Karl Munden and Imogen Steiner were left speechless after their Ayrshire senior 3-year-old, Paschendaele Klassy Tri Time, took one last stroll around the ring at the 2023 International Dairy Week – this time after being named Australia’s Supreme Champion.
Nearly six months into her second lactation, it was Klassy’s moment to take the title. She set a new record as the first Ayrshire to ever be named Supreme at IDW. “There are not a lot of words that can be said… it was a huge day,” the couple reflected. “We thought she was amazing 12 months ago and she came back this year and really proved herself.”
Karl and Imogene fell in love with Klassy when they first caught a glimpse of her at IDW 2022. Shown by Steve Eagles at the time, she was first prized senior 2-year-old and Reserve Intermediate Champion of the Ayrshire show. Karl inquired with Steve about purchasing half interest. The deal was sealed and six months later, Klassy was on her way to Munden Farms’ 650-head operation to get her game face on for IDW 2023.
Klassy has been described as one of the best young Ayrshire cows in the world… and she has the pedigree to back it! She’s a Trident from a VG-87 Riggins followed by another high VG Burdette. Her great-grandam is the renowned, Stillmore BBBK Klassy (EX-94).
BBBK Klassy was quite the standout during her U.S. show career spanning six consecutive years from 2004 to 2010. She was Reserve, Honorable Mention or Nominated All-American every year starting as a fall calf until her last year at a national show as an aged cow. Bred by Steve Searles, BBBK Klassy was eventually sold to the Evans family of Sunny Acres Farm in New York.
In 2012, the Evans family consigned a BBBK Klassy x Burdette embryo package to the Dairy Week Sale. The Eagles family jumped at the opportunity. They purchased the embryos and the rest is history.
Along with her impressive show record thus far, Klassy has been named the Intermediate Champion of the 2022 All Australian National On Farm Challenge. Imogen explained the intense path to yet another title for Klassy: “She won the Ayrshire Gippsland Club On Farm Competition, both Intermediate Champion and Overall Champion, coincidentally over the same Senior champion as IDW. She then won the Victorian On Farm Competition, which qualified her for the All Australian contest, judged from each respective On Farm Champion from each state.”
While the recognition for Klassy hasn’t ceased, Karl and Imogen are just as excited about her future. “Klassy has had two bulls so far, but she has just started an IVF program with some success. We’re hopeful for a few pregnancies,” Karl explained. “She is serviced by Autograph and we hope to get her to IDW ‘24 if she holds that mating. If not, she will enter into a more extensive flush program and we’ll work on getting her back for IDW ‘25.” Her story is still unfolding, but one thing is for certain: the book is nowhere near complete for Klassy.
This feature article was published in our 2023 Late Winter issue. The entire Late Winter 2023 issue is available to browse for FREE online – click HERE to flip through.