BY ROBIN PHILLIPS
Staff Correspondent
CLEARBROOK, Va. Starting
from the Southern border in the
middle of Pennsylvania and
heading straight down through
parts of Maryland and West
Virginia leads you to Waverly
Farm, just off Rt. 81 at Clearbrook,
Va. Almost one-third of the herd of
140 milking Jerseys are scored
“excellent” and their production
remains well above breed average
in a commercial operation.
Jerseys that excel in the milk
pail, as well as in the showring,
and breeding stock to fit
everyone’s needs are the goals of
the Robert Stiles family of
Waverly Farm. They strive to
prove that a balance of production
and type can be profitable in any
bam that show winners can
milk.
“W.F.” prefixed animals not
only command the blue ribbons at
local, state, and national shows,
but also the top prices in many
sales for their excellent produc
tion.
To prove that tanbark cham
pions are the cows bred to be the
most functional and profitable in a
commercial setup, the Stiles
family has developed an in
vitational sale that has become one
of the “elite” sales of the Jersey
breed. On Monday at the Frederick
County Fairgrounds in Clearbrook,
Va., Waverly Farm will host its
Fifth Annual Invitational Sale as
Jersey breeders come from across
the nation to bid on the best.
Young Dairymen of Year
w _____
At the 1982 Waverly Invitational Sale, the Stiles brothers
received plaques honoring them as the American Jersey
Cattle Club Young Jersey Dairymen of the Year. Left to right
are Tracy, Kenny, Harold Roller, Mike, Hazel Stiles, mother,
and Paul Stiles.
Welcome to Waverl
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Sign at lane leading to Waverly Farm identifies it as the
home of Sybil Surville Jesse.
Waverly Farm - a family Jersey operation
The fact that production and
type can go together has become a
trademark for the sale as well as
the farm.
“We just thought we could put
together a sale and get that kind of
quality,” states Tracy Stiles.
Tracy and his brothers, Mike,
Paul, and Kenneth, operate
Waverly Farm and personally
select consignments for the sale
and for their own purchase. In
addition to many of the con
signments of Waverly Farm, the
Stiles brothers visit many other top
herds throughout the nation and
seek the best in each herd to be
consigned to their sale.
Many excellent cows, Hall of
Fame cows, bull mothers, show
winners, and young stock with
much potential have passed
through the Waverly Sale. Widely
respected because of the
reputation of their father, Robert,
in furthering the Jersey breed, the
Stiles brothers have been able to
realize their dream of only selling
“the best” at their sale. This
selective consigning has made the
sale one of the choice sales for
purchasing prime breeding stock.
It is also obvious that the Stiles
family uses these same concepts of
selection for the Jerseys in its own
herd. Waverly animals are
currently pumping out an average
of 12,200 pounds milk and 600
pounds fat with 140 milking
animals.
They can also boast an appraisal
average of 84.1% as they win grand
Waverly trademark
W.F. Justin Lanita, Ex.-94%, a Waverly-bred cow, wins the 1983 Supreme Dairy
Award at the Montgomery County Show. That year, she also won the Pa. All-American
and the National Show in Louisville, Ky. Left to right are Debra Stiles, Tracy Stiles, Billy
King, Hazel Stiles, Kenny Stiles, Bucky Thrift, Blair Stiles, Paul Stiles, Mike Stiles and
queens.
championships, premier breeder,
and premier exhibitor many times
over with their stock. Forty-one
animals in the herd are currently
appraised excellent and 102 are
scored very good. The farm is also
home to ten Hall of Fame cows
whose records top 20,000 pounds
milk or 1000 pounds fat in a lac
tation.
Began in 1920’s
The road to fame for the Stiles’
Jerseys began back in the 1920’s
with their grandfather’s Jersey
farm in Montgomery County, Md.
After his death, Robert and Hazel
Stiles with their five sons and one
daughter moved to Virginia in
1967. With the death of their father
in 1974, Tracy, Mike, Paul, and
Kenneth took over the operation of
the family farm.
The distinction of fancy cows
that milk well at Waverly Farm
had been started by Robert Stiles.
His sons were determined to
further advance the concept.
“He knew how to look for a good
cow,” Tracy remembers about his
father.
The most famous cow in the barn
and one of the elite of the Jersey
breed is Sybil Surville Jesse. An
excellent - 96%, Jesse was pur
chased by Robert Stiles as a 91%
four-year-old at the Kentucky
National Sale.
An entire book could be written
about this cow. Four times All
American Aged cow, two times
national grand champion, two
times reserve grand champion,
and many outstanding progeny to
her credit, Jesse reigned supreme
under the guidance of the Stiles.
Currently 18-years-old, Jesse is
still producing winning offspring.
Her own records are over 15,000
pounds milk and 800 pounds fat.
“Everybody comes to see
Jesse,” states Janet, Tracy’s wife.
Grand old cow
With several of her progeny to
sell in the upcoming sale,
“Quicksilver Beulah” is another
grand old cow worthy of attention
in the Stiles’ bam. Beulah was also
purchased by the elder Stiles. An
Excellent - 92% Quicksilver
daughter, Beulah has records over
22,000 pounds milk and 1,000
pounds fat to her credit. A Favorite
Generator bred heifer daughter of
Beulah will sell in the 1984 sale and
a Boss Man calf out of Beulah’s
Chocolate Soldier daughter will
also sell.
Another fountainhead of the herd
is Fair Weather Surville Charity,
Very Good - 88%. With lifetime
W.F. Chocolate Bits
W.F. Chocolate Bits has a sister in the upcoming Waverly
sale. Their dam is an Ex.-92% Quicksilver with over 22,000
lbs. of milk and 1000 fat. A daughter of "Bits" will also be
featured in sale.
Grand Old Lady of Waverly Farm is Sybil Surville Jesse,
and Ex.-96%. Many times a national champion, she is also
renowned as a brood cow. Her most notable son, W.F.
Generator Justin, was the Premier Sire at the 1983 All-
American and continues to sire many excellent daughters.
credits of over 9,000 pounds fat and all the way through,” Tracy says
one of her highest records at 11 referring to what they look for in
years of age showing 365 days their cows. “We get the op
-17,135M 5.3% 910 F, Charity’s portunity though to see more
potential was also seen by Stiles cows.”
when she was a young cow. The Stiles brothers travel
“She has to be a good cow, sound throughout the eastern states
d Old L
f herd
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