Top judges and speakers attend conference and honey show
Newly qualified Mead Judges receive their certificates from INIB President Bill Turnbull, Robert Brewer (Georgia USA), Cecil McMullan (Hillsborough), Tom Canning (Armagh ), Gail Orr (Hillsborough), Michael Young MBE (Hillsborough)
Cecil McMullan (Hillsborough) is presented with the trophy for the best bottle of Dry Mead by INIB President Bill Turnbull.
THE Institute of Northern Ireland Beekeepers (INIB) held its annual Conference and Honey Show on Saturday, and was glad to welcome several top international judges and speakers.
Robert Brewer Jnr, from Georgia USA was joined by senior British honey judges, Erica Osborne, and Alan Brown. The show attracted a record entry of 161 exhibits of boney, wax, sections, frames, honey cakes and mead, and the visiting judges were most complementary about the standard of the exhibits, saying they were as high as anything they had judged before.
During the judging, assessments were carried out for accreditation to the International Federation of Mead and Honey Wine Judges, as well as the judging examination of the Young Harris Beekeeping College and University of Georgia, all the candidates were successful and later in the day were awarded their certificates.
As the honey show was taking place, the delegates packed the lecture hall to hear two world renowned experts on beekeeping. Professor Tom Seeley from Cornell University, and Dr Jamie Ellis from the University of Florida, delivered two lectures each on honeybees as a Super-organism, and decision making in a colony of honeybees.
It was a privilege to welcome such authorities to Northern Ireland and an invitation has been extended and accepted for them to return in the not too distant future. Details of all other events organised by INIB can be obtained at www.inibeekeepers.com Honey Show Prize Winners. 6 Jars of Honey for sale: Cecil McMullan (Hillsborough) 2 Jars Light Honey: Walter McNeill (Antrim) 2 Jars Medium: Honey Cecil McMullan (Hillsborough 2 Jars Medium Honey: Madeline McMullan (Hillsborough)
1 Jar Honey for tasting : Walter McNeill (Antrim) 2 Jars Chunk Honey: Tom Canning (Armagh) 2 Sections: Tom Canning (Armagh) Cut Comb: Elmer Kennedy (Cullybackey) Frame for extraction: Robert Ditty (Castledawson) Cake of Beeswax: Cecil McMullan (Hillsborough) Beekeeping Photograph: Ken Best (Bangor) Honey Cake: Elmer Kennedy (Cullybackey) Novice Class: Lance Welsh (Carrickfergus), Sweet Mead : Gail Orr (Hillsborough) Dry Mead: Cecil McMullan (Hillsborough) Bee Artistry: Mary Delaplane (USA) Supreme Run Honey: Cecil McMullan (Hillsborough) Best in Show: Cecil McMullan (Hillsborough).
Ulster Star
02/12/2011
