UK Dairy Expo announces a headline new championship for coloured breeds, with a bespoke trophy created in memory of dairy industry stalwart Leanne Hedges.

Harrison & Hetherington is proud to announce a new addition to the 2026 Borderway UK Dairy Expo programme the UK Dairy Expo Coloured Breeds Supreme Champion.  The presentation will be a key part of the 2026 Dairy showcase which takes place at Borderway, Carlisle on Friday 13^th and Saturday 14^th March.

Across its coloured classes in the Brown Swiss, Dairy Shorthorn, Ayrshire, Jersey and Red & White sections UK Dairy Expo regular attracts over 500 head of cattle and some finest genetics in the UK. The coloured breed champions will line up together in a finale on Saturday 14^th March with the inaugural winner receiving a specially commissioned trophy named in memory of noted dairy farmer Leanne Hedges, who sadly passed away in 2024 after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

Testament to the high esteem in which she was held across the industry the new UK Dairy Expo Coloured Breeds Supreme Champion trophy has been generously donated by Leanne's former employers and colleagues. The award features a specially designed true-type model dairy cow mounted on a piece of oak sourced from Beyond The Burn Farm near Dumfries, Leanne's home before her passing.

Jessica Miller, involved in initiating the award said, "This trophy is about more than a championship, it's about remembering Leanne for who she was and what she gave to the industry. She gave so much of herself to her work and to the people around her, and this felt like the right way to ensure her name and legacy live on at an event she truly cared about."

The memorial trophy symbolises the grit, resilience, and passion that Leanne brought to her work every day, qualities that earned her the affectionate reputation of 'the little farmer that could'.

In giving background Glynn Lucas, on behalf of Borderway UK Dairy Expo, said, "Leanne was one of those people who left a mark on everyone she met. She was passionate about dairy cattle, fiercely supportive of breeders, and a regular here at Borderway for UK Dairy Expo. Naming this new Supreme Championship trophy after Leanne feels incredibly fitting, and we are honoured to be able to celebrate her life and contribution in this way."

Though not a farmer by birth, Leanne was undeniably born to be one. Leanne's journey in agriculture began on a small animal course at college. When presented with the opportunity to sheep farm in New Zealand, something inside her ignited, not for sheep, but for the dairy cow.

Her first dairy role was on a farm in Cornwall, before moving to the Wyevalley herd of Holsteins and Red Breeds under Eryl Dones. It was here that Leanne's passion for exceptional cattle and pedigrees truly took hold. With a remarkable eye for detail, she quickly became known for her astute judgement and deep understanding of dairy cattle.

After the Wyevalley herd dispersed, Leanne expanded her expertise overseas at LuckE with Matt and Joe Engel. Matt Engel recalls, "Leanne was the brightest star and the greatest animal lover to ever be with us at LuckE. She never had an off day and was so in tune with cows it was like she was a cow whisperer."

Returning to the UK, Leanne launched her own herd, Hedgelea – bringing in outstanding lines including the Helena family from Noremead and Charlene from Goldenoaks via Ingleden. Her embryo progeny from LuckE Kandie achieved notable success, making a significant price at H&H's Black and White Sale.

Her next roles took her to the Carldanton herd with Antony Grimshaw, and later to Kedar Brown Swiss, where she developed a deep affection for the Brown Swiss breed. At Kedar, Leanne became part of the family, and many of her final years were spent in Dumfries & Galloway with the Lochhead family. Borderway UK Dairy Expo continues to grow as the UK's premier dairy event, celebrating excellence in cattle breeding, and the people who drive the industry forward.