Calendar of Events

from New York Holstein News October 2020 Issue

Executive Managers Report

October is here, and sadly that means colder weather is on the way. I am not a fan of being cold, but I do enjoy wearing sweaters and drinking hot chocolate, so I am not quite sure how to feel about the changing weather. I am sure that many of you feel the same.

Danielle Herrick I would like to comment about the show season this year though. Even though almost every show was cancelled for the year, it was great to see so many of you still putting in the effort to train your animals and show them at the NY Holstein show that was held in early September. County fairs, state fair, and even Expo, I am super excited that quite a few of you were still able to show off all of the hard work that you put into the animals. I personally was not at the show, but I heard from multiple people that there was a huge turnout, so that was awesome. I hope that you all learned something from the show, and I can confidently say that this was an experience that you will never forget.

Another point that I wanted to mention is how lucky we all are to have been raised in the dairy industry. I am currently at Cornell University, and one of the classes that I am taking Anatomy and Physiology of farm animals. For those of you who are planning on attending Cornell in the future, it’s a great class, but be prepared for a lot of work. While working through some of the vocab that we need to know for the class, I was reminded for the hundredth time just how much I have learned through working with cows. Not only did I understand a lot of the advanced terminology that was being used, thanks to all of my dairy bowl experience, but I also had a basic understanding of the layout of a cow’s body, thanks to dairy judging and working with my own animals. Most of the other students within the class are on the Pre-vet track, and they are very intelligent people, yet they lack the knowledge and hands-on experience that all of the dairy kids came in with. Now don’t get me wrong, I have to do a crazy amount of studying as well, but at least I have a little bit of a head start. This is only the most recent time that I have realized just how lucky I am to have been raised within this industry. From my speaking skills, to having friends from across the state, and even the country, there is so much that the Holstein cow and the dairy industry has offered me.

So as fall descends upon us, take the time to notice just how much you have been able to gain from being a part of this great group. Also, I am not sure what convention will look like this year, if we are even able to have one, but it never hurts to start studying for

Oneida County Jr Holstein Club

This October the Oneida Co Junior Holstein Club marks 50 years since it was formed in October of 1970, a couple years before the New York Junior Association was started. We had hoped to be able to celebrate the occasion by recognizing some of the original members and accomplishments of subsequent Junior members, but the pandemic put that to a halt.

Many of the members had been showing for several years both at the Oneida County Black and White Show (that’s what it was called back in the day) as well as 4-H members at the Boonville Fair. A half dozen or so families got together to start the club. There was the Cosgroves (Mike, Jerry, Kathleen, and Peter, Tom would join later), the Joneses (Doug, Kathy, and Carol), Riders (Dick, Nancy, and Paul), Roberts’ (Brad, Mark, and John), Thorntons (Diana, Mark, Brenda and Karen), and the vanLieshouts (John, Joe,Paul, Steve, Phil and Pat) as well as their cousin Mike. I hope I haven’t forgotten anybody. Bill and Joan Smith were our advisors.

Our original officers were Mark Thornton -President, John vanLieshout- Vice President, Brenda ThorntonSecretary, and Mike Cosgrove -Treasurer.

If memory serves me, Mark Thornton was coming off of a successful season where his junior yearling was Junior All-NY and placed well at the NYSF Open show as well as at Harrisburg.

The club has kept going for all these years with a lot of hard work from club members and advisors over the years and we now have some third generation members.

I would love to hear from any former members and hopefully share old photos or other memorabilia as well as their stories. -Mike Cosgrove