US tennis player Billie King said it best when she told a faltering player on her Federation Cup team that, “Pressure is a privilege”.
And, yesterday in the WDE stadium, the big dogs – who know exactly what the nuance within that statement means – came out to play in the National Jersey Show.
Judge Ryan Krohlow (Poynette, Wisconsin) and his associate Jean Philippe Charest, (Saint Alexandre, Quebec, Canada) worked through 375-head (223 juniors, 98 intermediates, and 54 senior cows).
Stoney Point Joel Bailey
1st Place Mature Cow
International Jersey Show 2024
Vierra Dairy Farms
When it came down to the pointy end of the day, the 2023 defending Grand Champion, Stoney Point Joel Bailey (Vierra Dairy Farms Hilmar, CA), hit the ring and won the six years and over class – right after the crowd watched the classy winning five-year-old, Spring View Joel Kinsley – from Budjon Farms and Peter & Lyn Vail (Lomira, WI).
Spring View Joel Kinsley
1st Place Five Year Old
International Jersey Show 2024
Budjon Farms and Peter & Lyn Vail
Both cows were on-point, and they were both backed by exceptional pit crews who were primed to make judge Krohlow’s job as hard as they could.
Bailey had to beat seven entries in her class, and Kinsley took on 18-head. Judge Krohlow appeared to have the time of his life making the big calls, and he never hesitated – outside of his emotional thank you speech – as he revealed the top-three of the show.
“It’s been unbelievable – by far the best that I can ever remember here – and I want to thank the boys in the barn because they get the cattle out,” judge Krohlow said.
“I know how much work it takes, and what a long day it is. The fitting was second to none this week. The way these three cows stand out in the ring with those long, beautiful heads and necks, how dairy they are, and how they stand so square on both front and rear feet, while being so comfortable for how much milk they’ve got on. They are as good as it gets.”
Bailey a two-time Grand
Vierra Dairy’s Stoney Point Joel Bailey successfully defended her title, taking Grand for the second time. It is the fifth successive time that Vierra Dairy has shown Grand Champion Jersey at WDE.
2024: Stoney Point Joel Bailey
2023: Stoney Point Joel Bailey
2022: Rivendale VIP Eloise
2021: Bri-Lin Valson Spritz
2020: No show
2019: Bri-Lin Valson Spritz
Speaking on behalf of Vierra Dairy, Jennifer Thomas said the win was exciting and she confirmed that Bailey is back in-calf for 2025.
“It may be the fifth time Vierra have had Grand, but we never take it for granted because there is such tremendous quality here, and you know that any cow can come out on any day here, and be the right one,” Jennifer said.
“It was an incredible show all the way down the line. That five-year-old class was amazing.”
She described Bailey as a “true-type model type of cow”, who was a no-fuss individual to get ready. She said they liked their cows to be resilient, and able to hold their own at the farm. Bailey is that cow. She showed with a ring in her nose, because she also likes to get her own way.
“She can sometimes have a Jersey moment and lose her manners,” Jennifer smiled.
With 34-head in their string, Vierra Dairy’s team looked more like a small-town heading into the ring for the champion team photos. Jennifer said it was important they joined the celebration.
“We always make sure that the team can come down to watch Grand because they work really hard, and we want them to be part of it. We’re all friends – family really – and we all have a good time. We have people and friends who have helped us for like 14 years, in addition to our young people.”
She said that every win was special in its own way, but the first ones remain deeply etched in their memory banks.
Jennifer and her husband, Nathan, run Triple-T Holsteins, milking 35 head at their Ohio property. Their work includes Vierra’s show cows, which the couple manage for the Californian dairy operation.
“Vierra are great people, and this is a relationship that has grown from one cow to where it is today. When you work this closely with people and you trust them, you do become family.”
More than one high point
For Budjon’s Kelli Cull the day was exciting on several levels. The obvious one was that she led the winning five-year-old and Reserve Grand, Spring View Joel Kinsley.
“What a day,” Kelli said. “It was amazing. When you can come out and win a class like that [five-year-old], that (to me) is incredible. I’m so happy for my team, and I appreciate everybody who helps us at home and at the show.
Budjon Farms and Peter & Lyn Vail (Lomira, WI) bought Kinsley for $41,000 at the Kueffner Holstein and Jerseys’ July 2023 South Mountain Sale.
“When I walked into the class, she just felt so good. I knew they liked her, and – not to take that for granted – I really felt like she floated out there today.
“But you never take that for granted when you’re in this business. It is deep water, and I think the show keeps getting better and better every year.
“Whether you’re breeding them or buying them, if you can get in the top-five or the top-three here, anything after that is a huge bonus in my opinion.”
She acknowledged Vierra for the energy it brings to the show.
“We are also happy for Vierra Dairy with Grand. They have tremendous cows and just to be Reserve to them is incredible.”
Both cows could be back
Kelli confirmed that Kinsley is carrying a heifer sired by the reserve premier sire, River Valley Victorious-ET.
It means these two top cows could potentially be at the same venue doing the same thing in 12 months.
“It feels like the stars are aligning for her, I think her best days are still ahead of her,”
Kelli said.
The more subtle levels of excitement for Kelli came from the junior three-year-old class.
She said it was gratifying to have bred the second and third-placed animals respectively, Budjon-Vail Victorious Blayke-ET (owned by Ron & Christy Ratliff Trustees & Gettle Mason & Jaxson, Garnett, KS) and Budjon-Vail Andreas Dakota-ET (owned by Budjon Farms and Peter & Lyn Vail, Lomira, WI)
“Honestly watching that class [25-head], and how great it was made it such an honour to finish second and third. Then to come out with Kinsley in the five-year-old, which I also thought was one of the best classes of the day.”
The Honourable Mention Grand was the winning senior three-year-old and Intermediate Champion, GMBV Joel Dixie-ET (Milk Source Genetics Kaukauna, WI).
Judge Krohlow acknowledged Dixie’s breed character “all the way throughout” in his comments for Intermediate Champion.
“She’s a touch crisper through the top and I also prefer the way she blends through the pelvic bone right back through that tailhead. And, like I said in her class, the overall quality right through her mammary system.”
The Junior Champion (and Junior Champion Bred and Owned) emerged from a deep junior show that collectively numbered 223 entries. Schulte Bros Colton Fallon was exhibited by David Hoese and Schulte Bros from Glencoe, MN in the Summer Yearling class, that numbered 48-head.
Pacific Edge from Tillmook, OR was the Premier Breeder after a strong day across the board.
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