JUST FOR A GOOD LAUGH: A BEAUTY CONTEST FOR COWS

 Farmers in Austria are organizing a cow beauty contest for the crown of "Queen of the Herds" in rural Reith im Alpbachtal. The dairy animals are dressed up in floral head-dresses and decorated harnesses and then farmers drive the contestants past judges to the beat of traditional music.

 

The cows are exhibited as they are driven from their summer alpine pastures to the lowland fields where they will spend winter Photo: CEN

 

One farmer rated the contest very high, and went to the extent of saying that it was "a lovely sight" and much better than many of the contests you are accustomed to on television.

The cows, worth tens of thousands of pounds, are exhibited as they are driven from their summer alpine pastures to the lowland fields where they will spend the colder months.

The festival, which began August 18 lasts a week.

Irish farmers hold a similar annual event in Country Cavan, competing for a £6,000 prize.