Pictured is the overall winner of the 2015 Diageo Baileys Champion Dairy Cow, John Barrett from Togher, Co Cork receiving his county sash from Breffni O'Reilly Quality Director Diageo Ireland and right, Brendan Smyth the Competition Director.

All eyes will be on Cork cows at this year’s Diageo Baileys Champion Cow Competition which takes place on 24th August in Co. Cavan.

Last year the top title went to Co. Cork breeder John Barrett with his cow Laurelmore Duplex Impala EX 96 and the previous year’s overall winner was Sean Murphy from Waterfall.

This means if a County Cork cow wins the top title this year, for three years in a row, it will topple Co. Dublin from the leaderboard as the county to produce the most Champion Cow winners since its inception in 1983.

The competition carries a top prize of €2,500; followed by €1,000 and €500 for Reserve Champion and Honourable Mention respectively.

Competition Director Brendan Smyth said there had already been a strong level of interest from Cork, “the later date of the Virginia Show on 24th August which is celebrating its 75th Anniversary this year is perhaps providing the right window of opportunity for Cork breeders to bring their cows to Cavan this summer and he expected the nation’s finest examples of the Holstein Friesian breed to congregate there.”

Entries close on 12th August.