A2B-Lancaster Fanning, Friday, January 9, 1998
Determination Pays Off For Farm Show Family
GAIL STROCK
Mifflin Co. Correspondent
PETERSBURG (Huntingdon
Co.) - The first years that John
A. Foster, Jr., of Huntingdon
County showed Holsteins in 4-
H, he stood dead last in the
class. He decided to buy a good
heifer and still ended up last.
"I was determined to get good
cattle," Foster said.
Foster's determination dur
ing a lifetime of dairying has
paid off in more ways than one.
He earned second place in the
owner/breeder class at Madison,
had Michigan State University
call him for semen from his "Tbp
Gun" bull, has sold several bulls
for breeding purposes; has a bull
in a proving program, has
earned grand champion at the
Farm Show several times; and
has received innumerable pre
mier breeder and premier
exhibitor awards, including sev
eral from the Farm Show.
Although Foster and his wife
Alice like to win, they know good
"sportsmanship" both in and out
of the ring is most important
along with fellowship with
friends and breeders.
"I like to win," he said, "But
I'd rather stand second and have
the first-place winner as a
friend. But I believe I wouldn't
have gotten a call from Michigan
State, for example, if I wouldn't
have been out there showing or
if I'd had a bad reputation.”
The fourth generation to
farm Globe-RunFarms near
Petersburg, John and Alice rent
the 500-acre farm from his
father. They grow 200 acres of
com, 150 acres of corn, 150 acres
of alfalfa, 50 acres of grass hay,
and 50 acres of soybeans. The
Foster's milk 130 Holsteins in a
flat barn parlor with automatic
takeoffs. They employ two full
time hired men. John's father,
after several bouts with cancer,
still comes to help with the field
work.
"We thank the Lord for John's
father still being able to be
here," Alice said.
"In the summer of 1981,:
John said, "we had cattle at
shows for eight straight weeks.
That's the year we had grand
champion at the Central
Pennsylvania Championship
with Globe-Run Elevation
Tammy (Ex-90-3E). She had
been away from the farm for
three weeks in a row and
brought home four grand cham
pions, which helped her win the
All Pennsylvania 4-year-old
award that year."
Although they've cut down
the number of shows they exhib
Samantha Foster will show Globe-Run Mason Batt
Boots, her Junior calf, at the 1998 Farm Show.
it in each year, their string of
award-winning cows has contin
ued.
"We won a genetic award at
the Central National in
Madison, Wisconsin, with Globe-
Run Enhancer Kitty. She scored
high for classification, milk pro
duction, placing in class and
genetic evaluation. Our Globe-
Run Tap Gun Oslo (Ex-92), a
granddaughter of one of our top
cows, Darlene, was second
owned and bred in her class at
Madison another year."
The Foster's have not missed
a Farm Show in 25 years. In
fact, their 12 year-old daughter
Charrann has attended 13 Farm
Shows! In 1985, she was only
one week old. In the 1997 Farm
Show, Charann earned a cham
pion showman award. The fami
ly took grand champion in 1991
with home-bred Globe-Run G-
Word Trisha (Ex-91). Trisha
went on to win champion at sev
eral other shows. Trisha was
also shown by their older daugh
ter Anissa Musser.
In 1990, John's oldest son,
John Foster, 111, better known
as Andy, showed at the state
junior show and won junior
champion in both the 4-H show
with Glove-Run Starbuck
Beverly (Ex-90) and junior
champion in the FFA competi
tion with Globe-Run Tempo
Bambi (Ex-90). Andy is a Taurus
representative. When not on the
road for Taurus, Andy finds time
to help at home on the farm. He
continues to fit all of the ani
mals for show.
This year at the Farm Show,
the Foster's, including 9-year
old Samantha, will show six ani
mals from the farm, including
an aged cow named Globe-Run
Jethro Violet (Ex-91-2E).
Well-known 14-year-old
Globe-Run Sexy Darlene (Ex-93-
4E) will not be making her tra
ditional trip to the Farm Show
this year. In the past, she has
won numerous awards, includ
ing grand, reserve, and junior
champion several times; honor
able mention All American
Senior Yearling, and All
Pennsylvania and Junior All
Pennsylvania several times for
both Andy and Charann.
In fact, this year she won the
1997 Reserve Junior All
Pennsylvania 125,000 Award.
Her accomplishments continue
outside the show ring, too. She
has produced quite a few off
spring, seven sons (five used on
the farm), nine daughters, 21
granddaughters, 10 great
granddaughters, plus more on
the way. Darlene's milk record
includes 8-01 365 days 35,981 M
The Foster family takes time out to pose with one of their favorite cows—l4-year
old Globe Run Sexy Darlene. Charann, left, Alice, second from right, and Samantha,
right, hold premier breeder and premier exhibitor awards earned at past Farm
Shows. John holds the halter of Darlene.
4.1% 1492 F 3.2% 1149 P. Her
lifetime record is nearing
200,000 pound of milk.
Although Foster uses artifi
cial insemination, he likes
home-bred bulls. He has five
bulls at neighboring farms. One
neighbor, Marvin J. Zook, has
used well over 15 Glove-Run
bulls for his herd.
"With bulls here on the farm,
I know what I have and who can
be mated to whom. Our bull
Globe-Run Aerostar Mega is
now being sampled. We sold
New ITLA Executive
Jack Blease
FORT WORTH, Texas Jack
Blease has been named executive
director of the International Texas
mmmmmmmmmn CU p 4 SAVE' ■■■■■■■■
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Mega's full sister to Canada.
Someone saw her at the Farm
Show and wanted both the
mother and daughter.
"The goal here is to financial
ly keep the farm going," Foster
said, "Without registered cows,
without shows or without sales,
we wouldn't have cattle. The
bulk tank is not enough, nor can
we always justify driving to
shows. But when someone
makes a nice offer for one of our
cows, it's worth it. It makes you
feel like you have accomplished
Longhorn Association (ITLA)
headquartered in Fort Worth.
Blease brings mote than 20
years of management experience
in marketing, promotion, sales,
and administration to ITLA.
He is a graduate of Western
Michigan University and Califor
nia Christian University with a
bachelor’s degree in communica
tions and a master’s degree.
Blease has been active in both the
Appaloosa Horse Club and ITLA
for years.
contact: ■
PHARES HURST '
233 E. Maple Grove Rd. ■
Narvon, PA 17555 • ■
717-445-6186 :
something."
Besides winning and market
ing, there are two other very
good reasons why John and
Alice continue showing their
daughters Samantha and
Charann.
"We try to teach the girls to
be honest. Showing also teach
ers them to be gracious winners
and how to congratulate the
ones that beat you. Deal honest
ly, do the best job possible, and
God willing, it'll pay big divi
dends in the end."
Director
ITLA President Darol Dicldn
soa of Calhan, Colo., said, “As a
young and growing organization,
we welcome Jack with his special
fraiWship ability. Our members
are very excited about the new
market driven direction he brings
to our industry.’*
The ITLA has members in all
50 states and foreign countries.
For more information on ITLA,
contact them at 7451 Chapel Avc.,
Fort Worth, TX 76116.
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