Alison wins coveted UK Holstein award

Harrison & Hetherington’s Alison Millar has beaten off stiff competition from young breeders across the UK to win the prestigious Holstein UK President's Medal Award.

Accolade: Alison Millar with, left to right, Andrew Axford, of Semex, Paul Miller, Tomas Davies and Will Towers

She was presented with the coveted title during a special ceremony at the three-day Semex Dairy Conference.

Cumbrian-farmer and Holstein UK President, William Towers, presented the award as well as presiding on the judging panel along with non-Executive Director of Show and Sale, Bryan Thomas, and Chief Executive, David Hewitt. "Alison is a shining example to other Holstein UK young breeders and she merited this award with her knowledge, dedication and enthusiasm.

The President's Medal is awarded annually to the Holstein Young Breeder who has made an outstanding contribution to the breed, to Holstein Young Breeders, and in particular to their own Breeders Club," he said.

Alison, aged 25, from Randalstown in Northern Ireland works for Harrison and Hetherington as a pedigree dairy sales and marketing co-ordinator and was delighted to receive the award from an original entry list of more than 30 candidates from across the UK. "I'm thrilled to have won the President's Medal and the competition was extremely tough. It's a tremendous honour to have won the award and the other two finalists would have also made worthy winners," she said.

In addition to the acclaimed accolade, Alison will receive a free-sponsored place on Semex's 2004 Royal Winter Fair Tour to Toronto, valued at £1,000.

Drew Sloan, Head of Semex UK, which is overall sponsor of Holstein UK Young Breeders, said: "It is tremendously encouraging for the industry as a whole to see this calibre of young breeder playing such active and enthusiastic roles within the farming industry. And we are especially pleased to see young women like Alison coming through the ranks to take their place in modern farming.

The two other Presidents' Medal finalists were Paul Miller, 27, of Worcester, and Tomas Davies, 23, of Carmarthen.

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