UK Dairy Expo: Ayrshire farmer to join judging panel

The event, which takes place on March 15 and 16, is organised by Harrison & Hetherington and will attract more than 700 cattle entries to be scrutinised by experts in front of a crowd of 7,000 spectators.

Harrison & Hetherington Dairy Sales Manager and Dairy Expo organiser Glyn Lucas said: "Borderway UK Dairy Expo has grown into one of the most successful and hotly contested shows in the UK dairy cattle calendar.

"We attract a really exceptional calibre of entries from all over the UK, and it is a formidable challenge to pick the winners in every class.

"We are very grateful indeed that our four top judges have agreed to travel so far and take on this task.

"They bring an extra dimension of international credibility to a world class show here at Borderway."

The 2024 edition will be among the first to feature a new Heifer Class for milking heifers under 24 months, an innovation that aligns with the emerging trend for younger calving cows.

The panel of judges for the event is comprised of Ben Govett, Daniel Bacon, Roger Turner and Ayrshire's John Cousar.

Local talent and Holstein Master Breeder, Mr Cousar is a long-standing official judge for the Holstein Society for over two decades. He will take on the judging mantle for the British Friesian classes.

Mr Cousar, who farms at Craigie, Kilmarnock, describes being asked to judge at the Dairy Expo as the "greatest honour".

He added: “Internationally I have judged in Denmark, Sweden, Poland, the Azores, Germany and France, but being invited to judge at Dairy Expo, so close to home, is the greatest honour, and I am looking forward very much to being presented with the opportunity to judge the wonderful cattle this event attracts.”

Mr Govett, a Brown Swiss breeder from Australia, has racked up numerous Premier Breeder and Premier Exhibitor titles at the International Dairy Week (IDW) in his home country over the past decade.

He said: "I have heard a lot about UK Dairy Expo over the years and it is an absolute privilege to be invited to judge and be involved in the UK’s largest Dairy Show.

"I know that without a doubt it will be a challenging role, choosing between some of the highest quality dairy cattle the UK has to offer."

Also hailing from Australia, Mr Bacon is a Jersey dairy farmer, whose Brookbora Jerseys retains the honour of being Australia's highest production herd and regularly snatches the Premier Breeder and Premier Exhibitor titles at the International Dairy Week.

Mr Turner, a Canadian-raised genetic expert based in the USA, is set to judge the International Showmanship classes.

Throughout his career, Mr Turner has judged in over 22 countries, 20 US states, various Canadian provinces and has served as a member of the All-American & All-Canadian selection committees for multiple breeds.

Mr Lucas said the standing of the international judges reflects the credibility of Dairy Expo as one of the most important dairy shows in the UK and beyond.

He said: "The introduction of our new heifer class underlines our development as a showcase for industry trends and a platform for stakeholders to share the best of new ideas, technology and of course, dairy cattle breeds.

"We are very confident that Dairy Expo 2024 will be bigger and better than ever before, and we are looking forward to welcoming our judges, breeders, and particularly our young dairy cattle experts to Borderway this March."

Further information on the event can be found at https://borderwaydairyexpo.uk/.