Swiss judge confirmed for 2026 Baileys Champion Cow

Internationally respected Swiss Holstein breeder and judge, Marcel Egli has been announced as the judge for the 2026 Diageo Baileys Champion Dairy Cow Competition.

Egli will have the difficult task of choosing a champion from a line-up of some of the most impressive dairy cows on the island of Ireland in two weeks’ time at the prestigious competition.

That been said, when he steps into the ring on August 19 at the Virginia Show, he is expected to be looking for a cow which combines exceptional dairy strength, balance, and style.

Egli will also want to see a cow with strong longevity and production efficiency, to consider them champion worthy.

If you think one of your cows has what it takes to catch Egli’s eye, get her entered before Wednesday August 12 .

Annaghmore Fitz Atlee EX96 was crowned the Diageo Baileys Champion Dairy cow at the 82nd Virginia Show in 2025. Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon, presented the Virginia Milk Products Cup to joint owners Philip and Linda Jones from Gorey Co. Wexford; as well as Clive and Joel Richardson from Co. Armagh; with sponsors, John Murphy, former chairperson Tírlan, and Shane Kelly, corporate relations director, Diageo Ireland

Baileys Cow judge

Egli grew up alongside the renowned Woodhouse Holsteins herd in Buttisholz, Switzerland.

With 50 elite pedigree Holstein cows on the 35ha farm, Egli’s passion for pedigree Holstein breeding grew from a young age.

With his brother and his parents running the Woodhouse herd, Egli and his wife Fabienne took to her family farm in Les Breuleux, situated in the Jura region.

Here the couple rear approximately 100 pedigree Holstein replacement heifers on a 25ha block.

Away from the farm, Egli has also built an extensive career in dairy genetics, sharing his knowledge through his role as a breeding adviser with Swissherdbook.

He has also being working with Zuechter-Service Ag since earlier this year, where he is responsible for importing and exporting cattle in and out of Europe.

On top of all of that, he is also a partner and auctioneer with Genetics Sale, a specialist company organising elite dairy cattle sales across Europe.

He took to stock judging as a child, and has expanded his knowledge of dairy genetics to great extents over the years.

Since then, his judging experience has spanned across many of Europe’s leading dairy competitions, having officiated at shows across Switzerland, Germany, France, Austria, Spain, Denmark, and the UK.

In 2024 he was selected to judge the National Holstein Show at UK Dairy Day, one of Britain’s most prestigious pedigree dairy events.

With a keen eye for high-end genetics, he has built a strong reputation which ultimately earned himself a place on the European Holstein and Red Holstein Confederation (EHRC) Judges Panel.

This alone places him among Europe’s elite panel of Holstein judges.

Egli has also managed the show team for the internationally acclaimed P’tit Coeur Holsteins, one of Switzerland’s leading exhibition herds.

Related Stories

Breeders urged to enter Diageo Baileys cow competition

Elite dairy cow catches the eye at Clogher Show 2026

Watch: Award-winning Hallow Holsteins herd and its ‘unbelievable year’

.editor-styles-wrapper .wp-block-acf-related-stories-block { max-width: 960px !important; background-color: var(--color-gray-default); padding-inline: 40px; padding-top: 8px !important; padding-bottom: 20px !important; }

The post Swiss judge confirmed for 2026 Baileys Champion Cow appeared first on Agriland.ie .