Thank you Roberta and Axa!

Last week saw the completion of the 2025 Axa Insurance Irish Pure Friesian National Herds Competition.

Thanks to Axa Insurance again this year, our herds competition welcomed a judge from the UK, this time, Roberta Dunbar from Barncluth Friesians, Lanakshire, Scotland.

The club had 17 entries, from Limerick, Laois, Tipperary, Kilkenny and Waterford this year. The true value of the competition, like classification visits to your herd, is the opportunity to talk to discuss your cows from a fresh perspective. An experienced outsider is looking at your herd with their own insights from what's worked, and hasn't worked, for them over the years!

Every judge brings their own focus and their own style. With Roberta, her passion is to find out-crosses and unusual breeding or high performing bulls. She particularly relished the progeny class on her travels, seeing great results from bulls she had not come across in the UK.

Overall, a very worthwhile week. The winners will be announced on Wednesday, October 22nd at the Irish Pure Friesian seminar and showcase sale at Kilkenny Mart. The official launch of that event will be shared here shortly as we put some finishing touches to an interesting and relevant day for pedigree breeders of British Friesians and commercial herds alike.

Club chairman Patrick Quealy presenting our judge for the week Roberta Dunbar with a token of our appreciation.

But we know you're here to see some cows - so here's a small sample. (We may have been busy taking pictures of trees)

"I'm not budging"

Canvassing the judge is not permitted

Barrowvale dam of FR9947 Barrowvale Deadly

Dekeana

Dekeana

Firoda in the sun

A collection of photographs from the week. Click on the picture to find out the herd in some cases.