Awards for a Rising Star and Tidy Lines to be presented at Harrison & Hetherington’s Annual Dairy Showcase
After the success of its inaugural new awards last year Harrison & Hetherington organisers of Borderway UK Dairy Expo, have announced that the Tidy Lines and Rising Star awards will become annual presentations.
The Tidy Lines Award, sponsored by A.W. Jenkinson Forest Products will be presented to the best kept livestock exhibition stand. The UK Dairy Expo Rising Star Award, sponsored by Toi Toi Genetics, is to be presented to a stand-out young person working behind the scenes during Dairy Expo. This award is intended to recognise the knowledge, work ethic, and sportsmanship of a young person in dairy farming. Both awards will be judged anonymously, on site, in the run up to and during the Borderway UK Dairy Expo, with the winners announced and presentations made at the end of the day.
The 2022 Rising Star Award, was presented to 24-year-old James Wright, dairyman at Guillyhill Farm in Dumfries. His love and enthusiasm to work with top cows was clear for all to see and on receiving his award he said “I am hugely grateful to have received this award, and I feel humbled to be recognised in such a way. There are many dedicated and passionate people out there in our dairy industry, and I’m just proud to be one of them.”
Showcasing the finest dairy genetics from across the UK and considered a shop window for breeders and producers alike, Borderway Dairy Expo it is a key industry event. being held at Borderway Mart in Carlisle, this year, on the 10th & 11th March. Hundreds of livestock will be exhibited along dozens of industry trade stands.
Glyn Lucas, Senior Pedigree Dairy Auctioneer at Harrison & Hetherington, Borderway UK Dairy Expo Event Organiser, said: “ Presenting and showing dairy cattle is exceptionally hard work, the majority of which happens behind these scenes and through these awards we aim to recognise both a team’s and an individual’s effort. We are very grateful to both sponsors for making this possible.”
“I have been involved in the dairy industry from a very young age, and here at Borderway UK Dairy Expo it is always a pleasure to see both the younger and older generations working together collaboratively and in harmony. There are now so many opportunities at all levels within the dairy industry and hopefully through this event we can demonstrate the breadth of these opportunities.”
The Tidy Lines Award sponsored by A.W. Jenkinson Forest Products, suppliers of shavings and sawdust for the rings, will be awarded to best kept exhibitor stalls, during the show, and was presented last year to David Hodgson. A huge amount of team effort and attention to detail goes into presenting the livestock for the showring. To ensure that all animals look their absolute best a key element of this is the upkeep of the stalls. Depth of bedding, overall comfort, with the back of the bed neat, tidy and well packed down will all be taken into account by the judges. The animals’ name cards with details of their pedigree and the exhibitors’ names and backgrounds must be clear for all to see.
Judged by a committee of Youth Leaders the UK Dairy Expo’s Rising Star Award, will identify a young person working at Borderway UK Dairy Expo who stands out from what is always a fantastic field of individuals. Open to those working at the show, they will have to demonstrate the highest levels of animal husbandry, be a good all-rounder, knowledgeable and have a great skill set. They need not necessarily be a winner in the ring, but they will have demonstrated synergy working with their animals, peers, and fellow exhibitors. Sponsored by Toi Toi Genetics, not only will this award recognise a young person who will play a part in the future of the dairy industry, it will also give them the opportunity to potentially further their career, and to promote themselves to industry leaders.
Richard Jenkinson, Director at A.W. Jenkinson Forest Products, said: “As manufacturers of sawdust, we know full well how important it is for cattle to be comfortable at all times, whether that’s on the farm or before they walk into the show ring. We’re very proud to sponsor the Tidy Lines Award.”
Borderway UK Dairy Expo is being held in Carlisle on Friday 10th and Saturday 11th March. It is free to attend and further details can be found at www.borderdairyexpo.co.uk
