| 2014-11-26 |    |
Industry Forum to Form Part of UK Dairy Expo 2015
Borderway UK Dairy Expo 2015 is teaming up with Total Dairy to present a major industry seminar alongside the flagship spring dairy showcase.
Now in its fourth year, Borderway UK Dairy Expo will be held at the Borderway Exhibition Centre on Saturday March 7 presenting the cream of British dairy genetics and industry innovation to a global audience. The Dairy Seminar will be held in the afternoon of Friday 6 March at Carlisle Racecourse.
2014 Champion of Champions winner Peak Goldwyn Rhapsody shown by Yasmin Bradbury and Bill Nadin of Derbyshire
Borderway UK Dairy Expo has grown rapidly in size since the inaugural event was launched in 2012 to reflect the continued importance of the industry and organiser Harrison and Hetherington’s commitment to it. The event attracted 350 livestock entries in 59 show classes last year, with Peak Goldwyn Rhapsody, from Yasmin Bradbury and Bill Nadin’s Derbyshire-based Sterndale Herd, taking the overall Champion of Champions crown. Around 7,000 people visited the event, which included 130 trade stands sharing educational, commercial and innovation developments from the industry.
Harrison and Hetherington Operations Director and Event Organiser David Pritchard said: “Borderway UK Dairy Expo is now a red letter day in the industry’s spring calendar, attracting exhibitors from across the UK and international experts and visitors to join in what is a celebration of the best of British dairy genetics and innovation.
“The event gives the industry the opportunity to come together to discuss the latest technical breakthroughs and we’re delighted to be teaming up with Total Dairy to extend our commitment to discussing and showcasing trends and developments in the sector at the Dairy Seminar.”
The 2014 event attracted top class international judges and this theme will continue. Mr Pritchard said: “Because Borderway UK Dairy Expo is now an established spring showcase for the sector, we are looking forward to announcing another strong line-up of globally-renowned judges for the event.”
Borderway UK Dairy Expo 2015 will be supported by seven mainline sponsors: Holstein UK, CIS, Clydesdale Bank, Norbrook, Farmers Guardian and two new sponsors, Carrs Billington and Pickstock.
Micky Rowles Lloyd from livestock and meat processing business Pickstock of Telford said: “This is our first year as a sponsor of Borderway UK Dairy Expo. The event has grown hugely since it started and is very much on our radar as a venue to existing customers from the North West, the UK and beyond.”
“We’re delighted to be involved with the event and look forward to building a strong relationship with Borderway UK Dairy Expo going forward.”
Judges
The 2015 judging team has been drawn from the US, Canada and the UK. Hank Van Exel, from California, will be judging the Holstein classes and speaking at the Total Dairy industry forum organised as part of this year’s event; Stephen Borland from Quebec will appraise the coloured breeds; and Lancashire-based Claire Swale will act as showmanship judge.
Hank Van Exel and his family manage 1,800 acres and operate two dairies in Lodi and Hanford, California, with a 1,700 strong milking herd of 1,400 Holsteins and 300 Jerseys. Hank is a member of the Holstein Association USA board of directors and he has judged at the Central National Jersey Show, Eastern National Jersey and Holstein Shows, the Royal Winter Fair Holstein Show, Midwest Jersey Spring Show and the All-American Jersey Show in Louisville twice. As an exhibitor, is successes include having a partnership in the Reserve Grand Champion in both the Holstein and Jersey shows at the World Dairy Expo.
Coloured Breeds judge Stephen Borland from Quebec owns Rapid Bay Jersey Farms Inc., an elite herd of 50 milk cows, of which 30 are classified as Excellent. He also heads Rapid Bay International Sires, which has won Premier Sire at World Dairy Expo, with semen distributed in more than 30 countries. Stephen has judged in 12 countries, including prestigious Jersey shows in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and the UK. As an exhibitor, he has won 15 Premier Breeder and Exhibitor banners at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair over the last decade and earned more than 200 All-Canadian nominations.
Showmanship judge Claire Swale from Lancashire has dairy farming in her blood, having grown up around the family’s Castlerhydd herd, which is now farmed by her brother Richard Bown under the Richaven prefix. Today, she and husband David run Joylan Farms, milking 550 registered Holsteins, rearing their own replacements and retailing all their own milk. Claire’s own prefix Heavenly totals more than 30 cows and delivered the #1 Proven Type bull in Italy- Heavenly Golden Dreams. Since 2010, she has run Heavenly Genetics, specialising in supplying elite breeding bulls into AI, which sources bulls from the UK, Ireland, Europe and North America to fulfil the requirements of international breeding organisations.
The showmanship classes are an integral part of Dairy Expo and Claire’s background makes her the ideal choice to judge them. Prior to completing a degree in Dairy Herd Management, she travelled clipping and showing and was actively involved in YMA and HYB. Today, she judges showmanship across the UK and Europe.
She said: “Since having children of my own, it has really brought home to me how important it is to nurture and encourage the next generation. I’m looking forward to appraising the Dairy Youth Championships and seeing the development of key skills among our young producers.”
The Dairy Youth Championships and the Heifer Show will dominate proceedings on the Friday evening, with the Milking classes and Championships taking place on the Saturday. Around 7,000 people from the UK and internationally visited the 2014 event and similar numbers are expected in 2015, where more than 130 trade stands will also be sharing educational, commercial and innovation developments.
