The Baileys Cow competition took place in Virginia, Co. Cavan on Wednesday (August 23), with this year’s champion being Lumville M Danoise.
This year’s event marked the 40th anniversary of the Baileys Cow competition, with the show attracting breeders from across the island, to showcase some of the top Holstein cows in the country.
The competition is regarded as one of the most prestigious in Irish dairying, drawing top stock from across the country.
Eoin Brodie, president of the Virginia Show, described the show as ‘The land of milk and honey’, with everything from the Baileys Cow to beef stock judging, horses, sheep, poultry and even a honey competition.
Baileys cow
The title of this year’s Baileys Champion Cow was awarded to Lumville M Danoise EX95, exhibited by Clive and Joelle Richardson from Annaghmore Holsteins, Co. Armagh.
Although she was wearing an Armagh sash on the day this cow was actually bred in Co. Meath by former Irish Holstein Friesian Association (IHFA) president Richard Whelan.
The Mountfield SSI DCY Mogul ET-sired cow out of Lumville E Danoise EX92 was sold as a heifer calf in 2017 at Richard’s dispersal sale for 3,400gns at seven months old by Michael Taaffe from Taaffe Auctions.
She won first Intermediate Heifer In Milk Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS) Winter Fair 2019 and was nominated All-Britain Intermediate Heifer In-Milk 2019.
She won first Senior Cow and Reserve Breed Champion RUAS Balmoral Show 2023.
She does not only perform in the show ring, as she produced 13,759kg of milk at 4.82% fat and 3.59% protein in a 305-day lactation, which equates to 1,157kg of milk solids in her third lactation.
As a heifer she produced 10,791kg of milk at 3.75% fat and 3.47% protein, which was followed by 12,451kg of milk at 4.05% fat and 3.65% protein in her second lactation.
Danoise
Her dam, Lumville E Danoise EX92 sold for 6,800gns at the Lumville dispersal sale in 2017.
She won first Junior Heifer in-milk Emerald Expo and Tullamore show 2017, and was also Champion Heifer North-East Holstein Club Herds Competition 2017.
This 2023 Champion cow also has real Baileys Cow pedigree with her grandam Lumville Danoise 2 EX94 being crowned the Baileys cow champion in 2008 for Richard.
She won first and Junior Champion Virginia Show 2006, she was also first Heifer in-milk and Heifer in-milk Champion at the National Dairy Show Millstreet 2006 and was first Heifer in-milk and Junior Champion RUAS Winter Fair 2006.
She went on to be All-Ireland Junior Cow Champion and Breed Champion Charleville Show 2008; Baileys All-Ireland Champion Cow in 2008; Champion RUAS Winter Fair 2008;RDS Champion of Champions 2008; Baileys Dry Cow Champion 2009 and Champion Dry Cow Causeway Classic 2009; Champion RUAS Winter Fair 2010.
It was very much a hard fought win for Annaghmore Holsteins, with Lumville M Danoise having to fend-off a Tullamore champion and a Baileys champion from 2022 to take home the title.
She would also claim the protein prize at this years show.
Reserve champion
Bawnmore Pepper Almeric VG88 was selected as the Reserve Champion at the 2023 Baileys cow competition.
Sired by Delaberge Pepper and out of Clongowes Sid Almeric 2 EX95, she was champion at Tullamore just ten days earlier.
This repeated the same top National achievement and success as her mother Clongowes Sid Almeric 2 who won Tullamore National Livestock Show Champion in 2016.
Source: Alf Harvey
Owned by Bryan and John O’Connor she travelled up from Co. Cork to compete, she would claim the Best Exhibitor Bred award.
Honourable Mention
Honourable Mention was given to last year’s champion Hilltara Undenied Apple VG89 from Co. Down breeders Sam and John McCormick.
This third-calved cow sired by Our-Favourite Undenied and by Hilltara Doorman Apple 2 dam came out with a rosette for third place.
Wexford and the Jones family would make a strong showing in the Junior cow and Heifer in-milk sections, ith Hallow Diamondback Twizzle 3 from the Hallow Holstein herd of Philip and Linda Jones taking the Junior cow title and Hilltara Crushtime Maude 3 from Sam and John McCormack taking the reserve.
This year’s Heifer in-milk title would go to the half-sister of Junior Champion, but this time it was for Jones Holstein, Jones Lambda Twizzle VG87 from Gary and Izzy Jones.
Reserve champion went to Jones Knowlesmere Crushtime Patricia VG88, another entry from Jones Holstein, but this time part of three-way syndicate with Knowlesmere and Conroy.
She has already tasted success at the Virginia Show ground having taking the overall champion title at the Emerald Expo in April of this year.
A full list of the results from the Baileys Cow competition can be found by clicking here.