Behind the scenes with the Baileys Champion Dairy Cow
Becky Hynes lends a hand as Paul Murphy makes a few touches to his prep for the Baileys Championship. Picture: Rachel Martin
Attention to detail is what gets a fantastic cow to the very top of show-ring success. Paul Murphy and Emma Behan, who own Hillholm Holsteins in Co Cork, know every inch of that attention to detail, as they have worked with top dairy show animals across the world.
However, there is something different about showing your own animals at the top level because they are simply family members.
My regular readers will know I tipped Coolroehouse Abbott Ann a couple of weeks ago as the red-hot favourite to win this year’s Diageo Baileys Irish Champion Dairy Cow at Virginia Show, the most coveted title for any dairy cow to win.
Show classes are never won at a show; they are won at home. Show day is simply about putting an extra touch of sparkle on the months, and sometimes years, of hard work at home to ensure that a cow or heifer is managed to perfection.
It is about knowing when the animal is at its best and ready to compete, while also knowing when she needs a break in order to set herself up for the following season.
Probably one of the most important things is understanding that animal’s mindset. Does it enjoy competing? Does it like travelling and the atmosphere of the show ring?
The cows at Hillholm are washed daily and receive midday feeds and feeds in the middle of the night — a huge commitment for a couple who both have full-time jobs off-farm.
I had the pleasure of visiting Hillholm Holsteins early on the Sunday morning before Ann left for Virginia to compete at the 2026 Baileys. She had stood senior champion Holstein at the FBD National Livestock Show in Tullamore the previous Sunday.
However, by all accounts, Ann had been a very comfortable champion at Tullamore. She had taken the success and the journey in her stride and had improved further.
Her milk production had increased over the week of rest, producing more than 45 litres a day, having calved in September 2025. She looked better than she did in Tullamore.
I watched her walk around her pen, cool as could be, fresh from a morning wash after milking. After one last feed, she coolly strolled out into the trailer to join her stablemate, Cedarmore Hurricane Tory, who had also won the super heifer class at Tullamore the previous weekend.
The long road to Virginia lay ahead — five and a half hours — but it was a journey Ann knew well, as she was crowned grand champion Holstein at Emerald Expo in Virginia in the spring of 2025 and 2026.
Monday and Tuesday were rest days for Ann and Tory at the showgrounds: a chance to recover from the journey, eat and sleep, with plenty of washes and a bit of holy hay after each wash.
Holy hay, you might ask? Organic hay produced in a convent, so it seems the nuns gave their top-class hay an extra-special blessing.
It always amazes me how animals become good friends. Becky was working with Paul and Emma at the show, and it seems Ann and Tory know each other so well that they have synchronised.
They lie down at the same time, get up and eat at the same time and, if one needs the poo bucket, grab a second bucket because the other one is going to poo too.
At home, we were consistent in our belief that Ann would win the Baileys in 2026. We are rarely spectators at a show, but we weren’t going to miss this one.
It was a 4am start: cows milked, show cows fed and a four-hour drive. We wanted to see this outstanding cow at her best in her hour of glory.
When we arrived, the Hillholm team were hard at work. The cows were looking phenomenal, and Becky was changing into her show whites, as Paul and Emma had given her the strap with Tory. It really is an honour to show for anyone in the Baileys ring.
At 3pm, the Diageo Baileys Irish Champion Dairy Cow parade began at Virginia Show, as all the animals headed to the main show ring, with a jam-packed ringside and the atmosphere building.
Michael Taaffe delivered expert commentary on each cow as it entered the ring.
First up was the heifer-in-milk section, hotly contested, with judge Marcel Egli, who had travelled from Switzerland, casting an eagle eye over each heifer.
Becky guided Tory into second place, with Annaghmore Rager KD Jackie claiming first place for Clive and Joel Richardson from Northern Ireland.
Next up was the junior cow section, and the Cork flag was being firmly nailed to the top of the flagpole this time.
Cedarmore Holsteins’ John and Bryan O’Connor took the top spot with Willsbro Lambda Galys Vray 46, maximum score EX90.
From the moment the O’Connors’ cow walked into the ring, she was an eye-catcher, as she truly looked amazing. They also scooped the highest EBI award with Cedarmore Lambda Bazooka.
Then it was senior cow time. With all the heifers in milk and junior cows now circling the ring, the senior cows filed in.
The moment Coolroehouse Abbott Ann walked into the ring she caught the judge's eye. “Game over” were the words Marcel Egli used in his reasons afterwards.
But he didn’t give his game face away too early. He placed his final 10, with Tory finishing seventh overall.
There were two cows left before he tapped his champion. Ann owned her spot in the centre of the ring.
History was written. Ann had done the double: Tullamore and the Baileys.
Both Paul and Emma give great credit to the Forrest family of Coolroe House Farm, who bred Ann and sold her to Hillholm as a calf.
The Forrest family also introduced Paul to the world of dairy showing. One could say they have helped write so many chapters of his life so far, while also leaving room for him to write his own chapters alongside Emma.
Many will talk of Ann going on to compete at the FBD National Dairy Show, where she would surely add another title.
However, the wise decision is to do what is best for this young cow, knowing that she will have many seasons ahead.
Paul and Emma are certainly not greedy and are adamant that Ann has more than earned a break from the show ring for now. It is time to chew the cud and relive her success.
With two pregnancies due from her to Lambda and a natural calf to Detective, they will surely be some of the most sought-after calves in Ireland.
Ann was, without doubt, a people’s favourite champion in Virginia, as the crowd loved her.
It is also safe to say that Paul and Emma were the competitors’ favourite champions - well-deserved winners.
