The Bovine Beauty Challenge (BBC) has been making the rounds recently on Facebook, in an effort to have something positive in our daily news feeds. We’d like to share some with you, that have a story to tell, and a little bit of history to impart about some of those Bovine Beauties we might all recognize. Today, you can read a BBC from Barclay Phoenix, ON about Walnut Acres Jolt Pandora

Thanks to Barclay Phoenix for sharing his Day #3  BBC About Walnut Acres Jolt Pandora

For my 3rd day of BBC, I present a cow dear to my heart- Pandora! Pandora arrived at our farm in the spring of 1999 . Uncle Jim & Joel came in with the trailer, Jim saying “I’ve got a great young cow on the bus!” She came in the barn long haired & a little dirty. Everyone was excited. I asked if I could buy part of her. We agreed on a price so I asked Joel if he could go to my truck and get my check book and the deal was done.

Later that year she was 1st Jr 3 at Ontario Discovery. Fast forward to Spring of 2001- one day a truck came in my driveway. Three guys got out (Bob Morrell, John Buckley & Mark Campbell) Bob asked, “Hey there Sonny boy what’s the dry cow in the front field?” After some cocktails & deliberating, they were the new partners with me on Pandora!

That September labour day weekend she made her debute at the Ontario County Show. After the show, I again acquired new partners in Dan Doner , Bill Shillings, Hardy Shore & Howes Holst with Brent orchestrating the deal. That Oct in Madison, Pandora was in a very strong class of 5yr Olds (I still remember hearing the catolog pages flipping & the people in the crowd asking “What’s that cow?”) She was 1st and Res Grand !
Pandora retired at our farm & we get to see her almost every day on the farm sign . Thanks to Pandora for all the great memories! Thanks to my brother Mike for fitting her & to Carl for milking her.

Thanks to Abe Light, NY for sharing his Day #3  BBC About Thiersant Lili Starbuck
Day 3 BBC. I can say for sure I know Sue Brown loved this cow more than I did, but she’s without a doubt a cow I can’t leave out. She wasn’t a real show icon, but she sure did make a few.

Lili was a no bullshit kind of cow, and never missed a beat in the couple years I spent with her. She didn’t really like the shows, wasn’t the first to come running to get her head scratched, but she was patient and gentle to work around. Eventually I think her patient demeanor rubbed off on Sue a little:) (love you mamma!)

If you don’t live under a rock, you’ve seen the greatness that stems down from this cow. Elite type, elite show style, and elite genomics. Few cows transmit greater type than they possess, and Lili may have been the greatest for that. Her Daughter Form Laura was a special cow to me, and I believe the first cow I ever worked with that was grand at a National show…Big E 2003 I think. I’ll never forget the day that Laura’s great Durham Daughter Lila Z was sold for the first time at QC fall show. Sue kind of let me know it was a done deal, and I recall chiming in “shit might as well sell her, all we’ll do is take her home and get her too fat to show next year anyway”. The rest is history, literally.

Old cows don’t live forever, but with her legacy, she will never be really gone. Thiersant Lili Starbuck EX 94 5E, thanks for the greatness you brought into my early years with cows, girl

Thanks to Alta Mae Core, KY for sharing her Day #2  BBC About Carlow Leader 174
Day 2 finally…….Carlow Leader 174 EX 96. Carla was purchased during a unplanned side trip while in Ontario for a Jersey sale. I’m sure if I have forgotten something my ” Fact Finder” and side kick on this outing will correct me. A little guy from Iowa ( starting to see a pattern) and I set out to visit a few farms in the area. My “sidekick” had been to most of these places but I had not so I was pretty excited. We went to Bridon, Rock Ella and David Browns to mention a few and it was truly a great honor for me to see these elite herds. Our last stop was at Salem Holsteins. Again I knew John Buckley and even showed a heifer for him at Madison but had never had the pleasure to visit his farm. While my ” sidekick” excused himself for a few minutes I walked thru the barn and took a look at the beautiful Holsteins. During this walk thru I came upon a fresh heifer and immediately got excited. When the little guy came back I met him with great excitement and said I think I just saw the cow of my dreams. He said ” calm down Alt” and went to take a look for himself. He calmly asked Buckley about her and we were told she was actually owned by Gerald Coughlin and may be for sale. So a call was made and sure enough she was priced. I wanted her in the worst way but knew I better make a call home to get the ok. Carla was purchased that day and was later picked up and delivered to me at Ohio Spring Show by none other than David Minor. She won the Jr 2 year old class and was Intermediate Champion. In the fall she was 3rd at Madison and the Royal and was Reserve All American and Reserve All Canadian. The following year she was All American Jr 3 year old and Intermediate Champion at Madison and Grand Champion at NAILE. We later sold 3/4 to Mike, Matt and Mark Iager where she went on to be Reserve All American Aged Cow and Honorable Mention 125,000 lb cow. Carla lived to be over 20 years old under the great care of Dr. Matt.
I may have been born and raised a Jersey girl but the truth is I love great cows no matter the breed. Thanks to the little guy from Iowa that let me make this tour with him on that day and get the deal done. It was truly a once in a lifetime adventure. I would like to nominate Matt Iager and Mark Iager I know they have been involved with many other great cows.

Thanks to Brent Howe, ON for sharing his Day #3  BBC About Elmvue Astre Colette
Day 3 of 7 day Bovine Beauty Challenge -ELMVUE ASTRE COLETTE – Colette was purchased at the Elmvue Sale by Ken Empey Jr of Dorchester ON, a syndicate was formed with Ken, Bob & Laurie Fisher, Ray McEnroe & Howes Holsteins. She was springing sale day, calved at Elmvue & stayed under Randy’s care not moving to Aylmer On until a month fresh.

Colette won the Elgin County show & Western Ontario Championship show, then it was off to Madison! This is where it becomes a classic story! Back then barn L was known as the “Canadian barn” and was a buzz of activity, particularly the night before the cow show .

Fast forward to show morning chores & Empey is M.I.A. (Missing in action!) which was unheard of! With washing done the crew went for shower/breakfast and I stayed back to watch and was becoming a bit concerned as to Empey’s whereabouts. As it was becoming daylight “Big ” Steve White from IN came sauntering on up to the string and says to me, ” Hey there Brent buddy, not sure it’s a good idea if Empey leads that good 2yr old today ! ” Ah,the mystery is about to be solved I am thinking, naturally asking “why?”

Steve then proceed to inform me that the previous evening Empey had singlehandedly taken on the A.I. industry representatives at the Sheraton bar , holding back none of his opinions on it’s current status, which was met with some resistance to say the least…. !!! Apparently it was a late night , he was safe and still napping in Steve’s hotel room. I thanked him kindly and he sauntered off.

Now generally this shouldn’t have mattered with Colette looking as well as she did, however Lowell Lindsay was lead judge, Larry Schirm assisting, very A.I. connected!

As John Buckley pulled up to drop the crew off I quickly explained the predicament we were in! The idea came to me then, that we needed to ask the breeder Randy Fraiser if he would lead her! We both jumped in the golf cart and headed to the “hay shed” as it was called then, where Elmvue was tied & thankfully Randy graciously accepted the task! The logic being Elmvue was buying some pretty big league cows at the time and perhaps the judges may have the impression he had bought Colette back being homebred?

As Colette looked stunning and ready to head ringside, Empey surfaces and says “Brent, I don’t know if it’s a good idea I lead Colette today!” The whole crew burst out laughing and Buckley replied “He’s got it looked after !

After an intense 2yr old class Colette prevailed! Winning a cow class at World Dairy Expo was always a goal of mine but I don’t know if a Hollywood screen writer could have written a script with such mystery, suspense & the rollercoaster ride of emotion it took to get there!!!

Colette was All American Snr 2yr , and after Empey got back in the drivers seat & winning 1st at the Royal, she was All-Canadian as well !!!