Co. Down breeder Sam McCormick from Bangor has won the Diageo Baileys® Irish Dairy Champion Cow 2017.
The drinks company Diageo and its cream supplier Glanbia Ireland, have ended their annual search for Ireland’s finest Holstein Friesian dairy cow. Hilltara Lanthority Echo 2 has been crowned the Diageo Baileys® Irish Champion at the Virginia Show. She is owned by Sam McCormick from Bangor, Co Down. Sam also won the Best Exhibitor Bred award.
The competition took place at the 76th annual Agricultural Show in Virginia Co. Cavan which home to Diageo’s cream supplier, Glanbia Ireland. This year’s event attracted a record number of entrants from Northern Ireland, with seven of the 34 cows entered owned by five Northern Ireland breeders.
In the end, it was Sam McCormick’s cow that was considered the fairest of them all by judge Paul Miller, from Evesham, who said, “Hilltara Lanthority Echo 2 was an outstanding winner, she caught my eye straight away. She is all that we look for in the dairy breed, a tremendous cow. It was one of the strongest competitions I’ve ever judged. I really felt the enthusiasm from the crowd and the breeders.”
Widely acknowledged as Ireland’s top dairy livestock event, attracting the super-elite of the Holstein Friesian breed, the competition rewarded excellence in body conformation as well as proven quality in milk production.
Sam was presented with his 2,500 Euro award and trophy by the Irish Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring T.D., alongside Hazel Chu, Head of Corporate & Trade Relations for Diageo Ireland and Glanbia Ireland Chairman Henry Corbally.
Speaking at the winners’ reception, Hazel Chu said,” The Diageo Baileys Champion Cow is an opportunity to reinforce the success and quality of the indigenous cream supply partnership for Baileys, which like its production is based exclusively on the island of Ireland.”
Also speaking, Chairman of Glanbia Ingredients Ireland, Henry Corbally congratulated the winners and the Virginia Show for an “excellent event that attracted top dairy breeders from all over the island.”
2017 PRIZE WINNERS
Winner, 2017 Diageo Baileys Champion Cow Hilltara Lanthority Echo 2, Sam
McCormick, Bangor, Co. Down
Reserve Diageo Baileys Champion Cow Dalevalley GWY Embrace, Denis & Eleanor
O’Neill, Co. Monaghan
2017 Honourable Mention, Diageo Baileys Champion Cow Kilwareen Fever B
Shower 2, Brochan & Joseph Cocoman
Also placed:
4th Baldonnel FM Sunshine, Cyril & John Dowling, Co. Dublin
5th Kilwarden Windrbrook Vix, Brochan & Joseph Cocoman, Co. Kildare
Heifer in Milk
5th place Lumville Danoise, Richard Whelan, Co. Meath
4th place Clonpaddin ERI Flavour, Clonpaddin Holsteins, Co. Wicklow
3rd place Dellview Snow Angel, John Leahy, Co. Kerry
2nd place Burnhill Sabre Victoria, George & David Simpson, Lisburn
1st place Baldonnel FM Sunshine, Cyril & John Dowling, Co. Dublin
Junior Cow
3rd place Beechrow Goldwyn Lavish 2, Michael Booth, Co. Laois
2nd place Greenlea Shottle Pledge, Patrick Greenan, Co. Monaghan
1st place Kilwareen Fever B Shower 2, Brochan & Jospeh Cocoman, Co. Kildare
Best Protein
Laurelmore Duplex Impala, John Barrett, Co. Cork
Best EBI
Monamore McMargot, James & Tom Kelly, Co. Louth
Best Exhibitor Bred Cow
Hilltara Lanthority Echo 2, Sam McCormick, Co. Down
Enjoy BAILEYS responsibly. Visit www.drinkaware.ie