With a record number of entries, a global audience, and more visitors than ever, the 2024 Borderway UK Dairy Expo saw the 4-year-old Holstein cow, Mag Pandor, take top honours.
With the 460 entries in the cattle classes, almost 120 young people in the showmanship classes, and record audiences attending the event in person and globally through the live stream, the 2024 Borderway Dairy Expo has been hailed a huge success.
Watched by over 11,000 dairy enthusiasts from around the globe, the much-anticipated Supreme Holstein class saw the Laird family, Alister, son Colin, and his wife Izzy of Blythbridge Holsteins, Blythbridge, East Linton & Ferme Blondin, Quebec, Canada scoop the title and Overall Supreme Champion with Mag Pandor. A third calver purchased from Ferme Mag Holsteins in France, this Supreme Champion had won Reserve at the Royal Highland and first at AgriScot and UK Dairy Day in 2023, before taking the top title at UK Dairy Expo, the UK’s premier dairy event.
For his lifetime’s commitment to the dairy industry, Geoff Bone was the recipient of the prestigious John Dennison award, and Peter Cotton from Staffordshire won the highly competitive Overall Showmanship award on the Friday.
Hosted by Harrison & Hetherington on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th March at Borderway Mart, and now in its second decade, the significance of Dairy Expo within the UK dairy sector continues to grow and evolve. The event has become one of the most prestigious showcases for the UK’s finest dairy cattle, and it provides a unique focal point highlighting the industry’s latest technology, innovation, and research, with this year’s event seeing some of the 100 companies exhibiting at UK Dairy Expo using the event to launch new products.
Speaking after the event, organiser Glyn Lucas said: “It is a huge privilege to be able to offer the dairy industry this platform to showcase the UK’s exceptional accomplishments, in our dairy cattle breeding, in our technology and our productivity to a global audience. The success of this event is due principally to the hundreds of people who bring their wonderful cattle to show here, and I congratulate every entry on their presentation.
“We really enjoyed watching the judges select the very best from the best on show day, and of course we offer all our thanks to the judges for their professionalism, and for coming here to give us the benefit of their expert opinion from as far away as Australia and the USA. And thanks to our commentators for communicating the energy and the success of UK Dairy Expo to our global audience.”
In a welcome demonstration of the strength of the dairy industry, the exceptional numbers and quality of cattle representing seven dairy breeds put forward for judging this year included a considerable number from new consigners. Highlights of this year’s event and a full list of the day’s winners can be found at: www.borderwaydairyexpo.uk .
Supreme Champion Judge, Ben Govett, from Australia, along with his fellow judges, underlined the quality of the entries and the commitment of the breeders and the organisers who had made Dairy Expo 2024 such an exceptional success:
“This has been an incredible show of cattle today, and there are so many people we should thank. There are so many unseen people behind the scenes getting cows in the ring and their hard work and commitment has been evident throughout today. To the breeders, I offer my greatest respect for their generosity and the presentation of their cattle, and we must also thank Glyn Lucas and his team at Borderway for their huge effort in putting on such a fantastic show.”
Commenting on the chosen Supreme Champion, the judge said of Mag Pandor, led by Izzy Larid: “You don’t have to be the biggest to be the best. This is an incredible cow!”
On receiving the top honours, Colin Laird said: “The fact that it was a new judge, and that we were competing with the best cows in the UK, to come out on top was unbelievable. I would like to thank our own team and the team at H&H for making it happen.”
Now in its third year, the livestreaming of this the UK’s foremost dairy showcase continues to go from strength to strength, with those joining virtually from around the world being as far away as New Zealand, India, Canada and Australia. Throughout the event, the highly informative and entertaining commentators, Alan Timbrell, Graham Kirby, and Richard Bostock were joined by invited guests, sharing their in-depth knowledge and passion with breeders and farmers worldwide.
UK Dairy Expo is also a wonderful showcase for the next generation of breeders and farmers who will take the UK dairy industry into the future. At this year’s event almost 120 individuals aged between 4 aged 24 competed across the International Youth Showmanship Championships. Throughout, the very highest levels of attention to detail and skill were apparent and a sight to behold, with young people competing for rosettes and the main coveted title. The overall Showmanship Championship was Peter Cotton aged 24 from Staffordshire, and the Reserve went to Emily Davis aged 22 from Devon.
Speaking afterward, Peter said: “This is a great show to exhibit at and I would recommend anyone else to take part. I first started showing here in 2013 and I have been back every year since. It is a great place for the industry to meet.”
The International Showmanship Judge, Roger Turner, travelled from Wisconsin USA, to make an immensely difficult winning choice:
“Youth is the most important part of our industry, and we need to cultivate them to bring this industry forward. There has been lots of change in recent years, and our youth are the passionate people who will lift the industry to the next level, so we need to develop them to be our next leaders. I have judged showmanship in youth shows all around the word, and this 2024 UK Dairy Expo class demonstrated the highest calibre of showmanship and professionalism I have ever had the opportunity to judge in my 30-year judging career.”
Sponsored by ToiToi Genetics, the Rising Star Award is presented to an exceptional young person working behind the scenes. The judges were looking for a good all-rounder, knowledgeable and with a great skill set working with animals. The 2024 Dairy Expo saw this presented to 18-year-old Megan Innes of the New Meadow Herd from Nairn, who was described by the judge as a high achiever at all levels, both at school and in the showring. In 2023 she was without a doubt a high achiever, when under Megan’s care showing the family’s Holstein, Wolfa Chief Sue, this 2-year-old heifer secured Holstein Champion Heifer at Agri Scot in November, inter-breed heifer champion at the Royal Highland Show in June, and was winning heifer at UK Dairy Day in September.
Judged by noted livestock photographer Catherine MacGregor, the inaugural UK Dairy Expo Photo Competition, ‘Milk Makers – Capturing the Hard-Working Girls’, was presented to Eimear McErlean, aged 9, from Ayr for a picture of her dairy cows in the sunshine, runner up went to Gregor Laird aged 4.
This years, Tidy Lines Award, sponsored by Mathers Dairy Utensils Ltd was presented to Toi Toi Genetics, for their team effort and hard work which goes on behind the scenes.
The 2024 John Dennison Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to someone involved within the dairy industry for his entire life, Geoff Bone, who has worked for Holstein UK for many years. In accepting this award, Geoff said: “This is a terrific award and I feel supremely humbled to be honoured by the Dennison family today here at Diary Expo.”
In concluding Glynn said: “During the last two days records have been broken, we had the largest number of livestock entries ever, we had the largest number of young people taking part in the event and, we have had more visitors than ever attending over the two days both in person and globally watching via the livestream.
“Since the very first Borderway UK Dairy Expo held here twelve years ago, our aim was to recognise the many people who work within the industry, to encourage the younger generation, and importantly to highlight new innovations and cutting edge technology. This is exactly what we achieved here today, and I am delighted to see that so many trade exhibitors attended and showcased new products as well.”
This year’s mainline sponsors of Borderway UK Dairy Expo were: Carrs Billington, Holstein UK, Cattle Information Service, HSBC UK, and Harrison & Hetherington.
2024 Showmanship Champion
Champion – Peter Cotton aged 24 Staffordshire
Reserve – Emily Davis aged 22 Devon
2024 Breed Champions:
Supreme Champion
Champion - Mag Pandor - Blythbridge Holsteins & Ferme Blondin
Genus Supreme Heifer Champion
Champion - Riverdane Artist Atlee – Messrs Awde
Holstein
Champion – Mag Pandor - Blythbridge Holsteins & Ferme Blondin
Reserve – Clydeview Sidekick Matilda – Robbie Scott
Ayrshire
Champion – Morwick Peggy 126 – GG Baynes
Reserve – Swaites Nice Girl 37 – John Adamson & Son
British Friesian
Champion – Lismulligan Empress 69 - B Lawson & Sons
Reserve – Whinnow Jingle Pauline 5 – I & GM Blamire
Brown Swiss
Champion – Kedar Nescardo Snickerliscious- T Lochhead & Sons
Reserve – Kedar Faust Esprit– T Lochhead & Sons
Dairy Shorthorn
Champion – Oxton Ric Wildeyes 970 – Shaun Dixon & Grace Holliday
Reserve – Churchroyd Strawberry 16 – Collins & Partners
Jersey
Champion – Saxown Matt Cash 107 – The Saxby Family
Reserve – Rivermead Victorious Gorgeous Blondie – The Davis Family
Red & White
Champion – Nethervalley Awesome Rosanne Red – AH Wilson & Son
Reserve – Riverdane Miss Awesome Rosanne Red - Riverdane Holstein