The pinnacle of the Friesian breeders’ calendar was held at Virginia Show last week when the Diageo Baileys cow championship took pride of place.

Boasting a prize fund of €10,000, including €2,500 for the overall champion, competition was tough, with cattle from all corners of Ireland present.

A total of 24 cattle were paraded in front of a packed ringside and Carlisle-based judge David Hodgson.

Champion

David found his champion in the form of Drumlina Atwood Megan, owned by the syndicate of Boyd, Greenan, O’Neill, Timlin and Moore.

This five-year-old cow is no stranger to success, having claimed overall Friesian champion at Balmoral Show in May. Sired by Maple Downs Atwood, this EX92-classified third-calver produced 12,174kg in her last 305-day lactation. After having calved in January, she is currently giving 45 litres per day.

Commenting on his champion, judge David Hodgson said: “This is a cow that was really on form on the day. She’s a modern sort of dairy cow that epitomises everything you look for in a cow.”

While winning the Diageo Baileys cow competition is an incredible achievement for all involved, it proved a very special day for syndicate member David Boyd.

The Monaghan man is a diehard show man and having placed reserve in the prestigious competition no less than three times, 2018 was finally his year.

With Denis O’Neill also seeing reserve as his best before this year, it meant it was a first time Baileys win for all five syndicate members. Atwood Megan will now head to Millstreet in October to try to claim the supreme championship there, having had to settle for reserve in 2016.

Reserve

Donal and Kathleen Neville of the Emerald herd filled the reserve position with seven-year-old Milliedale Dusk Rhapsody.

Currently on her fifth lactation, this EX95-classified cow was purchased for 10,500gns at the Sterndale and Peak sale in July 2017. She is a 14th generation EX animal, which has already produced 56,000kg of milk, of which 4,232kg were solids. The dam of this animal is three-time supreme dairy expo champion and EX97 classified cow Peak Goldwyn Rhapsody.

Speaking following placing the reserve, David said: “The amount of milk this cow will give you is incredible. She just carries that udder so high and wide. For me, she just didn’t have the bloom that my champion had on the day.”

Honourable mention

Taking the honourable mention position after placing top of the heifer in milk section was Sprucegrove Apples Peggy.

This rising three-year-old is owned by Seamus and Aidan Foody, Crossmolina, Co Mayo. Classified VG87, this young cow calved in December 2017 and has a projected milk yield of over 9,000kg.

“This is a heifer you have to admire. She is true quality and oozes style,” said judge Hodgson on Apples Peggy.

Placing fourth in the final lineup and top of the junior cow class was Philip and Linda Jones, Gorey, Co Wexford.

Their homebred Hallow Atwood Grace is no stranger to the show ring, having secured the championship at the Emerald Expo at the same venue in May.

Calved in November 2017, the second-calver gave nearly 9,000kg in her first lactation, of which 5% was fat. Classified VG89, she is a daughter of the aforementioned Maple Downs Atwood.

Speaking after the event, head of Bailey’s global supply Robert Murphy said: “The Baileys champion cow is one of the best success stories to ever have emerged from the island of Ireland.

“Its popularity with consumers is such that it is exported to 180 markets world-wide.

“So much of its success is due to its unique ingredients and tribute to Irish dairying and the quality of cows producing the cream for Baileys.”