The organisers of the Diageo Baileys Champion Cow have confirmed that this year’s competition will be judged by an Italian dairy breeding expert with a 40-year history of winning on the international showing circuit.
Giuseppe Beltramino, from Buriasco, which is just south-west of the Italian city of Turin in the region of Piedmont, has a lifetime of experience in pedigree dairy breeding and showing.
His family runs the well-known Bel Holstein herd, and he remains actively involved in managing and exhibiting homebred cows alongside his brothers Mauro and Piero.
The Beltramino brothers have been showing since 1986 and continue to feature prominently at major Italian and European events.
Top cows from the herd Bel Holstein herd include Bel Mtoto Diana EX-93, Al-Pe Doriana EX-97, Pozosaa Goldwyn Sonia EX-94, and Du Bon Vent Inkapi EX-97.
Diageo Baileys Champion Cow
Looking ahead to what will be his first time in Ireland as a judge for the Diageo Baileys Champion Cow competition on August 20, at the Virginia Show, Giuseppe Beltramino said:
“When judging dairy cows, my first priority is production potential. I want to see a cow that looks like she can work hard and last.
“The winning cow will be balanced and have the overall presence that marks a great cow.”
As export manager for Genes Diffusion and Intermizoo, Beltramino coordinates the international distribution of elite French and Italian Holstein genetics.
Before moving into genetics, he spent several years on the European circuit as a professional cow fitter, specialising in clipping for show preparation.
An ANAFI-accredited judge since 2005, Beltramino has officiated at top-level shows in over a dozen countries including Argentina, Australia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Canada, and France, where he judged at SPACE in 2012.
He also judged the Italian National Holstein Show in Cremona in both 2012 and 2017 and was most recently in the ring at the Spanish National Holstein Show in 2024.
Later this year, he will take charge of the Portuguese and Italian National Shows.
The Diageo Baileys Champion Cow remains one of the most respected titles in the Irish dairy show calendar, combining outstanding type with production credentials.
Details of how Irish Holstein Friesian Association (IHFA) breeders can enter are available at the Virginia Show website and the closing date for entries is Wednesday, August 13.
The competition is sponsored by Diageo – producers of Baileys Irish Cream, and Tirlán which supplies the cream to Diageo for Baileys.
