THOUSANDS of visitors to this year's Borderway UK Dairy Expo will bring a massive boost to the local economy.

With an all-female line up of judges, the event returns for the tenth year to Borderway Exhibition Centre, Carlisle, on Friday and Saturday March 11 and 12.

As one of the UK’s leading dairy industry events, Borderway UK Dairy Expo brings together the very best that the British dairy industry has to offer, including recognising commitment and, new for this year, a series of industry seminars.

With over 350 livestock entries of some of the finest livestock genetics the industry has to offer, it also acts as a shop window for breeders and producers. Some of the North West’s noted herds represented within this line-up include: Absolute Genetic’s Holsteins from Kiln House Farm, Preston, and Riverdane Holsteins from Ravenscroft Hall Farm Cheshire.

From Cumbria, G & B Donald are bringing their Holsteins from Carlisle, DR & HM Horsely have entered Holsteins from their Woodhouse Farm, Penrith and more Holsteins will be joining them from David Hodson’s Wormanby Farm herd at Burgh-by-Sands. Finally, T Lochhead & Sons, based at Mouswald, have entered their Brown Swiss cattle.

Organised by Harrison & Hetherington (H&H) Borderway UK Dairy Expo embraces the latest genetics, science, research, and technology within the dairy business, and attracts in the region of 7,000 farmers, traders, and industry experts.

A major platform for networking, it offers a dynamic hub for advice, information, and knowledge exchange, which is echoed by the number of trade stand attendees.

Judging this year is a highly respected all-female panel travelling from America, Canada and across the UK. Molly Sloan from Lake Mills, Wisconsin, will judge the Holstein and Brown Swiss shows; Terri Packard from Maryland will judge the Jersey and Red & White classes; Jane Arrell from Shropshire is the judge for the National British Friesian and Dairy Shorthorn classes; Katie Davidson from Dumfriesshire is judging the Ayrshire show; and Marie Eve Veronneau from Quebec the International Showmanship Show.

Harrison & Hetherington’s Senior Pedigree Dairy Auctioneer, Glyn Lucas, said: “In the years since we launched this event, it has grown in size, scale and reputation, and is now renowned internationally for the high calibre of stock it attracts.

“Judging this level of stock is not a task for the faint hearted and our all-female line-up of judges this year are extremely well qualified for the job. It is testament to the stature of the event that we can attract leading lights of the international dairy industry to judge.”

The John Dennison Lifetime Achievement Award will once again be presented by the family of the late John Dennison of Cumbria, to recognise a dairy cattle breeder or exhibitor judged to be a high achiever and excellent role model within the industry.