The International Ayrshire Show kicked off the Open Shows of World Dairy Expo week, and one country stood out from the rest. It was a good day for Florent Foley of Piopolis, Quebec, who cinched the top two wins. Vieux Village Gentleman Joy, a five year old, captured Grand Champion of Open Show, while Reserve Grand Champion of Open Show was awarded to another one of Foley’s cows, Four-Year-Old Vieux Village G Montana. B-Wil Kingsire Willow, a three year old exhibited by Pierre Boulet of Montmagny, Quebec, received Honorable Mention Grand Champion and also received Intermediate Champion of the show.
As the Junior Show got underway, Ohio dominated Grand and Reserve Grand Champions. Toppglen Wishful Thinking-ET, a lifetime component merit cow owned by Tanner, Brennan, Marissa and Logan Topp of West Salem, Ohio, received Grand Champion of the Junior Show. Bricker-Farms Gibbs Carvella, a lifetime component merit cow owned by Bricker and Binckley of Salem, Ohio, followed to secure Reserve Grand Champion of the Junior Show.
Honorable Mention Grand Champion of the Junior Show was awarded to Rustic-Creek Ringer Skittles, a summer Two Year Old exhibited by Edwyn Gonzalez of Grove City, Minn., who also snatched the title of Intermediate Champion of the Junior Show.
Reserve Intermediate Champion of the Open Show was awarded to owners Kurt and Michelle Wolf along with Josh and Melissa Fairbanks of Guttenberg, Iowa, with their cow Bricker-Farms King Cinderella. Honorable mention of the Intermediate Open Show was given to Irrthum Farm Inc. of Wanamingo, Minn.
Junior Champion of the Open Show was awarded to Budjon-Vail Autograph Kristina-ET, a Winter Yearling owned by Peter Vail, Rupprecht, Brothers Three, and Nehls of Watertown, Wis. Damian and Kiley Ullmer of Seymour, Wis., captured Reserve Champion of the Junior Show with their Fall Calf Ullmstar A Rectify.
Palmyra Farm of Hagerstown, Md., and Family Af-Ayr of Caledonia, Ill., tied for Premier Breeder of the show, while Family Af-Ayr tied with Glenmar-Dale Farms of Fennimore, Wis., for Premier Exhibitor. The Premier Sire of the show was Bear-Ayr Distinct Kingsire.
Jenna Byrne is an associate editor for Hoard’s Dairyman. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in 2022, majoring in agricultural business with an emphasis in communications and marketing. She grew up on her family’s dairy farm near Neillsville, Wis.
