Shrewsbury farmer joins Borderway UK Dairy Expo 2025 judging panel

For the first time, Borderway UK Dairy Expo will showcase not only the finest of dairy cattle, but also a new generation of the UK’s top judging talent. A remarkable panel of eight young leading lights of the dairy industry have accepted the challenge to judge the very best of the UK’s most valuable dairy cattle at Borderway UK Dairy Expo in Carlisle on Friday 14th and Saturday 15th March 2025.

In 2012 Borderway UK Dairy Expo organisers, Harrison & Hetherington, created this premium dairy showcase primarily to highlight cattle and breeders, taking the industry forward into the future. With representatives from across the UK and Ireland the 2025 event will be a platform for each judge to demonstrate their knowledge, skill, and ability to choose the winners from a line-up of outstanding animals. 

James Doherty from Shrewsbury will judge the Red & White classes; Northern Ireland’s John McLean will judge the Dairy Shorthorns; Andrew Kennedy will travel from County Antrim to judge the Jerseys; former Dairy Expo Champion Handler Will Horsley will judge the Showmanship classes; Cheshire’s Tom Lomas will take on the Holsteins; Northern Ireland’s Peter Drummond will judge the Ayrshires; the British Friesian’s will come under Andrea Debenham of Suffolk’s expert eye, and Daniel Weaver of Astonpool Holsteins will make the decisions in the Brown Swiss classes.

Harrison & Hetherington Dairy Sales Manager and Dairy Expo organiser Glyn Lucas says this year’s panel of judges represent the future stars of the UK’s dairy industry. “This is the first time we have called exclusively on home-grown talent to judge at Dairy Expo, and they are the best in the business. At least four of our judges have exhibited at every Expo since we began in 2012, and over the past 12 years they have collectively either owned or prepared 62 class winners at UK Dairy Expo including 18 Grand Champions, 6 Junior Champions and 3 Supreme Champions.”

Judging the Red & Whites classes at Dairy Expo this year, James Doherty’s accomplishments in the show ring include All Britain wins, Grand Champion Jersey at Dairy Expo 2016, Junior Champion at Dairy Expo 2018, along with multiple titles at UK Dairy Day and Dairy Expo in recent years. His judging highlights include the Dairy Show at Bath & West 2024 and both the All Britain and All Ireland Calf Shows.

Andrea Debenham, judging the British Friesian classes, hails from Oaklands Farm near Beccles in Suffolk where she works with the herd of British Friesians and also has her own herd of Jerseys under the Eastpoint prefix.

Dairy Shorthorn judge John McLean has been involved in showing dairy cattle from a young age, winning many Championships under the Priestland prefix, and Grand Champion on three occasions at UK Dairy Expo. His growing credentials as a judge include the IHFA All Ireland Calf Show and the Dairy Shorthorn National Calf Show. 

Jersey judge Andrew Kennedy has won many prizes in stock judging and showmanship, including the All-Britain Calf Show. He has represented Holstein UK at the European Young Breeders School in Belgium, and won the International Clipping Competition in Cremona. 

Few judges of any age could be as well qualified to pick the winners of the Dairy Expo Showmanship class as Will Horsley. His string of successes includes winning his showmanship class at the All Britain Calf Show no less than seven times, and Champion Handler at UK Dairy Expo. A member of the Holstein UK National Judges Panel, he has judged shows across the UK, including judging Calves and Showmanship at the Royal Highland Show in 2024.

Holstein Judge Tom Lomas has shown at UK Dairy Expo since its inception in 2012, and has bred and owned three UK Dairy Expo Junior Champion winning heifers and six Class winners. He has judged extensively across the UK including National Calf Show qualifiers, he judged the 2020 International Showmanship Competition at The UK Dairy Expo and has been selected as the Associate Judge for the 2025 Swiss Expo.

Brown Swiss judge Daniel Weaver manages the Astonpool Herd whose show successes include Champion Brown Swiss at the Royal Cheshire and Royal Welsh Show and Class winner at the All Breeds All Britain. Daniel’s previous judging experience includes the Brown Swiss All Britain contest, and he is a member of the National Brown Swiss judging team. 

Ayrshires Judge Peter Drummond is a former Hugh Stevenson Trophy winner for Young Member of the year in the Ayrshire Breed, and has judged numerous shows across the UK and Ireland, and his growing international duties include judging the Finnish National Winter Show.

Glynn Lucas concludes: “These young dairy farmers and breeders are taking the industry forward in breeding and genetics, in best practice and production, and every one of them is well on the way to establishing a reputation for judging at a national and often international level. We are incredibly lucky to be able to welcome them back to Dairy Expo this year and as the UK’s leading dairy show we are very excited to give these young people the responsibility and opportunity to judge on the biggest stage.”

Further details can be found at borderwaydairyexpo.uk