With the show season about to get underway, Northern Ireland’s premier dairy competition, the John Thompson & Sons/Northern Ireland Shows Association (NISA) Dairy Cow Championship, is back with a new look for 2024!
Speaking at the launch of the 2024 championship, Thompsons’ Ronald Annett said, “Northern Ireland has always been to the forefront in dairy cattle breeding, and today we have some of the top dairy cows and leading dairy herds in the UK and Ireland. The NI Dairy Cow Championship is a great way to celebrate this fact.”
“As early adopters of new technologies, local breeders are now seeing a return for their hard work, with top quality cows coming to the fore at a much younger age. In recognition of this progress, I am delighted to announce that the 2024 Championship will feature a new Junior Championship Award for heifers-in-milk.”
“Thompsons are delighted to sponsor the Championship again this year, and we would like to wish all exhibitors a very enjoyable and successful show season.”
The championship begins with eight qualifying rounds at each of the regional shows: Ballymoney (1st June), Lurgan (1st June), Armagh (8th June), Ballymena (15th June), Newry (29th June), Omagh (6th July), Castlewellan (13th July) and Limavady (20th July). A maximum of two cows and one heifer-in-milk may qualify from each show. The final of the 2024 Dairy Cow Championship will be held at Antrim Show, on Saturday 27th July, at their showgrounds on the Shanes Castle Estate, off the Randalstown Road, Antrim.
A generous prize fund is on offer this year for the top five cows in the final line-up, plus Junior Champion, Reserve Junior Champion, Exhibitor-Bred Champion and Best Udder winners. Every cow exhibited at the final will also receive a voucher for 10 bags of Thompsons’ feed. The championship is open to all breeds of dairy cows, both pedigree and non-pedigree, and each exhibitor can qualify a maximum of four cows.
The 2023 Final was judged by Mr Robin Templeton, who runs the Carnell Ayrshire Herd with his father John near Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Robin awarded the Championship to Potterswalls Bontino Dawn EX94, from the Fleming family’s herd based in Seaforde, Co. Down. This impressive cow caught the judge’s eye and went on to pick up the Exhibitor-Bred Champion and Best Udder Awards also.
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