Organisers of the 2017 Diageo Baileys Champion Dairy Cow Competition have confirmed that many of the country’s top dairy breeders have entered cows for this year’s contest – which takes place next week (August 23) at the Virginia Show in Co. Cavan.

The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring, will be presenting the top prizes at the event, alongside sponsors Diageo, the makers of Baileys Cream, and its cream supplier Glanbia Ireland.

The two companies have been supporting the competition for more than 30 years.

The Competition Director, Brendan Smyth said he was delighted with the support shown by both IHFA (Irish Holstein Friesian Association) and Holstein NI breeders for this year’s contest, adding that the introduction of a new Junior Cow category had helped open the competition to more cows.

Paul Miller from Evesham in Worcestershire, England, will be judging the 20-plus entries including the new Junior Cow category.

The €10,000 prize fund has enticed competing breeders from right across the country, including counties Wexford, Fermanagh, Cork, Antrim and Wicklow.

Organisers have promised that the event will be a “must-see” for dairy breeding aficionados when it begins at 3:30pm on on Wednesday, August 23.

The top place of ‘Overall Champion’ boasts a prize of €2,500, with awards of €1,000 and €500 for ‘Reserve Champion’ and ‘Honourable Mention’, respectively.

Cash prizes are also offered for the categories of ‘Highest Protein Content’, ‘Best Junior Cow’, ‘Best EBI’ and ‘Best Exhibitor-Bred Cow’. In addition, the popular ‘Best-Heifer-in-Milk’ class carries a fund of €1,700 – with a €500 award for first place up for grabs.

Diageo Ireland’s Head of Corporate and Trade Communications, Hazel Chu, said the contest “would once again shine a spotlight on the quality of Ireland’s dairy breeding excellence”.

Competition judge, Miller – along with his brother Steve and parents Mike and Shan – farms a 1,000ac dairy herd of 410 Holstein Friesians.

The Miller family has previously won the prestigious UK award – the National Milk Records/Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers Gold Cup.