NASHVILLE, Ohio — The rain fell all day, but did little to dampen the spirits of the 400 people who attended the National Guernsey Sale June 20 at Springhill Farm.
Chris and Tom Lang and their families, and about 20 helpers, did the best they could to get everything under tents and up off the ground, in a week that saw several inches of rainfall.
The cattle and buyers stayed dry for the sale, and the cattle were well-groomed and prepped from beginning to end.
A total of 52 head were sold, and they averaged $4,648 per head.
Getting started
The Langs, along with Marshall Overholt, offered the first lot to start the sale, literally lot 1, which was the choice between two bred heifers, Four J Springhill Jerusha-ET, or Four J Springhill Journey-ET.
Both are Four Winds Showtime-ET sisters and are currently bred to a Ripley Farms Cordell bull. Springhill Jerusha was the choice when the gavel fell, selling for $14,500 to Morey Miller, Dan Basse, Mike and Linda Hellenbrand, and Peter Vail, of Connecticut.
Related: Guernsey awards presentation
Jerusha, born in September, 2013, has a lengthy pedigree of solid milk production, beginning with her mother, Dix Lee Mentor Jazz EX-92. That cow produced 29,160 pounds of milk in 339 days, with 1,105 fat and 1,038 of protein.
Jerusha has also done very well in the show ring, taking multiple awards last year, including All-American fall calf, junior champion and first fall calf at the National Guernsey Show, and junior champion at the Ohio State Fair.
Highest selling
She was the second highest selling lot, topped only by lot 28, Moziers Spider Delila-ET, which sold for $19,000 from Dr. John Mozier, of Louisburg, Kansas, to Donna Whalen and family, of Friendship Farm, of Millbrook, New York.
Spider-Delila sold as an open heifer and is a June 2014, Coulee Crest Luxury Spider-ET daughter out of the Westlynn Tom Dee cow family.
Paokie Lil Ernie, consigned by Lily Lane and Trotacre Farm of Pennsylvania and Oklahoma, was sold to the Lil Ernie Syndicate and Select Sires for $9,500. A Springhill Jetstream son of three generations of 40,000 pound dams, he will be the highest ranking PTI young sire sampled in the past year.
Springhill Farm purchased the fourth high-seller, a December 2014 Sniders Garrett Alymo-ET daughter of the All-American 94-point Adams Creek Hillpoint Marsha-ET. The next dam is the All-American 94-point Marshdene Magic Mary, backed by two additional Excellent dams.
Consigned by Adams Creek & Daniel Basse & City Slickers of Bangor, Wisconsin, HP AC GG Alymo Melanie-ET sold for $8,500.
Other items
A bench made of cherry wood sold for $425 and proceeds were donated to the Austin Ayars family. Austin died June 7 from a farming accident. The auction also featured an extensive listing of semen and embryos.
Chris Lang said he was “overwhelmed” by the attendance and buyer response. He serves as president of the Ohio Guernsey Breeders Association and is a director on the national board.
Blaine Crosser, a Guernsey sire analyst for Select Sires, said the group had an “exceptional week. Maybe not exceptional weather but the things that have been happening at our convention have certainly been outstanding.”
Well organized
Jenny McKenna, newly crowned Guernsey queen, said “I think Ohio has done a wonderful job of keeping everything organized, all of the competitions and making it a great opportunity,” she said.
The auction drew people from all over the U.S., as well as Canada and Australia.
Doug Johnston, a Guernsey owner from Tacoma, Washington, drove 36 hours to get to the sale, partly because he wanted to see his cows, which are kept at a dairy farm in Wisconsin.
He half-jokingly said of the rain, “This is Seattle mist.”
But as the rain continued and the mud got deeper, conditions became far more than a mist.
A tractor was used to pull stuck vehicles, including a few trucks that were stuck trying to pull the trailers. Parking was in an elevated area, and in a field of sod, but the rain and mud were relentless.
Related coverage:
Guernsey awards presented (June 19)
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