WINNER of the John Dennison Lifetime Achievement Award was Jimmy Wilson of the Tregibby herd from Cardigan, Wales.

A past president of the Holstein Association, Mr Wilso received the award for his lifetime’s commitment to the dairy industry and his breeding success.

Now in its sixth year, award is personally awarded by the Dennison family, to an individual who has made a major contribution to the dairy industry and who is judged to be an exemplary role model.

Announcing this year’s winner Glyn Lucas of Harrison and Hetherington and one of the judges said: “The Wilson family is an integral part of the UK pedigree industry whether showing Holstein or Jersey cattle and Jimmy has been an inspiration to many a young passionate dairyman over the years. He is a big man, with a big heart. He supports Wales in the Rugby – which he cannot help – but is a fitting winner of the John Dennison award.”

Following in his father’s footsteps, Jimmy took over a commercial herd of British Friesians and quickly graded them up to full pedigree status. Becoming pedigree gave him an effective measuring tool. As a result, the confirmation of his herd quickly improved and the show ring became a familiar place, as did winning. The move to Holsteins came in the late 1960’s when Holstein AI bulls were introduced.

His herd then went on to win for the first time the NMR herd competition in 1980 and has continued to stay at the forefront over the decades Always keen to advance the genetics within the herd, four Prelude daughters were purchased in Canada in the early 90s, and all four developed into super brood cows.

The show ring became an effective Tregibby marketing tool, with the herd winning grand champion at the Royal Show, Royal Welsh Show, Dairy Event, Welsh Dairy Show, Celtic Showcase and, in 2011, he won the Holstein UK Premier Pedigree Herd Competition.

Jimmy and his wife Angela handed over the reins to their son Hefyn and wife Fiona who were also showing at Borderway Dairy Expo 2018. Jimmy’s other son Arwyn is also involved in the business and is often seen on the halter of a great champion. The fourth generation of this dairy dynasty are already starting to follow suit.