Hopefuls bid for Baileys cow prize

PART of the success achieved by one of the country’s leading export companies, Baileys, has been attributed to the quality cream produced by 40,000 dairy cows on 1,500 accredited Irish farms.

Glanbia Ingredients supplies Baileys, one of the top 10 selling global premium spirit brands in the world, with its annual cream requirement for the seven million cases it sells each year in over 130 countries

Over the past 26 years, more than 600 cows have entered the prestigious Baileys Irish Champion Dairy Cow competition.

A total of 18 breeders have won the prestigious competition, with Cyril Dowling from Baldonnell, Co Dublin being successful on a record six occasions.

Now, the annual search is under way to select this year’s winner at Virginia Show on August 19. Entries close on Friday.

The competition, which has a total prize fund of €8,000, is sponsored by Baileys in conjunction with its cream supplier, Glanbia Ingredients in Virginia, Co Cavan.

Last year Meath breeders Richard Whelan and Earle Kelly won the title with Mark Logan from Bangor, Co Down, showing the reserve champion.

Peter O’Connor, R&A Bailey, said the competition is a great way to showcase this island’s dairy farming excellence and to underpin the quality of the ingredients.

It is the one championship that dairy cattle breeders really want to win, according to competition director Brendan Smyth. “It’s equivalent to having a horse win at the Derby,” he said.

Virginia Show president Ned Duffy said the Baileys Champion Cow competition has become a wonderful spectacle.

“We are looking forward to welcoming thousands of breeders and spectators from all over Ireland this year and we are delighted to welcome entrants from Northern Ireland again for the second year running,” he said.

The overall winning breeder will receive a cheque for €2,000.