NAILE: The Last National Along The Tanbark

 Dear Guernsey Friends,

     The last national show along the tanbark was held in Louisville, KY at the Kentucky Exposition Center this past weekend. What a fantastic show it was!! Guernsey breeders from around the country were reunited once again on the green shavings for the last hoorah for the show season. It sure was good to get back to the smell of a cow barn, having the opportunity to chat with friends, view the beautiful Guernseys, and sit back and watch the show in action. I know Brooke and I certainly enjoyed our stay!

     The National Guernsey Junior Show was held on Friday, and wow what an excellent group of fawn and whites they were! I want to personally congratulate and commend all of the junior exhibitors. Special congratulations go to Alyssa Nuttleman from Wisconsin for winning Jr. Champion and Austin Knapp from Iowa with the Reserve Jr. Champion honor. In addition, congratulations to Paige Chupp from Oklahoma and Jade Jenson of Missouri for taking away Grand and Reserve Grand of the show. It sure made me proud to be a representative of the breed that day! I also loved the purple shirt choice this year. It really made the Guernsey youth stick out in the show ring!

    Saturday was the Guernsey rest day. This gave me the opportunity to visit the Big Country Store and shop for Christmas presents. My family and I walked away with a lot of goodies! Besides shopping, it was a day of visiting with other Guernsey breeders and friends, relaxing, and watching other breeds show.

     On Sunday afternoon, the open heifer show began. All I can say is wow! Top honors went to Austin Knapp with his summer yearling for Jr. Champion and the Chupp family with their winter yearling for reserve. Monday morning was the open cow show. Although all of the classes were full of quality, I feel the four year old class was the most competitive of the day. With only six showing in the class, I would have felt privileged to take any one of them home! The Vilters took the class with Highlite, who was later named Reserve Grand of the show! Congratulations to the Chupp family with their five year old, Hailey for winning Grand Champion as well!

     Brooke and I had many wonderful memories over those few days in Kentucky. Ones that included: indentations in our heads from our crowns, green-stained shoes and feet, eating out with the AGA staff and the Weimer family, meeting the new Jersey royalty, laughing at Seth and Brian, and getting to watch each of the shows from the best seats in the house. Many thanks go out to Seth, Brian and Katie for making it such an enjoyable week and year for us royalty. Also a special shout out to the wonderful Guernsey breeders and friends that have supported Brooke and I all year long and for being an uplifting, positive extended family for us. It sure was a bittersweet feeling leaving the cow barn for the last time. I love the show season so it’s always sad to see it come and go. On a positive note, I hope you all can rest now from a job well done this year. It is also time for our cows to rest and grow for next season. What a spectacular show season for the Guernseys! Hope you all may enjoy the upcoming holidays and time to share them with family.

PS: Thank you to my wonderful family for making all of this possible. Mom you are my hero and Amber, I am so proud of you for your accomplishments this year. Love you both! Also, thank you Richard Giddings for taking care our our two calves at the show. We owe you more than you know!

Sincerely,
Ashlee Dietz
2010 National Guernsey Princess
R-Way Guernseys