Michael Eavis, best known as the founder of the Glastonbury Festival, has recently been named a finalist in the prestigious 2023 NMR (National Milk Records) RABDF (Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers) Gold Cup.

This recognition, hot on the heels of his recent accolade in the New Year's Honours list, highlights his passion for his day job of dairy farming.

Eavis, a resident of Pilton, is among four esteemed finalists in this respected UK dairy competition.

Joining Eavis on the shortlist are Bisterne Farms from Hampshire, William and Stuart Graham from Co. Fermanagh, and Joe Ives, also from Hampshire.

The competition, which saw over 1,200 UK dairy herds meeting its stringent criteria, sets a high benchmark for excellence in dairy farming.

The criteria for the year ending September 2022 included managing a herd of over 100 cows/heifers and maintaining an annual somatic cell count average of 200,000 cells/ml or less.

The finalists were put through their paces with comprehensive assessments and on-farm inspections by a panel of judges. This panel comprised RABDF chair Robert Craig, past chair Di Wastenage, NMR's veterinary adviser Dr Karen Bond, and 2020 Gold Cup winner, John Torrance.

The Gold Cup winner will be revealed at the Dairy-Tech event on 7 February 2024.

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Alongside the main prize, other awards such as the NMR Silver Salver, The Lilyhill Cup, the Chairman's Cup, and the Chris May Memorial award will also be given out.