The 2020 NMR RABDF Gold Cup will be presented later in 2021, after judges are able to carry out on-farm inspections, once restrictions are lifted. Seeing the units at first hand before awarding the country’s leading title is felt, by all judges and the organisers, to be an essential prerequisite ahead of awarding the title.
The current delay is not taking the Gold Cup history into unchartered waters. In 1925, five years after its introduction, the award was cancelled due to a foot-and-mouth pandemic. Between 1939 and 1946, World War II brought the award to a halt and then, more recently in 2001 and 2002, the competition did not take place again due to foot-and-mouth disease.
The Gold Cup remains the country’s top prize and the lineup of finalists for the 2020 title is certainly maintains the high standards expected of such a coveted prize.