r A&dftcaiMr Farming, Friday, January 7,1994
VERNON ACHENBACH JR.
Lancaster Fanning Staff
with a mixture of concern and joy,
as he steps off on his own in a big
arena, with lots of strangers watch
ing, and other people from around
the state, and a loud booming voice
coming over the loudspeakers.
And if his experience is any
thing like that of others, his con
centration on the judge and his ani
mals will make the audience
disappear.
Dale Maulfair is not boastful of
his son’s accomplishments, but he
did note that Daryl was champion
showman for his age in 4-H and at
the county fair.
And appearing outsized in com
parison, Daryl began entering
show rings early in life, piloting
the halter of some of his father’s
, big cows in the show ring.
..ent- But this year, with a senior calf
Miss and a spring yearling, Daryl is
.>nd youngest about to take to the ring on own.
loo young to be Last week, while home from
school for the holidays, Daryl
But, for this week, it can be spent time walkii lis calf around
JONESTOWN (Lebanon
Co.) Out of the 78 years that
the Pennsylvania Farm Show has
been held at its Harrisburg com
plex. a great many fathers and
sons, and mothers and daughters,
have been involved in the eternal
act of guiding the younger genera
tion in the discovery of the world
into which they were bom.
For Dale and Paltie Maulfair, a
Jonestown dairy farm couple who
have shown and won with Ayr
shircs at the Farm Show, it is their
turn to be the example and support,
the coach and cheering section at
the Farm Sriow: their 9-ycar-old
son Daryl is showing on his own in
Farm Show youth competitions for
the very first lime.
The couple have three children,
including Jennifer, who is current
ly the Lebanon County Little Miss
dairy promoter, and youngest
David, who is 100 young to be
involved.
Daryl Maulfair pulls the clippers away after finishing a
cut, while his father. Dale, lopks on in caee any suggestions
are necessary. The cow is a former grand champion Ayr
shire of the state Farm Show.
Daryl Maulfair studies his work carefully, making sure to clip his father’s show cow
properly.
Father, Son To
expected that Daryl will be
watched closely by his parents
Show Ayrshires At Farm Show
In preparation for the Farm Show Large Arena, Daryl Maulfair gently tugs at the hal
ter of his show calf to encourage the Ayrshire to come along.
the barnyard area at his parents’
Maulfair Acres dairy farm.
According to plan, on mid
moming Tuesday, when judging
of Ayrshires is scheduled, the
winter coats on the calf and year
ling will be trimmed down and be
clean and shining.
Young Maulfair will be in his
show whites. He and his animals
will be making their mutual debut
in the Farm Show.
He said he is excited about his
first time showing, but that he isn’t
as afraid as he would have been if
he never had been in the ring
before,
And Dale said that he thinks
Daryl -is getting a good start
because he has won some competi
tions locally.
Daryl had entered both animals
in competitions and they were
undefeated this past year, until the
state 4-H competitions held in Sep
tember in conjunction with the
Pennsylvania All American Dairy
Show.
“He did belter than I did (for a
first year showing). I was Id the
first year I showed,” Dale said,
adding that he had to wait until he
was old enough to drive himself to
the Farm Show.
But Maulfair said that he didn’t
think that winning is even close to
being the most important aspect of
showing dairy cattle. He said it is a
reward that can help someone stay
Daryl Maulfair, 9-years-old, and one of his two Ayrshires
entered tor the 1994 Farm Show. This is to be his first year
showing on his own, following In his father and mother’s
footsteps.
with a pursuit and it encourages
effort to achieve, he said.
Most importantly, he said that
showing is a way to develop and
enhance an understanding of the
cattle breed and exercise an appre
ciation for doing so.
It is also about a lot of other,
tangential activities and issues,
such as being subject to judges,
and listening to their reasons for
placing animals; talking to other
breeders, the same age, whose ani
mals are admired and discussing
philosophies, feeds, care, produc
tion, the future of the industry, the
qualities of other cattle, etc.; learn
ing finer points about skills and
techniques for grooming, feeding,
and some of the finer points of
showing animals to accentuate
their best qualities in the best pos
sible manner.
It is learning about ethics and
morals and values and how to man
age time and sleep; when to laugh,
and what is appropriate behavior,
and when to get down to business.
And it also teaches how to cope
with difficulties and how to enjoy a
task.
While Daryl has had some early
success in showing. Dale said his
own start in showing was about 20
years ago, and it took him a lot lon
ger to achieve some recognition.
“You want (Daryl) to win. I
know when I started, I started at the
bottom and for years I wondered if
1 would ever get to the top,” Dale
said.
Two years ago, however, his
then 4-year-old Ayrshire Maulfair
Acres Barry Ginny was named
grand champion Ayrshire, and a
herd mate, Maulfair Acres Larry
Jessica, was reserve champion.
He has had several grand
champions during the past five
years and continues to be active in
the Ayrshire Breeders Associa
(Turn to Pago A 33)