A22— Lancaster Farming, Saturday, ApfH 3,19>2
PA Guernsey breeders finish exciting 51st year
BY DONNA TOMMELLEO Outside, the Northwestern Pa.
WEST Mmni.RSRX Mother howling winds dumped inches of
Nature’s final winter show wasn’t snow and ice, causing slippery
enough to deter nearly 200 Guem- roadways. But inside, the
sey Breeders and their families festivities were warm and jovial;
from Ending the 51st Annual the attitudes reflected anticipation
Meeting of the Pennsylvania that comes only with spring.
Guernsey Breeder’s Association, “There’s something happening
last weekend. m the Guernsey breed,” predicted
The PGBA Outstanding Girl Debbie Lehman of York, far
left, is joined by Judith Harding, Brookville and Jeff Hartz,
Dalmatia, as the three juniors display their production
awards for milk and fat.
heads a line of hungry convention-goers during the 51st
Annual banquet, held at the Sheraton Inn in West Middlesex.
Mercer County.
Sales highlight
PGBA convention
MERCER The Fourth Annual
Blue Halter Calf sale, which
highlighted the 51st Annual
Meeting of the Pennsylvania
Guernsey Breeders’ Association,
kicked off with a fancy Minnies
Choice daughter out of an Ex
cellent Top Hornet.
Crumdale Choice Frick, con
signed by Richard and Steven
Staner of Windsor, topped the sale
with a $2,000 price tag. Guernsey
junior member David Renkert of
Douglassville purchased the 5-
month-old heifer.
The sale, which discounted any
junior toward the purchase of an
animal, grossed $14,500 and
averaged $725 on 20 head.
Ohio youngster Mark Bates of
Southington paid $1,650 for a 6-
month-old McDonalds Jackpot
daughter. The calf, consigned by
Russell and Ethel Fetter and Lee
Smetzer of Big Prairie, Ohio, is out
of a 2-year-old with more than 5,500
pounds of milk in just 130 days.
Robert B. Smith of Annville
consigned the third top-seller,
Lebanon Valley Blue Ribbon. The
3-month-old Jackpot daughter
brought $1,050 and was purchased
by Tammy Gill of Creston, Ohio.
The 51st Annual Meeting Sale
was topped by a 5-year-old Holhrex
daughter. Summerfield Holhrex
Ina brought $3,000 and was pur
chased by William and Nancy
Cannon of Sharon. The Cannons
were among several Northwestern
Pa. breeders that hosted the
Convention and Sale.
The top-selling cow was con
signed by Lawrence County
breeder Theodore Ferris of New
Wilmington.
Homer Martin of Orrville, Ohio
paid $2,500 for Dolly Run B T
Jackie. The fust-calf heifer, a Co
Hill Farms T H Big Tex daughter
was consigned by Dolly Run Farm
of Centerville.
John Fox of Enon Valley bought
the third high-seller, Kelsos
Telestar Carlee for $1,550. The
(Turn to Page A 23)
field representative Rutb Ann
Benedict, a life-long advocate of
the higb-protein, high-fat breed. “1
can feel the enthusiasm/’
Benedict’s enthusiasm, shared
by many others, was spawned by
last year’s turn around. Although
economic woes continue to plague
individuals, communities and the
nation, the PGBA prepared for
hard times, tightened its belt and
realized a profit for the first time
since 1972. ’
According to business manager
Lee Yost, the association, which
now boasts more than 330 mem
bers, cut back on staff and reduced
salaries. The belt tightening was
complemented on the plus side by
increased cow sales (10 in 1981)
and rental of the Guernsey
pavilhon in Lancaster.
The pavilhon, used for cow sales,
automobile and stereo shows, to
name a few, became so popular
that at the close of one Guernsey
sale, Yost barely had time to step
down from the auction box before
antiques from an upcoming sale
were brought m the back door.
The Association’s streamlined
activies followed a bleak period in
the golden breed’s history. The
breed suffered a major blow when
handlers stopped bottling milk
under the breed’s several
trademarks. The loss of
trademarks resulted m a loss of
royalties. Hence, one had to look
high and low for a bottle of Golden
Guernsey milk in the retail
market.
But the move was underway in
the Guernsey society to prove to
handlers and manufacturers that
not all milk is alike. During the
annual banquet Saturday mght,
Arnold Knight, secretary of the
Wisconsin Guernsey Breeders’,
explained to his Pennsylvania
collegues what America’s
Dairyland is doing for the Guern
sey breed.
Following the Wisconsin
breeders’ trademark losses,
Knight explained - that breeders
chipped in two cents a hun
dredweight to create a fund that
would help make the dairy in
dustry aware of protein in milk.
(Turn to Page A2B)
A $3,000 bid from Bill Cannon of Sharon
claimed this Hollirex daughter which topped
the 51st Annual Meeting Sale at the Mercer 4-
H Park, last Saturday. From left to right the
the Guernsey breed are from left to right: John Myers, Lit
tlrstown—High Cow for Fat; Mervin K. Myers. Littlestown—
Hi Herd for Fat; Richard Staner, Windsor—High Cow for
The Association’s business manager Lee Yost and wife
Martha give the old “box-step" a whirl at the close of the
convention’s first day.
***
y *
II *
group incfudes: Jeannice and Theodore Ferris,
consignor; Gary Fisher of Portersville, con
tender; Cannon, buyer; Don Cannon at halter;
John Merryman and Lee Yost in the box.
4' .
4sl, * <*