FOUR Holstein cows from the UK, came second in their class at the prestigious European championships in Colmar, France.
The two-day event, which featured cows from no fewer than 10 countries, first saw Wilfred Maddock’s Wynford Atwood Grey 90 ET, from Shropshire, lift a blue ticket in the junior section, with Lancs’ Robert and Elaine Butterfield’s Newbirks Jazz 1584, securing the same award in the intermediate cow class.
Flying the flag for Scotland, the Laird family’s Illens Atwood Australia, which earlier in the year scooped the grand championship at the UK Dairy Expo at Carlisle, from Peeblesshire, also lifted a second prize rosette and best udder among the senior cows.
And, in the red Holstein line-up, A and J Whittaker, secured a blue rosette with their junior cow, Knowlesmere Destry Dream Red, from Shropshire.
Grand champion was the senior Swiss cow, Galys-Vray, a Maple-Downs-I-G Atwood daughter from Messrs Junker and Staub, with the reserve overall going to the Spanish senior, Ashlyn Vray Goldwyn from Ponderosa Holsteins and AL, BE, Ro Hostalets de Tost.
France topped the leader board with 74points with Switzerland coming in second on 73 and Spain in third with 69 points. The UK came seventh with 27 points.
Ireland won the overall young breeder in the country groups followed by the UK and Italy. 
Within these sections, the UK’s James Doherty lifted the top award in the senior clipping competition, while Thomas Neville from Ireland won the senior showmanship and stood third in the senior clipping. In the juniors, Jonny Woodhouse, UK, lifted the clipping title with Ireland’s Paul Murphy coming second. Overall junior however, was Paul, with Jonny reserve.