The sun was shining for a second time on Mag Pandor when it scooped Supreme Champion at Harrison & Hetherington’s 2025 Borderway UK Dairy Expo
The 2025 Borderway UK Dairy Expo was a world class event with world class dairy genetics , the highest calibre of entries and an impressive line-up of young judges. Held on Friday 14th and Saturday 15th March at Borderway Mart, thousands of people attended, and through its livestreaming, thousands from around the world joined the judging and excitement virtually.
For the second year in a row, Mag Pandor, took Overall Supreme Champion at Borderway UK Dairy Expo, to the delight of the Laird family, Alister, son Colin, and his wife Izzy of Blythbridge Holsteins, Blythbridge, East Linton & Ferme Blondin, Quebec, Canada. This Supreme Champion, five year old Holstein purchased from Ferme Mag Holsteins in France, has taken the top spots at several shows including S upreme Champion at the 2024 Royal Highland Show, first at AgriScot and UK Dairy Day in 2023 and Supreme Champion at the 2024 Borderway UK Dairy Expo. From Kendal, Berryholme Holsteins, H Wright & Son's three-year-old heifer Berryholme Chief Rose took the reserve title.
Peter Cotton from Staffordshire won, for the second time, the highly competitive Overall Showmanship award; and the prestigious John Dennison award was presented to John Lomax, also from Staffordshire, for his lifetime’s commitment to the dairy industry.
Now in its second decade, the significance of Dairy Expo within the UK dairy sector continues to grow and evolve. Hosted by Harrison & Hetherington at Borderway Mart, it is the most prestigious showcase in the UK for world class dairy cattle. Through its trade show it also provides a platform to highlight innovation within the industry.
In announcing the Holstein Grand Champion and overall Borderway UK Dairy Expo Supreme Champion 2025 - Mag Pandor, from Blyth Farms and Ferme Blondin and Holstein Reserve Champion - H Wright & Son's Berryholme Chief Rose, Judge, Tom Lomas from Derbyshire, said: “These are the type of cattle we want, Mag Pandor exudes dairy strength, as soon as she came into the show ring she demonstrated so much power and she has so much width and depth. Through that depth of chest and her overall capacity and maturity she is an incredible, incredible five-year-old.”
For the Larid family, this was an overwhelming result, and on receiving the Supreme Champion accolade again, Izzy Laird said: “With the standard and quality of cows that we have at this show, to be class winners is a dream come true itself, but to get this far is beyond words.”
This year Borderway UK Dairy Expo attracted more than 400 entries from some of the UK’s most prestigious breeders and herds across the seven breeds of cattle, the Ayrshire, British Friesian, Brown Swiss, Dairy Shorthorn, Holstein, Jersey, and Red & White. These exceptional cattle and young stock were judged by a panel of eight rising stars in the dairy industry, including former Dairy Expo Champion Handler, Will Horsley, who judged the Showmanship classes.
Feedback from the line up of young judges was unanimous - the quality of cows was second to none. Jersey judge Andrew Kennedy said: “The calibre of entries today was very strong with great depth of quality right down through all the classes. The champion was a fantastic cow with a fantastic udder.”
In judging the Dairy Shorthorns, John McLean reiterated the fantastic quality of cows with many young and well balanced animals; “The overall champion was a really nice, well-balanced, lovely dairy cow with great strength.”
In this, his first visit to UK Dairy Expo, Peter Drummond, Ayrshire Judge said: “We have had a tremendous show, real good turnout. Lovely young stars on Friday, and today tremendous milkers with really good udders, legs and feet. This has been a great show, really well put on.”
Since its inception this event has always focussed on the next generation of breeders and farmers who will take the UK dairy industry forward. The panel of judges were some of the dairy industry’s brightest young stars, many who themselves had competed at UK Borderway Dairy Expo. And commenting, Glyn Lucas, Dairy Sales Manager and event organiser at Harrison & Hetherington said, “From a livestock perspective, the 2025 UK Borderway Dairy Expo was an incredible event. The quality of the champions in all individual breed shows was simply breathtaking, elevating the UK to another level in terms of genetics. The Ayrshire Champion was world-class, and the Holstein Champion was incredible. The high standards across the board and the quality of judging were also world-class, making it one of the best judging panels we've ever had at the show.”
For over a decade the John Dennison Lifetime Achievement Award has been presented by the Dennison Family, and this year it was presented to someone who is celebrated not only for his success in breeding Holsteins but also for his generosity, humility, and integrity - Staffordshire’s John Lomax of Chorlton Holsteins. On receiving his award, John said: “I am overwhelmed. The Dennison family are a lovely family, I knew John personally and have visited the farm, I have also used some of the Denmire Bulls. Receiving this award today will be with me for the rest of my life.”
In recognising and rewarding up-and-coming talent within the sector, sponsored by ToiToi Genetics, the Rising Star Award is presented to a young person working behind the scenes who is knowledgeable and works with animals with skill and the highest level of attention to detail. The 2025 Rising Star Award was presented to Annabell Thomlinson from the Sandyford Herd in Leicestershire. The youngest of Blaise Thomlinson’s three daughters, Annabell is currently studying for her GSCE’s, and ultimately is craving a career in agriculture, and the attitude and attributes she had shown over the two-day event, suggest she is destined to go far in the dairy industry.
The Tidy Lines Award, sponsored by Mathers Dairy Ltd recognises was presented to Toi Toi Genetics. Cumbrian livestock photographer Richard Hodgson, judged the second ever UK Dairy Expo Photo Competition, ‘Milk Makers – Capturing the Hard-Working Girls’, and was presented to Emma Hibbs from Low Levens Farm Cumbria.
This year’s mainline sponsors of Borderway UK Dairy Expo were: Carrs Billington, Holstein UK, Cattle Information Service and Harrison & Hetherington.
In concluding Glyn said, “I would like to thank all of our sponsors, including the mainline and class sponsors, as well as the companies who brought their trade stands. A huge thank you of course to all the livestock exhibitors, many who travelled hundreds of miles to take part. The team's effort was exceptional, and I would especially like to thank the many people who generously volunteered their time. Borderway is regarded as a centre of excellence for all the categories of livestock we market on a weekly basis, hosting UK Dairy Expo at Borderway solidifies our position as a centre of excellence within the UK.”
Results
Supreme UK Dairy Expo Champion
CHAMPION – MAG PANDOR (HOLSTEIN) - BLYTH FARMS & FERME BLONDIN
Genus ABS Supreme Heifer Champion
CHAMPION – SILVERSPARKLE CHOCOCHIP ROSES (JERSEY) - J ROBINSON, K BAINBRIDGE, W&T HORSLEY
2025 Showmanship Champion
Champion – Peter Cotton aged 25 from Staffordshire
Reserve – Ellis Caldwell aged 17 from Ayrshire
Hon Mention – Alfie Hay aged 18 from Cumbria
2025 Breed Champions :
Ayrshire
CHAMPION – ALLSTAR RINGER JOYBELL – E TOMLINSON
RESERVE – MIDDLE ROBYN – J WHITEFORD & SONS
British Friesian
CHAMPION – IRTHINGELT BALMORAL SPIRIT 4 – THOMAS MOSCROP
RESERVE – WHINNOW SOLO PAULINE 3 – I & GM BLAMIRE
Brown Swiss
CHAMPION – KEDAR WONDERMENT RHAPPUCCINO – T LOCHHEAD AND SONS
RESERVE – KEDAR RHAPPLE SNAPPLE – T LOCHHEAD AND SONS
Dairy Shorthorn
CHAMPION – CHURCHROYD BRONTE WILDEYES 73 – IRG COLLINS & PARTNERS
RESERVE – COTONHALL JOULAND DUCHESS ANN – R D KITE & SON
Holstein Champion
CHAMPION – MAG PANDOR - BLYTH FARMS & FERME BLONDIN
RESERVE – BERRYHOLME CHIEF ROSE - H WRIGHT & SON
Jersey
CHAMPION – GUILLYHILL VIDEO DAISY – TA & ML JACKSON & DAUGHTERS
RESERVE – RIVERMEAD CASINO CERES – THE DAVIS FAMILY
Red & White
CHAMPION – WOODCATT TOFFEE VODKA – DR & HM HORSLEY
RESERVE – CADOG DORAL EFLIGEM RED – BLYTH FARMS
