“The winning cow of this year’s Diageo Baileys Champion Cow will have to have it all – balance, dairy strength, quality through the udder and great locomotion,” according to judge, Mark Logan.
The Co. Down native has said, “I will be looking out for the breeder who can show me the ‘complete package’ in the parade ring”.
Mark is the manager of the well-known Clandeboye Estate which is situated just outside Bangor.
Mark is no stranger to this ‘all-Ireland’ competition, having won the reserve champion prize himself in 2008.
He also worked as an agriculture student of CAFRE Greenmount on the Ballymoney farm of the very first judge of ‘The Baileys’, Bertie Kerr.
Commenting on his role as judge 40 years on, and the important task that lies ahead in Co. Cavan on August 23rd, 2023, he said,
“It is an honour to be asked to judge the Diageo Baileys Champion Cow. The contest is regarded as the most prestigious within the summer shows’ circuit on the island of Ireland. It consistently attracts only top-class cows.”
670-acre Clandeboye Estate
Originally from Co. Antrim, Mark has judged many shows in Northern Ireland as well as the IHFA’s Emerald Expo event.
In Great Britain, he has judged Holsteins at the Royal Highland Show; All-breeds at the AgriScot and will be at the Royal Welsh Show next week judging the Dairy Interbreeds.
He has been managing the 670-acre Clandeboye Estate farm since 1991, where the team has built up an impressive pedigree herd of 70 Holstein and 30 Jersey cows.
They boast a lineage that goes back to the renowned Holstein families (Rosinas and Willows) and Jersey families (Evitas and Marbles) and produces 2,500 litres of milk per day on average.
Environment and economic sustainability go hand-in-hand in Mark’s management of the estate with a circular economy solution of an anaerobic digester installed in 2016 that is now fuelling 100% of the estate’s electricity requirements and almost all of its heating and hot water.
Increased prize fund
With an increased prize fund of €13,000 to mark the 40th-year of the competition and the 80th-anniversary of the Virginia Show, judging of the competition will get underway at 3 pm.
The breeder of the Bailey Champion will receive a €3,000 prize; followed by €1,500 and €800 for reserve champion and honourable mention respectively.
Other awards will be presented across several categories, including Junior Cows in their second lactation.
The Best Junior Cow category has prizes worth €1,550 in total, while the popular Best-Heifer-in-Milk category carries a fund of €1,550 with 1st place worth €750.
Last year’s judge, David Booth of the 120-cow Feizor Holstein herd in North Yorkshire, sought a “balanced cow with strength” at last year’s event.
He found his champion in a 3-year-old Holstein Friesian cow, property of Sam, and John McCormick from just outside Co Down.
Hilltara Undenied Apple was declared champion in this prestigious dairy cow competition at the Virginia Show on August 24th, 2022, as reported by us in this news article.
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