ONTARIO, CANADA – Indicative of the quality they produce, Leading Livestock Genetics (LLG) members achieved the amazing feat of breeding first prize winners at Holstein shows held in three separate nations this spring. The wins occurred in countries known for their highly competitive events – the United Kingdom, United States, and Canada.
This season’s first victory came shortly after LLG members the Smith family of High Point Farms and a partner, Barclay Phoenix, exported four homebred heifers from their Port Perry, Ont., farm to the United Kingdom at the end of February. Not only did they fulfill their goal of competing at the UK Dairy Expo, but these Canadians and their UK partner R & W Templeton captured top honours in the autumn yearling class with High Point Damion Roleisha. Sired by Damion, she is a daughter of High Point Goldwyn Rosesha (VG-86), a seventh generation Very Good or Excellent.
In the same class they earned third prize with High Point Windbrook Geometrix, a Windbrook daughter of Phoenix Baxter Geometry (VG-86). Geometry is a maternal sister to 2013 All-Canadian Junior 3-Year-Old Phoenix Sanchez Geo (VG-89), and from the same family as two-time All-Canadian Penlow Georgette Outside (Ex-96-2E-6*). High Point, Phoenix and Templeton also exhibited the fifth place senior yearling at the UK Dairy Expo, High Point Rox Dior. This Sanchez heifer is backed by seven generations of Excellent dams belonging to the world famous Roxy family.
LLG member Vale-O-Skene Holsteins, Little Britain, Ont., had superb results a little closer to home in late March at the Ontario Spring Discovery Holstein Show. The Troup family exhibited Vale-O-Skene Pure Gold Abigail (VG-89) who stood first among 4-year-olds and went on to be named honourable mention grand champion of the show. A third generation Very Good or Excellent, Abigail is a perennial competitor having been nominated All-Ontario senior 3-year-old in 2013. Also leading the senior 2-year-old class at the same show for Vale-O-Skene and their Ontario partners Emilane, RisknRoll, Dreamcrest, and Gary Troup, was Duckett-SA Jordan Fargo-ET (VG-88-2y). A granddaughter of All-Canadian and All-American show cow Harvue Roy Frosty (Ex-97-3E-USA-GMD), this Jordan was also named reserve intermediate champion of the 2014 show.
Most recently, LLG members the Barkey family of Altona Lea Farms, Blackstock, Ont., had the satisfaction of seeing a homebred heifer, Altona Lea Stanleycup Gretzky, rise to the top of the winter yearling class at the New York International Spring Holstein Show on April 14th. Exhibited at this event by new owners – Americans Austin Yoder and Matthias Schwartzentrubar of Georgia, this Stanleycup daughter had been All-Canadian intermediate heifer calf and Reserve All-Canadian 4-H intermediate heifer calf in 2013. Gretzky is backed by nine generations of Very Good or Excellent dams in a cow family that has also yielded prominent show winners in the United Kingdom.
Leading Livestock Genetics (LLG) is an alliance of dairy cow and dairy goat breeders located in the East-Central region of Ontario, Canada. Members of the organization are leading the way in providing quality livestock genetics for the future. They presently offer live animals and embryos featuring Holstein, Jersey and Milking Shorthorn dairy cattle as well as Saanen goats. Members are located in close proximity to the Greater Toronto Area in the City of Kawartha Lakes, Peterborough County, and Durham Region. For further information, visit them at their website and on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest.