at Kutztown Fair judging events Koehler dominates sheep show BY ROBIN PHILLIPS Staff Correspondent KUTZTOWN A sheep breeder traveled from Allentown to take top honors in the sheep show at the Kutztown Fair. Mike Koehler, Walbert Avenue, Allentown, has been raising and breeding his own sheep on his parents farm for more than four years. He says that there is tough competition at the Kutztown Fair. But that did not stop this FFA’er from besting competition in the Dorset breed show, the Cheviot breed show, the Market Lamb Show, and the fitting competition. “I got a really good bunch of lambs this year,” Koehler stated. He takes care of the 75 head of Dorsets and Cheviots on the home farm. “Our ewes produced well and our lambs grew well,” Koehler continued. Their farm is currently expanding their flock, and homebred animals are raised for future breeding stock. “We’ve been improving our bloodlines and upgrading our sheep constantly. This was the end result,” Koehler said. Koehler’s first and second place Dorset ewe lambs bested com petition in the Dorset show to take the Champion and Reserve rib bons. After winning three out of four places in the Cheviot show, Koehler’s yearling ewe went on to take that championship. In the market lamb competition, the heavy heavyweight entry of Koehler bested a full show to take Grand Chmpion Market Lamb on the nod of Judge Ted Teaford. Koehler topped off his winning entries with his Champion fitter performance in the showing and fitting competition. He credits the Lehigh Valley Vo- Tech school for much of his knowledge and experience with sheep. “That’s where I learned the basics,” he added. It helps to be related to Koehler too as his cousin, Jody Frantz, Schnecksville, earned the Champion Showman trophy. “I help my cousin to show,” 14- year-old Jody stated. Dorsets are (Turn to Page A 26) herd average is 19,476 lbs. “I tried to increase milk production with another feed!' he says, “but it didn’t work - so I went back to Purina. It’s a lot better feed.” Richard Muller, Washington, Illinois, who also feeds Purina High Octane brand 36% con centrate, reports a DHI rolling herd average of 19,962 lbs. “My father started feeding Purina Cow Chow about 1925 and the herd Mike Koehler, of Allentown, recorded multiple top breeding and market lamb wins at Kutztown Fair. Gruber retains Kutztown swine title BY ROBIN PHILLIPS Staff Correspondent KUTZTOWN - “I knew when I saw this Duroc, I had seen what I was looking for,” stated the judge of the Market Swine and Breed Shows at the Kutztown Fair. Judged by Lancater Farming’s correspondent, Donna Mc- Conaughey, Lebanon, the swine show featured well finished pigs. McConaughey, a breeder of Chester Whites and Durocs, looked for that smooth finish throughout the day and often complimented the 4-Her’s on the fine job that they had done. The Grand Champion, exhibited by Seth Gruber, drew the judge’s eye immediately, after taking the heavyweight title. The 16-year-old Gruber repeated his win of the previous year. His parents, Henry and Marsha, operate a purebred Hampshire farm and Gruber’s winner was homebred. Gruber also has been fed Purina since” Muller says. “We have always been satis fied with the results and felt that Purina has done more research than other companies!’ Another third generation dairy man is Arnold Oechsner, Jr. of Brownsville, Wisconsin. He feeds his 115 head herd both Purina High Octane brand 36% concen trate and Purina Milk Generator* brand 1056 complete ration. Oechsner, who has a DHI rolling stated that his pigs are pasture believes that this makes a dif raised, not in confinement, and (Turn to Page A 24) ipot championship title at Kutztown Fair Arnold Oechsner, jr, Brownsville, Wisconsin herd average of 20,309 lbs., says he has fed Purina milking ration for more than five years because it “has given me the most milk pro duction per cow per year!’ •Recognit on of dairymen who have fed Purina milking rations foi over 12 months and whose DHI rolling herd averages t.rc in the top 5% in their state for their breed V c Ralston Purina Co , 1984 sL—55 HHj^HHHjEnding * career Michele Harley, of Oouglassville, wound up her beef showing with the Grand Championship of the Market Steer competition at Kutztown Fair. BY ROBIN PHILLIPS Staff Correspondent KUTZTOWN - The Market Steer Class highlighted the beef show at the annual Kutztown Fair. And, the highlight of that show was the winning heavy middleweight entry of Michele Harley, Oouglassville. The 16-year-old, Michele Harley, , ‘grand’ style stated that this was a fitting way to end her showing career. She is going to college next year and has decided that trying to raise and show an excellent, and winning entry will be “too much.” The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Harley, Michele was reserve champion at last year’s market steer show. “He’s a good eater,” she stated about her champion. An Angus with a partly white face, Michele said that she picked him because she wanted a black animal this year. The Reserve Champion honors in the market classes went to another veteran of the showring. Greg Zook, Rl, Oley, with his champion heavyweight bested the other entries. Greg also earned the Grand Champion Showman title with his steer. The 16-year-old showman is the son of Lloyd and Ruth Zook and helps his parents raise steers, hogs, and crops on their family farm. Only able to achieve the reserve honors in the past, Greg stated that “things fell into place” for him tonight and his steer behaved very well. Another successful 4-Her in the beef show was Debra Krause, Slatington. Fourteen-year-old Debra earned the title of Champion Fitter with her angus entry. “I work with them every day,” Debra stated. The daughter of Paul and Mane Krause, Debra and her sisters have been showing Angus for over five years. Their homebred animals also bested the Angus Competition as Krause exhibited the Champion Angus entry in the breed show. The judge for the show was John Hausner, JDH Polled Hereford Farm, Dover, PA. The other winners; Shorthorns Summer Yearlings - Kemanne Ranck, Junior Yearlings - 1 Kemanne Ranck, 2 Kemanne Ranck, Champion Shorthorn Kemanne Ranck, Reserve Champion Shor thorn - Kemanne Ranck Angus Summer Yearlings - Debra Krause, Junior Yearlings -1 Jim Huber; 2 Todd Rabenold. 3 Jim Huber, Champion Augus - Debra Krause, Reserve Champion Angus - Jim Huber Charolais Junior Yearling - 1 Kent Fisher, 2 Kirk Fisher, Champion Charolais - Kent Fisher, Reserve Champion Charolais - Kirk Fisher Chianina Senior Heifer - Kemanne Ranck, Junior Yearlings - Kemanne Ranck - Champion Chianma - Kemanne Ranck, Reserve Champion Chianina - Kemanne Rarick Polled Hereford Junior Yearlings - 1 Travis Werley, 2 Tncia Werley, Champion Polled Hereford - Travis Werley, Reserve Champion Polled Hereford - Tricia Werley, Fitting and Showmanship JUNIOR Fitting-1 Travis Werley, Shoemakersville, 2 Dan Hartman, 3 Todd Rabenold, Oley, 1 Travis Werley, 2 Don Hartman. 3 Mitt
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