Canadian judge presides over dairy

THE JOB of placing some of the UK‘s best dairy cattle at this year‘s AgriScot event is the responsibility of Roger Turner, acknowledged by many as one of the world‘s leading dairy cattle judges.

Mr Turner, from Guelph in Canada, was born and raised at the home of Railhaven Holsteins in Eastern Ontario. He was a professional cattle showman for 12 years before joining Alta Genetics in 1994.

He is now responsible for the company‘s young sire and genetic selection for Canada and much of the USA.

With a prize fund of £14,000, AgriScot attracts entries from the top Ayrshire, Holstein and Jersey herds from across the UK. Mr Turner will place all three breeds.

In the past four years his work has taken him to 14 countries. He has judged in England, Australia, Slovakia and the USA, as well as at many major events in Canada.

But that has not dulled his enthusiasm. Mr Turner said he has heard of the tremendous quality of the cattle on show at AgriScot. “And I anticipate some keenly-fought classes and championships,” he added.