Despite the cloudy and squally weather, some 15,000 people turned out to attend the annual Virginia Show in Co. Cavan yesterday (August 19).

The main event, the Diageo Baileys Irish Champion Cow Competition, was won by fourth calver Laurelmore Duplex Impala EX 96, owned by John Barrett, from Togher in Co Cork.

“She is home bred and is projected to give 14,500L at 3.44% protein in her current lactation,” he said.

“The cow is currently in calf to Golden Field Raphael.

The Barrett family had previously won the Baileys’ title 20 years ago. Judge Edward Griffiths, from South Yorkshire, described his champion as a truly elite cow.

“She would probably win any dairy championship in Europe at the present time,” he said.

Trade stands at this year’s Virginia Show were “totally packed out”, according to Kaye Duffy, Press Officer of the Show Centre.

The show had over 250 trade stands, including food stands, she said.

“A lot of the agricultural stands are increasing the size of their stands which is interesting and there’s also a good range of car stands from Renault to Volkswagen,” she said.

Entries this year are up on last year and they are holding steady in other areas while home industries, especially painting, photos and baking are also up.

This year’s Virginia Show dairy conference heard IFA Deputy President Tim O’Leary say that Irish co-ops must pass back a higher proportion of their profits to dairy farmers.

He said that Glanbia was case in point, that the organisation has just reported increased profits for the past six months, yet farmgate prices are falling.

“Producers must not be expected to carry the entire burden of the current downturn in dairy markets: the co-ops must shoulder their fair share of the responsibility in delivering a sustainable future for the milk industry as a whole,” he said.