Guernsey makes history at dairy expo

MADISON, Wis. – Indian Acres MM Pistachio Pie, a 5-year-old Guernsey cow, has been named the supreme champion cow over all breeds at the 2007 World Dairy Expo.
In the show spanning five days, over 2,400 animals competed for the grand champion title in their respective breed before each of seven breed champions squared off to vie for the title of supreme champion.
Making history. A Guernsey cow had not won the title since 1979.
Pistachio Pie was also named supreme champion of the junior shows at World Dairy Expo, making her the only cow in the long history of the show to claim both titles.
She had previously claimed the supreme champion title at the All-American Dairy Show in Harrisburg, Pa., a show held two weeks prior to World Dairy Expo.
Owner. Pistachio Pie is owned by Ashley Sears, 18, a freshman at Cornell University. She is the daughter of Carrie and David Sears, from South Deerfield, Mass. She has exhibited Pistachio Pie since she was a calf.
She was nominated for All-American honors in the Jr. 2-Year-Old class in 2004 and was the All-American 4-Year-Old in 2006.
Classified EX-94, Pie completed her second lactation with production credits of 3-09 352D 20,500M 4.6% 944F 3.3% 673P. She is projected over 23,000M and 800P in this lactation.
Family tradition. Pie’s full sister was the All-American Fall Calf and Fall Yearling before she was lost prior to calving. Their dam was scored VG-87 and was the honorable mention Spring Yearling in 1999. Pie’s granddam was scored EX-91 and was the reserve intermediate champion at World Dairy Expo in 1995. The next three dams are all classified Very Good.
Pie is one of only four Guernseys in a 90-cow Holstein herd owned by the Sears family. Her mother, Carrie, purchased Pistachio Pie’s granddam from a herd in Maine in 1995.
Earlier in the week, Pistachio Pie’s son, Indian Acres Challenge The Pie, sold for $18,000 to Golden State Breeders of Escalon, Calif., in the International Guernsey Classic Sale.
Reserve supreme champion went to Budjon Farms and Peter Vail of Lomira, Wis. Their aged Jersey, Llolyn Jude Griffen-ET, EX 94 has many show winnings to her credit, including reserve grand champion of the Central National Jersey Show and supreme champion of the Junior Show at World Dairy Expo 2004 and a repeat as reserve grand in 2005.