Struggling dairy farmers from across Cumbria put their troubles behind them when a showcase dairy event hit the county.

Despite still dealing with the aftermath of a crashing milk price and the floods of December 2015, the crowd that crammed into the Borderway Exhibition Hall in Rosehill, Carlisle, whooped and cheered as their favourite cows carted off coloured rosettes.

It was a day to celebrate too for the county’s breeders as they stood shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the best animals in the country.

Business partners Sarah Sutton and Wayne Stead stormed to victory with their five-year-old cow Warnelview Winners Silverwings.

Sarah led the animal, a winner of numerous previous awards, round the show ring to take first placing in the Holstein five-year-old class before taking the prestigious reserve senior championship title too.

Sarah is in charge of the Newton Rigg College dairy herd in Penrith, while Wayne helps run the Evening Holsteins, at Evening Hill Farm at Thursby, near Carlisle.

Thousands travelled to Carlisle from all over the UK and Europe for the sixth UK Borderway Dairy Expo, hosted by auctioneers, Harrison & Hetherington.

Farmers from the west and south of the county were among those present.

The event brings together the best of British dairy cattle as well as experts in international dairy genetics, nutrition and the latest industry trends and technology.

It gives the agricultural community the opportunity to see first-hand the best dairy cows judged by a line-up of top judges from around the world.

Holstein breeder and Tynedale dairyman Paul Harrison picked the champion of champions at this year’s event. It was a difficult choice but his eye settled on Peak Goldwyn Rhapsody from Buxton in Derbyshire.

Auctioneer Glyn Lucas, hailed the 2017 event as the “best yet”.

“All these cattle are world-class animals,” he said. “This event is good for breeders to see animals of this quality.

“It is also good for the economy, with so many visitors converging on the city.”

It was a good day too for the local younger generation who scored high in the event’s showmanship championships in which they competed against young breeders from all over the UK and Europe.