In Madison’s barns, I watched ‘old’ cows and small dreams demolish everything experts said was impossible. My heart still pounds.
I’ll never forget the feeling in the barn aisle that Sunday night. Exhaustion, hope, and the kind of quiet reverence you only find at the close of a long Junior Holstein Show. Madison had pressed on—show halters still in hand, nerves humming, memories being written with every final lap. The moment Luck-E Merjack Asalia was named Grand Champion, something shifted. What moved me most wasn’t just the banner—it was the affirmation for every producer who still believes in hard-won wisdom and the worth of experience. Against all odds, Tessa and Stella Schmocker of Whitewater, Wisconsin, had a trusted heart and history. Their barn had, in every way, saved their dreams.
Judge Pierre Boulet—humble, thoughtful, a master of his craft—sorted through over three hundred hopefuls with associate Richard Landry. When he pointed to Asalia, it was as if he placed every sunrise, every storm endured, at the center of the ring. That’s Madison at its best: resilience rewarded and hope rekindled.
The Courage to Trust Your Gut
Wednesday sent a jolt through the barns. There was an urgency to the Ayrshire show—a pulse that belonged to every farmer watching B-Wil Kingsire Willow capture Grand Champion for Budjon Farms and Peter Vail. It wasn’t just conformation; it was intuition. The wisdom I witnessed was extraordinary: bets made without guarantees, risks measured not in numbers but in decades spent chasing possibility.
And then Jersey legend Stoney Point Joel Bailey stepped into the spotlight—once more, Grand Champion, three years running. Standing ringside with her, all humility and resolve, you saw the spirit that withstands disappointment and persists beyond recognition. That spirit, humble and proud, is the quiet engine that drives every barn at dawn, every comeback after a setback.
When Giants Fall and New Legends Rise
The International Holstein Show brought its own kind of drama—468 entries, each one carrying dreams that had been months, sometimes years, in the making. When Judge Aaron Eaton pointed to Lovhill Sidekick Kandy Cane as his Grand Champion, owned by Alicia and Jonathan Lamb of Oakfield, New York, you could feel the shift in the barn’s energy. This wasn’t just another win; it was the passing of a torch.
What struck me most was watching last year’s sensation, Jeffrey-Way Hard Rock Twigs—the cow who’d dominated headlines and completed the coveted North American double—stand as Reserve. In that moment, I witnessed something profound: even the most celebrated champions eventually step aside for the next generation. Kandy Cane’s victory reminded every exhibitor in that massive class that no reign is permanent, and tomorrow always belongs to someone willing to believe in their next great cow.
Standing there among nearly five hundred hopefuls, each handler knew they were part of something bigger than ribbons. They were writing the next chapter of Holstein excellence, one careful step at a time. That’s the beauty of Madison—it doesn’t just crown champions; it creates legends and teaches us that even giants, eventually, must make room for new dreams to take flight.
When Confidence Meets Courage: The Guernsey Moment
The Guernsey show in Madison brought its own bright spark, thanks to Kadence Fames Lovely, bred and exhibited by the Dorn Family of New Glarus. Lovely had a presence that seemed to light up the ring, her poise and confidence drawing attention well before the judges made their choice.
When the hush broke and Lovely was named Grand Champion, it felt like more than a win—it was a triumph for every farm that had weathered setbacks and kept believing. That moment in the Guernsey ring was a quiet testament to courage and connection: proof that the most beautiful victories come not from perfection, but from the strength to show up and the faith that hope, sometimes, really does prevail.
When Age Becomes a Badge of Honor
Thursday’s Brown Swiss ring held its own kind of truth. Iroquois Acres Jong Cali, a ten-year-old in her seventh lactation, stood among younger rivals and glided for judges Alan “Spud” Poulson and Brian Olbrich like she’d never known a hard day. When Brian Pacheco’s Cali was crowned Grand Champion for the second time, you could sense every old hand in the barn take a breath. That “harvest of hope,” grown from patience and persistence, felt personal.
There’s something sacred in the relationship with the animals who become family—not just for the ribbons, but for the years of partnership and worry, faith and gratitude. Age, for once, was recognized as a badge earned—not just endured.
When Small Dreams Become Big Victories
Friday, nobody expected what happened next. In the Milking Shorthorn ring, Emily Fisher brought Mountainview TC Fired Up out of Pittsfield, New Hampshire, and left with the Grand Champion banner. I’ll always remember the gratitude and happiness on her face, shared with family and friends in a tight barn aisle. “Hope is enough,” she’d said. Watching her celebrate, you could see the strength built on sleepless nights. Her win belonged to every small farm fighting to hold on when times get tough.
The impossible became real because someone refused to quit, because a family believed their modest hope mattered. Emily’s victory was a moment for everyone.
The Supreme Moment
No one could have predicted how Supreme would unfold. Golden-Oaks Temptres-Red-ET, the Red & White champion from Milk Source and partners, faced off with Bailey as the pulse in the Coliseum slowed, collective breath hanging in the air. The underdog prevailed, and the barn erupted. Tears. Hugs. Laughter. The roar was for every comeback and every hope reborn when disappointment whispered “try again.”
But there were other victories. Across the barn, I caught sight of a young exhibitor leading her heifer home with no ribbon but a fire in her step. “I’ll be back. You just watch,” she said, her determination outshining any prize. That, right there, is the heart of dairy—the spirit that refuses to break.
The Strength That Refused to Break
If you only watch the ring, you’ll miss some of the truest moments at Expo. The handshake between Clark Woodmansee III, who was collecting the Klussendorf Award, and Matt Sloan, who was honored with the Klussendorf-MacKenzie Award, said everything about legacy. Respect, kindness, and knowledge passed quietly from one generation to the next, with gratitude and humility as the glue.
What changed me most? It wasn’t a singular victory; it was the community of people who keep showing up, who choose hope during tough times, and who believe in each other despite what the world tells them. This isn’t just farming—it’s partnership, faith, and the unwavering belief that tomorrow can bring a harvest of hope.
The Promise That Lives in Every Barn
As trucks rolled out, and the lights faded to memory, new stories stirred in quiet barns across the country. Madison doesn’t just crown champions—it rekindles the fire everywhere, from California to Quebec, from Iowa to New Hampshire.
Here’s to barns that save dreams, cows that become family, and a spirit that, no matter what, refuses to break. If you have a story worth telling, let’s keep this circle unbroken. Every hope matters—here, and in the hearts of dairy farmers everywhere.
This story honors every person and every moment with respect and full consent, rooted in the lived truth and the verified triumphs of 2025. For every dream not yet realized, remember: the next sunrise is yours.
Key Takeaways:
- Age defeated algorithms: 10-year-old Jong Cali proved longevity beats genomics
- David beat Goliath: New Hampshire’s small dairy outshone industry giants
- Three-year dynasty ended: Red & White underdog toppled Jersey legend Bailey
- Instinct trumped indexes: judges chose gut feelings over genetic data
- Madison’s message: The heart of dairy farming still beats stronger than technology
Executive Summary:
World Dairy Expo 2025 shattered industry assumptions, awarding Grand Championships to barn veterans and unlikely contenders alike. Ten-year-old Jong Cali’s triumph sent a message: age and experience still matter in the ring. Emily Fisher’s 18-cow dairy showed the world that hope, grit, and small dreams transform into big wins, inspiring anyone who ever doubted their place on the colored shavings. Madison’s Supreme Champion drama saw a Red & White challenger topple Jersey icon Bailey, signaling a new era where dynasties fall and belief rises. Trust, instinct, and tenacity defined the week—judges and farmers alike proved that spreadsheets can’t measure heart. More than ribbons, these victories marked a return to the soul of dairy farming, rekindling optimism for producers facing storms ahead. The true lesson of Madison? The heart and hope we cultivate at home are still what make champions.
Learn More:
- 9 Best Practices That Set The Best Dairy Operations Apart from the Rest – The main article celebrated champions of longevity and teamwork; this tactical guide provides a practical blueprint for achieving those results. It reveals how to build a winning team, set clear expectations, and make informed decisions that prioritize profitability over passing trends.
- 2025 Dairy Market Reality Check: Why Everything You Think You Know About This Year’s Outlook is Wrong – World Dairy Expo’s upsets prove the competitive landscape has changed. This strategic market analysis reveals the hidden financial trends driving the “Component Revolution,” offering producers a playbook for maximizing profits by focusing on milk solids and building new processor relationships.
- AI and Precision Tech: What’s Actually Changing the Game for Dairy Farms in 2025? – The main piece honored a 10-year-old cow defying norms, while this innovative article shows how new technology is making that kind of longevity possible. It details how AI and automation can improve cow health, slash costs, and provide the data needed to keep proven veterans in the herd longer.
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