Baileys cow gets northern exposure

Some of the best Holstein Friesian genetics in Ireland will be on show at this year’s Diageo Baileys Champion Dairy Cow Competition, taking place at the Virginia Show on Wednesday, August 20.

According to Competition co-ordinator Patrick Gaynor it’s not just the €13,000 prize fund that has attracted a strong response from breeders across Ireland this year.

A total of 28 cows are entered, including a record eight coming from four northern counties – Antrim, Armagh, Down and Derry with other exhibitors travelling from as far as Kerry, Tipperary, Limerick and Cork.

The will hope to succeed brothers Padraic and Brendan Greenan from Co Monaghan who won the 2024 competition with their nine-year-old cow Greenlea MG Rhapsody EX96.

Patrick Gaynor paid tribute to the support of both the Irish Holstein Friesian Association and Holstein NI, crediting the warm welcome and the prestige of the 'Baileys Cow' title as the main draw for exhibitors.

“The welcome competitors receive from the organisers and sponsors as well as the prestige of even taking part in a competition as well-known as ‘the Baileys’ is, I believe, what makes it special.”

Now in its fifth decade, the competition continues to be one of the most sought-after titles in the pedigree dairy community, backed by one of the longest-running sponsorship partnerships in Irish agriculture – between Diageo, owner of Baileys Irish Cream, and its cream supplier Tirlán. The cream for Baileys is produced down the road from the showgrounds at Tirlán’s Virginia site, making the event a showcase for the global brand’s Irish provenance.

Judging duties this year will fall to Italian breeder Giuseppe Beltramino from Northern Italy. MC duties will once again be handled by Michael Taffe.

Proceedings get underway at 3pm, preceded by a parade of the Holstein Friesians entering the main ring before a packed crowd. A VIP guest will join Diageo Ireland’s Corporate Relations Director Shane Kelly and Tirlán Chairperson John Murphy to present the top prize and the Virginia Milk Products Cup trophy.