Virginia Agricultural Show Society
Baileys Championship 2010
Smearlaview A Storm Vixan EX94 - 2010 Bailey's Cow Champion
Smearlaview A Storm Vixan crowned Finest in Land & Baileys Champion for second time
Timothy & John Kirby win the Baileys® Irish Champion Cow 2010 with Smearlaview A Storm Vixan
Tim and John Kirby from Duagh, Listowel in Co.Kerry have won the 2010 Baileys® Irish Champion Competition which took place today at the Virginia Agricultural Show in Co Cavan, ( Saturday 31 July). Their cow, Smearlaview Storm Vixan, a seven year old cow, competed against 21 other bovine beauties from across the four provinces in Ireland to win the prestigious competition which dates back to 1983. The competition recognises good body conformation with proven excellence in milk production and it is the third time that the Kirby brothers have taken the title back to Kerry. They won with the same cow in 2007 and last year with Smearlaview Forbidden Vixan.
Croagh Fran 26 who is owned by Mervyn and Philip Jones from Gorey, Co. Wexford was declared Reserve Champion and other prizes were awarded in specialist categories for breeders that travelled to Virginia from as far afield as Mayo and Co Down to compete. These included the Meath breeder and Chairman of the Irish Holstein Friesian Association, Richard Whelan whose cow Lumville Danoise 2 received Honourable Mention as well as the Best Protein Content award. His other Ballyvorelduc Mandy took the Dry Cow award.
Widely acknowledged as Ireland’s most prestigious dairy livestock event, the €8,000 prize contest is sponsored by Baileys® Irish Cream and its cream supplier Glanbia Ingredients. Irish Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith T.D. presented the prizes alongside Andrew Furley of R&A Bailey & Co and Glanbia Chairman Liam Herlihy. The Minister said: “The continued loyal sponsorship of both Baileys® and Glanbia Ingredients has elevated this competition to one highly regarded by breeders around the country. It is one of Ireland’s most prestigious dairy livestock events” he said, “and the kind of quality that is being rewarded here today represents the brightest future of an industry that has enormous potential for expansion and development”.
Glanbia Chairman Liam Herlihy added, “Glanbia is delighted to be long-standing sponsor of this great event with Baileys®. As a dairy farmer myself, supplying winter milk, I appreciate the importance of the partnership which Glanbia has with Baileys®”.
International judge of this year's competition was Michael Gould from Shropshire who is a Holstein breeder himself. "It was an honour and a privilege to judge this very popular competition today. I'd love to be taking the winning cow back to Shropshire!" he said.
Other winners included:
Richard Whelan from Clonard, Co Meath took ‘Honourable Mention’ and Best Protein Award with his cow Lumville Danoise 2.
RESULTS:
Champion: Smearlaview A Storm Vixan Bred & Exhibited by: Tim & John Kirby, Duagh, Co. Kerry.
Reserve Champion: Croagh Fran 26 Owned by: M. & P. Jones, Gorey, Co. Wexford.
Honorable Mention: Lumville Danoise 2 Bred & Exhibited by: Richard Whelan, Clonard, Co. Meath.
Heifer in Milk Award 2010
1st: Tubbertoby Talent Madison owned by Paul Flanagan, Termonfeckin, Drogheda, Co.Louth
2nd: Ballincurra Kite Royalty owned by Dermot McCarthy, Rathcannon, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick.
3rd: Hallow Advent Twizzle owned by Dermot & Joan Jackson, Borkilbeg, Kiltegan, Co. Wicklow.
Search is on for Ireland's finest dairy cow
Baileys® Irish Champion Cow Competition open for entries
The Baileys® Irish Champion Dairy Cow Competition is officially open to entries from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and will take place at the Virginia Show, in Virginia, Co. Cavan on the new date of Saturday 31 July. It attracts a prize fund of €8,000. The breeder of the Baileys® Irish Champion will receive a cheque for €2,000 along with the perpetual trophy whilst €650 will go to the breeder of the Reserve Champion. Other awards will be presented for Highest Protein Content, Best EBI, Best Exhibitor-Bred Cow and Best Heifer in Milk.
Speaking at the launch reception held at the Baileys Global Supply site in Dublin recently, Stephen O'Kelly of R&A Bailey & Co, who manufacture Baileys® in both Dublin and Newtownabbey and sponsor the competition in association with their cream supplier, Glanbia Ingredients, said: “The Baileys® Irish Champion Cow Competition demonstrates this island's world class standards in milk production and helps to underpin the quality of the cream in Baileys® .”
To enter the competition, cows must first have produced 500kgs of butterfat and protein in a 305 day lactation (except for the heifer in milk awards). A 10% extra weighting is being given to the protein portion of the entry standard. On the day, final judgment will be made on the appearance and beauty of cows who have met the required standards. Last year the top title went to Listowel farming brothers John & Tim Kirby for his cow, Smearlaview Forbidden Vixan. The Reserve prize went to Kilwarden Gibson Vixan, who is a distant family relative of the winner and owned by Brochan Cocoman from Kill, Co. Kildare.
Brendan Smyth, the competition's Director said: “over the past 26 years, the Baileys® has grown in stature to become the top Holstein Friesian competition in Ireland. 275 million litres of milk per year from over 35,000 Irish cows across 1,400 farms is needed to make Baileys®. Together, they contribute to the 2,300 glasses of Baileys® that are drunk every minute of every day across 130 countries and this prestigious event is only open to the best bred ‘supermilkers’ amongst them, that is cows producing over 11,000 litres of milk a year. For all their hard work in the making of Baileys’ quality cream ingredient, it makes sense that the world’s no. 1 liqueur should recognize and reward the queen of them all. ”
Ned Duffy, President, Virginia Show added that the new weekend date should attract even greater participation in the competition and attendance around the ring. " The Baileys® Competition has always been a crowd-puller so we are looking forward to a packed event this year."
Deadline for entries into the Baileys® Irish Champion is 21st July 2010 and further details are available from Brendan Smyth on ++353(0)87 2560952 or ++353( 0)49 8549000 and the Virginia Show Office on 049 8547197. Alternatively visit www.virginiashow.com or Facebook | Virginia Show ENDS
Enjoy Baileys® sensibly.
Bailey's Champion Cow 2009
Smearlaview Forbidden Vixan
by Sandyview Forbidden Dam: Smearlaview Gibson Vixan EX G.Dam: Fradon Astre Vixan
Owners: John & Timothy Kirby, Smearlaview, Duagh, Listowel, Co. Kerry.
Results:
Heifer In-Milk Award 2009
1st: Jerome Smith, Aughaloora, Kilnaleck, Co. Cavan - Dalevalley OTI Bbony
2nd Padraic Greenan, Ardaghey, Monaghan - Greenlea Shottle Roxy
3rd Tom & Maura Murphy, Swiftsheath, Jenkinstown, Co. Kilkenny - Ballythomas Adolph Mia ET
The Bailey's Champion All-Ireland Dairy Cow Championship 2009
Sponsored by R&A Bailey and Glanbia
1st Timothy & John Kirby, Derrindaffe, Duagh, Listowel, Co. Kerry - Smearlaview Forbidden Vixan
2nd Brochan Cocoman, Kilwarden, Kill, Co. Kildare - Kilwarden Gibson Vixan
3rd Thomas R. Kelly, Philipstown Farm, Ballymakenny, Drogheda, Co. Louth - Monamore Lee Lula
Wednesday 20th August
Bailey's Champion Cow
Lumville Danoise 2, owned by Richard Whelan and Earle Kelly from Co. Meath was declared winner of the 25th Bailey's Champion Dairy Cow competition at Virginia Show, winning a top prize of 2,000 Euro from the premium agri competition's 8,000 Euro prize fund. The initiative was sponsored by Bailey's and Glanbia.
One of Ireland's most successful and prestigious Holstein / Friesian promotions is the Bailey's Champion cow, jointly sponsord by Baileys and Glanbia, Virginia. August 20th was the Silver Jubilee of the Bailey's Champion Cow, the highlight of a very successful Virginia Show.
This competition came about when 26 years ago the then Chairman of Virginia Show John O'Reilly and the Secretary Ned DUffy hatched the idea of a major attraction for Virginia Show in the form of an Irish Champion Cow. To attract the best, it needed big prizemoney with £1,000 for the winner and pro rata prizemoney for the other placed animals. They approached Brendan Smyth in Virginia Milk Products, Brendan enthusiastically supported the idea and approached Peter O'Connor who being Bailey's Marketing guru ran with it and now after 25 brilliant Baileys, the competition is bigger and better than ever.
Many factors contribute to it's success. The excellence and support of the Virgina Show Committee, the quality of the cattle exhibited, the constant revamping of the competition, the very large and appreciative audience, the mammoth support of Peter O'Connor and Paul Pratt, representing Baileys, the Board and Management of Glanbia, Virginia, but above all Brendan Smyth who masterminded all 25 Baileys.
Overall Champion: Lumville Danoise 2, bred by joint owners Richard Whelan, Lumville Holsteins and Earle Kelly.
Reserve Champion: Clandeboye Champion Willow from Clondeboy Estates in Bangor, Co. Down
Honorable Mention: Baldonnel Bee Bonnie, bred by Cyril Dowling, Baldonnel Holsteins
Heifer In-Milk - Ballyboy Gibson Carmen 4 exhibited by Louise Sinnott. Bred by Jim & Una Sinnott, Ballyboy.
Dry Cow Section - Sanfield Aero Pine exhibited by Philip Jones. Bred by Mervyn Jones, Hallow Holsteins.
Top EBI animal - Monamore Darlene 30 - exhibited & Bred by Tom Kelly, Monamore Holsteins.
Protein Award - Grasshill Lindy Roxie exhibited by Louise Robinson, Bred by Ivan Robinson, Ravara Holsteins
National Dairy Show - Millstreet 2010
YMA National Calf Show Results 2010
Dairy Event UK - 7th & 8th Sept. '10 @ NEC, Birmingham
Irish Pure Friesian Open Day 2010 - report
