The dairy industry celebrated a “Golden Age” all throughout World Dairy Expo week with cutting-edge technology, insightful educational sessions, competitive youth contests, valuable connections, and of course, a remarkable cattle show. The event’s final order of business was to name its Supreme Champion cows, and on Friday afternoon, the winning Junior and Open Jerseys took home those titles in their respective division.
In the Open Show, the two cows pulled out for the final awards of the week were no strangers to the crowd. After notching her second Grand Champion banner in as many years, Stoney Point Joel Bailey was named the 2024 Expo Supreme Champion. She was the winning Six-Year-Old and Older Cow of the International Jersey Show for Vierra Dairy of Hilmar, Calif. Bailey becomes the first Jersey to be named Supreme Champion since 2016 when Musquie Iatola Martha-ET won for Milksource Genetics of Kaukauna, Wis. She is also the first Supreme Champion from the West Coast since Vandyk-K Integrity Paradise won in 2002 for owners Mark Rueth of Jefferson, Wis., and Kent and Trish Van Dyk of Lynden, Wash.
There were two other back-to-back Grand Champions in the ring for selection of Supreme Champion, and the Reserve honors went to one of them: Premium Apple Crisp Lilly-Red, the winning Five-Year-Old and Grand Champion of the International Red and White Show. Lilly is owned by Butlerview Farm of Chebanse, Ill.
The Jersey also claimed Supreme Champion honors of the Junior Show, and she is also from the West Coast. Pacific Edge VIP Tessah-ET, owned by Coltan Seals and Brent Rocha of Tillamook, Ore., was the first place open Junior Three-Year-Old before being named Intermediate and Grand Champion in the International Junior Jersey Show.
Reserve Supreme Champion of the Junior Show was the winning Holstein, Oakfield Tatoo Tender-ET, owned by Chloe and Claire Lamb of Oakfield, N.Y. She ascended to the top of the Five-Year-Old Class of the International Junior Holstein Show and then earned the Grand Champion banner.
For the first time, the Supreme Champion heifers were named in a separate ceremony, which was held Thursday night. In the Open Show, the Junior Champion Holstein earned the Supreme Champion honors, and among the junior-owned animals, it was the Brown Swiss.
Nearly 2,600 animals in all were shown on the colored shavings this year. Now, exhibitors will begin preparing for next year’s Expo, when “The Road to Madison” brings attendees to the 58th show, September 30 to October 3, 2025.
