Record entries from NI breeders expected at ‘the Baileys’ next week

And 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.

28 cows are entered, including a record eight coming from four Northern Irish counties – Antrim, Armagh, Down and Londonderry with other exhibitors travelling as far away as Kerry, Tipperary, Limerick and Cork.

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 3.00pm, preceded by a parade of the Holstein Friesians entering the main ring before a packed crowd. A special 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.