by Sanne Kure-Jensen
The Big E in Springfield, MA includes a variety of Dairy Breed Shows contests where exhibitors compete against peers, family and friends. Judges choose animals that best conform to breed standards and rank exhibitors on specific behaviors and interaction with their animals. Seven breed associations hold competitions each year at The Big E:
• Northeastern National Milking Shorthorn Show
• Northeastern National Junior Milking Shorthorn Show
• Eastern States National Ayrshire Show
• Northeast Brown Swiss Show
• New England Guernsey Classic Show
• Northeast Fall National Holstein Show
• Jersey Show
• Red and White Dairy Cattle Show
Awards and Premiums
Two dairy families earned significant awards at the 2013 Northeastern National Milking Shorthorn Junior Show at The Big E.
Mariah Cate (age 13) of Warren, NH, leases dairy animals from her uncle’s farm in North Woodstock, NH. Peter Cate has bred Milking Shorthorns for over 45 years.
“It’s a family gig,” he said of his farm help including Grandma Anita and son Austin (age 4).
Peter’s brother Nick and niece Mariah help on the farm as needed. The farm has 35 Milking Shorthorn dairy cows and typically milk 10. Mariah has been showing dairy animals through 4-H programs for four years.
When asked what Mariah’s teachers thought about her missing school to attend dairy shows, Mariah’s father Nick said her teachers were very understanding, “They view it as an educational experience.”
At The Big E 2013 Northeastern National Milking Shorthorn Junior Show, Maria earned the following awards:
• Champion Showperson
• Junior Reserve Champion with “Cates Muddy Quincy” born in March 2012
• First Place in Showmanship (Group 2)
• Second Place in Spring Yearling Heifer class with “Cates Muddy Quincy”
GMC Farm in Cornish Flat, NH has over 110 dairy animals and milk about half at any given time. The Clarks have attended dairy competitions like The Big E and World Dairy Expos for over 25 years. The Clark children exhibit their family’s registered Milking Shorthorn, Brown Swiss and Holstein cattle at a variety of dairy shows. In 2012, Brooke and Lindsey Clark swept the Milking Shorthorn Show awards and honors. In 2013, they returned to win big again.
Brooke Clark earned the following awards in the Northeastern National Milking Shorthorn Junior Show:
• First in Showmanship (Group 1)
• Grand Champion and Senior Champion with “Innisfail JO Lady 824” born April 2010
• Junior Champion with “GMC Othello Lacey-ET” born March 2012
• Junior Champion Bread & Owned with “GMC Othello Lacey-ET”
• First in Senior Three Year Old Cow with “Blue Spruce Famous Mallory” born September 2009
• First in Summer Yearling Heifer with “GMC Ruben Delight-EXP” born June 2012
• First in Spring Yearling Heifer with “GMC Othello Lacey- ET”
• First in Five Year Old Cow with “Innisfail JO Lady 824” born April 2010
• Second in Junior Three Year Old Cow with “GMC Zues Princess-EXP” born June 2010
• Second in Summer Yearling Heifer with “GMC Logic Denise ET” born June 2012
Lindsey Clark of GMC Farm earned the following awards in the Northeastern National Milking Shorthorn Junior Show:
• Reserve Grand Champion and Intermediate Champion with “GMC Zues Rosanne-EXP” born September 2010
• Reserve Senior Champion with “GMS Logic Redrose” born May 2008
• Champion Bred & Owned with “GMC Zues Rosanne-EXP” born September 2010
• First in Senior Two Year Old Cow with “GMC Zues Rosanne-EXP”
• First in Spring Heifer Calf with “GMC Huck Reece EXP” born in March 2013
• First in Fall Yearling Heifer (not in milk) with “GMC Kaiser Lily” born November 2011
• First in Junior Three Year Old Cow with “Innisfail KO Lady 032” born May 2010
• First in Four Year Old Cow with “GMC Logic Redrose”
• Third Place in Showmanship (Group 2)
More Information and Contacts
Contact Teressa and Mariah Cate via email at teressacate@yahoo.com
Contact Greg and Marcia Clark at GMC Farm via email at gmc_farm@yahoo.com or 603-469-3560. You can also contact them through the GMC Farm Facebook page.
To view the full results of all the 2013 Dairy Shows, see www.thebige.com/agriculture/2013ShowResultsPhotos.asp
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