnston and continued with a talk on fertility in the suckler herd from Dr. Colin Penny, new technologies helpimg to change the farming media by Darragh McCullough, farmers presentations on different milk production systems by Philip Clarke, Maurice Hurst and James Murphy; the annual outing to co. Meath; prizewinners' tour on the British Grassland Society's summer meeting in Somerset and Devon; a dairy farm's policy and financial plans by Damien McEntee and profitability from concentrating on cow type and fertility by Paul Turley.

This year's Grazing competition was sponsored by the Vaughan Trust and they have committed to sponsorship for a further three years .

The Club also provided a book token for the best NVQ agricultural student in grassland management at Enniskillen Campus and the winner was Andrew Clarke from Beragh.

The next meeting of Fermanagh Grassland Club is on Tuesday, January 10 when Dr. Patrick Wall speaks on "Challenges for Farmers Responding to Consumer Demands."

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 05 Jan 12

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