A syndicate of breeders from Co. Monaghan has won the 2018 Diageo Baileys® Irish Dairy Champion Cow with their cow Drumlina Atwood Megan.
Ireland’s finest example of the Holstein Friesian breed was crowned Diageo Baileys Champion today at the Virginia Agricultural Show in Co. Cavan. She is Drumlina Atwood Megan owned by a syndicate of breeders from Co. Monaghan chaired by David Boyd.
The winning breeders were presented with the Virginia Milk Products Cup and a prize of 2,500 Euros by Vice President of the European Parliament Mairead McGuiness along with the competition’s sponsors Diageo Ireland and its cream supplier Glanbia Ireland.
The event is regarded as the most prestigious competition of its kind on the island of Ireland. It rewards strength and form in body conformation as well as proven excellence in quality milk production. Farmers from as far afield as Co. Antrim, Donegal and Cork travelled to Virginia to take part.
Commenting on this year’s winning cow the judge, David Hodgson who is from Carlisle said, “Drumlina Atwood Megan was a real, modern dairy cow, epitomising balance and showing great form on the day, a worthy winner.”
Milliedale Dusk Rhapsody owned by Donal Neville from Co. Limerick was declared Reserve Champion. Honorable Mention went to Aiden Foody from Co. Mayo for their cow Sprucerove Apples Peggy.
Other prizes were awarded in specialist categories for breeders that travelled to Virginia from as far afield as Co. Antrim and Co. Cork to compete. These included:
- Best Heifer in Milk Winner, Sprucerove Apples Peggy, Aiden Foody, Co. Mayo;
- Best EBI Award to Evergreen Gala 6, Liam Murphy, Co. Carlow;
- Best Protein Award to Sprucegrove Lavanguard Peggy, Aiden Foody, Co. Mayo;
- Best Junior Cow Winner, Hallow Attwood Grace, Philip Jones, Co. Wexford;
Speaking afterwards, Head of Operations for Diageo Baileys Global Supply, Robert Murphy, said, ”Baileys is one of the great international food & drink success stories to come out of Ireland. The Diageo Baileys Champion Cow event celebrates the drink’s heritage and the source of its primary raw ingredient, namely the farmlands and rich pastures of this island, that give our agri-food industry such world-class credentials.”
Speaking at the event Martin Keane, Glanbia Group Chairman praised all the entrants for the calibre of pedigree cows on display and he congratulated the Virginia Show on 35 Years of the All-Island Champion Dairy Cow Contest. “The competition attracts the super-elite of the Holstein Friesian breed with a €10,000 prize fund on offer,” he said. “It is the hard work and community spirit of exhibitors, competitors and volunteers that have combined to make this particular show such an enduring success for 77 years.”
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