The race is on and Gillette Blitz 2^nd Wind is challenging the competition.  From Ferme Gillette in Embrun Ontario 2^nd Wind has claimed worldwide recognition for her winning achievements in every area of the Holstein Breed. With an outstanding list of awards, including 2011 Canadian Holstein Cow of the Year, she now targets the title of 2012 Golden Dam.

2^nd Wind Follows the Family Role Model

GILLETTE BLITZ 2ND WIND VG-88-3YR-CAN 35*

For fans of the amazing Braedale Gypsy Grand Family it is no surprise to see 2^nd Wind ready for the competition.  What would you expect from her tremendous pedigree which traces back two generations to the 2003 Cow of the Year Braedale Gypsy Grand (VG-88-5yr 37*).

2^nd Wind Shows That She Has Strength in Numbers

For years she 2^nd Wind has topped the GLPI/LPI lists no less than five times in a row from 2005 and 2006. She has taken first place on the LPI list a total of six times in all.  In May, August and November of 2006 she was the leader for type. And in a business that is built on milk, her name has been at the top of the milk production list three times.

• Best 305: 2yr. 15,004 kg M 535 kg F 3.6% 449 kg P 3.0% BCAs 372-354-348 – 50% over herdmates.
• Lifetime: 2 lacts: 31,317 kg M 1,231 kg F 3.9% 981 kg P 3.1%
• 1 Superior Lactation.  2nd Jr. 3-Yr.-Old (Best Udder) Québec Spring Show 2005

2^nd Wind Goes the Second Mile

But above and beyond all of these conspicuous numbers she impresses in the race to recognition as the Golden Dam of the Holstein Breed. No less than five times she has been the index leading dam of top 1000 GLPI daughters. In the past eight proof rounds she has never had less than nine daughters appear on the list and in 2010 she had fourteen on the list!

2^nd Wind Unmatched as Mother of Sons

GILLETTE WINDBROOK EX-95-CAN EXTRA’10 son of 2nd Wind

2^nd Wind has set the benchmark so high as a mother of Class Extra sons that she is in a class all by herself.  As the dam of no less than five Class Extra sons she has done what has never been done before.  Her Class Extra sons are Gillette Windbrook, Gillette Windhammer, Gillette Stanleycup, Gillette Wildthing, and Gillette Willrock.  These five sires were in the top 30 in the North American LPI list and also in the top 30 in Japan, where 2^nd Wind is owned with T-Wave. Holsteins. She has three other active proven sons who are extremely popular among Japanese breeders.  Closer to home, in the December 2011 LPI listing Stanleycup and Windhammer — identical split embryo Bolton sons — ranked as the number one conformation sires at +19.

2^nd Wind is A First Rate Mate

Her outstanding achievements are possible because of her exceptional mating history.  Eric Patenaude speaks positively as he highlights this side of her story, “Every mating has worked well.” He goes on to point out that Bolton has been by far the best. “2^nd Sleep and 2^nd Motivation, two full sisters, are both 89 points and 2^ndRain (deceased split sister of Sleep) was 87 and would probably have moved up to 89 as well.” Her Bolton sons are the Class Extra sires, Gillette Windhammer and Gillette Stanley Cup.

GILLETTE BOLTON 2ND MOTIVATION VG-89-4YR-CAN – Daughter by Bolton

2^nd Wind’s Daughters Can Carry the Torch Too

2nd Wind has been able to pass the genetic torch to her daughter Gillette Bolton 2^nd Sleep (VG-89-4yr) and her granddaughter Gillette S Planet 2^nd Snooze (Recently Sold in the Gillette Visions 2012 Sale). Sleep was #1 in August 2010 and Snooze (VG-86-2yr) was #2 GLPI in December 2011.  It doesn’t stop there.  2^nd Wind has 10 daughters over +2000 GLPI in Canada. Eric has already been quoted regarding these two. “They are just beautiful to look at with big dairy frames, tremendous will to milk and those incredible udders which have become 2^nd Wind’s trademark.” No doubt these were the reasons why 2^nd Wind was IVF’d to Bolton.  “We now have 5 more beautiful heifers to work with.”

GILLETTE S PLANET 2ND SNOOZE VG-86-2YR-CAN – Grand Daughter by Planet

2^nd Wind has a Winning Strategy

Every opportunity for success is taken by 2^nd Wind’s owners. “When it comes to flushing the daughters and granddaughters we try to use the best young sire available, which is either the highest one with numbers, or, if that one doesn’t appeal to us, we use one we truly believe in. At the moment we’re using Galaxy, McCutchen, Supersire, and Brawler.” Other bulls are being used as well. Eric provides the following update. “Also one of R-Z BAXTER CARAMEL’s son by Snowman called Caraminator who’s GPA LPI is 3055 with a DGV of 3211and a Windbrook son from Goldwyn Jenny called Jessic. This bull has a DGV of 2415 with a +21 for type!”

2^nd Wind Ready for the Future

2^nd Wind does not rest on her laurels and neither do her owners. “Now we’re mostly working with daughters of her two Boltons 2nd Sleep and 2nd Motivation  as well as daughters from her granddaughter 2nd Snooze.  2nd Wind has a couple of sweet daughters by Lauthority that we will probably flush soon.” For now she has come home to Gillette from the IVF station. But there are more plans ahead. “Her progeny from trans-ova are starting to calve out.  So far these are Garrets and Supers and they are calving out with 2^nd Wind’s trademark, awesome udders. We have Evolves calving out soon too!”

 2^nd Wind Goes Beyond the Finish Line

Many expect that 2^nd Wind’s presence will have impact worldwide.  Eric Patenaude sums up 2^nd Wind’s ongoing success. “Her genes will have impact for many years to come and her name will appear in the major pedigrees of the world.”  A success story indeed for owners, Gillette and T-Wave.  With 2^nd Wind the real story may be that the best is yet to come.

Do you think 2nd Wind deserves to win our 2012 Golden Dam Contest?  Let us know. Your vote counts.