Archive for Bob Miller

Glenridge Citation Roxy: The Legendary “Queen of the Breed”

Explore the remarkable legacy of Glenridge Citation Roxy, the pioneering cow who achieved unprecedented milestones. Discover how she set new benchmarks in genetic excellence within the dairy breeding industry.

The dairy industry has seen many extraordinary cows, but Glenridge Citation Roxy stands out as the “Queen of the Breed.” She was born over 50 years ago and ushered in a new era for the Holstein breed. Her remarkable lineage and achievements have left a lasting mark on dairy farming worldwide. Bob Miller and Pete Heffering have become legends in the breeding industry with their achievements. The transmitting strength of this family lies predominantly in the female line. No other Holstein family has provided more EX cows than the Roxys. Still today, every significant sale catalog features at least one female descendant of Roxy, showcasing her enduring influence. Join us as we explore her achievements, exceptional genetic lineage, and lasting legacy in the Holstein breed. 

The Birth and Rise of Glenridge Citation Roxy: A Legacy Begins 

Glenridge Citation Roxy was born on the Lorne Loveridge farm at Grenfell, Saskatchewan, on April 15, 1968. Lorne, who took over management of the farm in 1957, bought the herd and changed the prefix from Norton Court to Glenridge in tribute to his wife, Glenna Loveridge. Loveridge switched to R names for Vee’s offspring (Reba, Roxy, and Rocket) instead of continuing with V names, claiming he was “too dumb” to come up with any more V names.

The seeds of the Roxy story began with youth programs and the Royal in the early 50s. As a kid from Quebec, Millar was at the Royal Winter Fair in 1951 for the 4-H dairy judging contest when he saw an impressive cow named Glenvue Nettie Jemima. Jemima would later become the dam of a bull named Rosafe Citation R. Lorne Loveridge, as a kid from Saskatchewan, was at the Royal a year later in the 4-H small grains judging contest. He was able to sneak away from competition long enough to be blown away by the quality of the Holsteins he saw and went home to convince his dad to use frozen semen and A.I. to improve the family’s herd. One of the first bulls they used was Roeland Reflection Sovereign, the sire of a cow named Norton Court Reflection Vale, Roxy’s dam. 

Rosafe Citation R, Roxy’s sire, was purchased as a bull calf for $30,000 by the Ontario Association of Animal Breeders at the 1958 Sale of Stars in Toronto. This acquisition stemmed from the strategic foresight of H.J. Wilcox, who had bought Citation R’s dam, Glenvie Nettie Jemima (EX-13*), hoping she would bear a son. Citation R was aggressively utilized at $7.00 per service, significantly higher than the norm. Despite being a Red Carrier, initially viewed as a drawback, Citation R’s progeny excelled, particularly his daughters, who dominated the show ring. In 1961, Citation R was sold to Santa Monica Ranch in Mexico for $33,000, only to have his semen later repatriated due to high demand in Canada and the US. This timely return facilitated the breeding of Norton Court Model Vee, Roxy’s dam, in 1967, blending top-tier genetics that would lead to the birth of Glenridge Citation Roxy.  Notably, Vee’s lineage traced back to remarkable ancestry, including A.B.C. Reflection Sovereign, while her dam, Norton Court Reflection Vale (VG-4*), underscored this genetic treasure trove. Together, these lines culminated in Roxy, an unparalleled bovine legacy. 

Roxy also had strong ties to Wisconsin Fobes, partly through the Chip of Nettie & Aaggie cross, enhancing her prestigious lineage. Her maternal line began with Ottile 8807 H.H.B., imported from Holland by B.B. Lord & Son in 1883, and Vrouka 448 C.H.B., brought to America by Holman & Collamer in 1884. These cows were instrumental in shaping Roxy’s pedigree. 

As a calf, Roxy was a tall, gangly heifer that didn’t attract much attention until she calved for the second time. At this point, Doug Blair and Lowell Lindsay noticed her. Blair, part owner of Western Breeders’ Services (forerunner to Alta Genetics), and Lindsay, sire procurement officer for United Breeders, were both overwhelmed by her. They contemplated a joint purchase but couldn’t meet Loveridge’s asking price. Enter Bob Miller, a Canadian-born cattle photographer who had immigrated to the US and established the Mill-R-Mor herd. Summoned to photograph Roxy and her dam Vee, Miller had been searching for a cow family with specific requirements: type, production, and longevity. Roxy and her family checked all the boxes for Miller, but he didn’t purchase her immediately. Later, Roxy gained recognition as Reserve Grand Champion at the 1972 Canadian Western Agribition and was nominated for All-Canadian consideration in 1973.

In 1973, Bob Miller bought Roxy and a half interest in her dam, moving them to Illinois, where they continued to thrive.   Subsequently, Roxy, her dam, her grand-dam Vale, and her three-quarter sister Glenridge Emperor Rocket (EX-96-3E) were moved to Mil-R-Mor in Illinois, where promotion and marketing were more feasible.

Achieving Unprecedented Success Under Miller’s Stewardship

In Miller’s hands, Roxy made four records over 1,000 lbs. fat, reaching 26,470 lbs. milk, 4.4% fat in her best year. Her career total was 209,784 lbs. milk, 4.5%, 9,471 lbs. fat, rounding out three generations of 200,000-lb. Producers. A rare Holstein to classify 97 points, Roxy earned a 4E rating at 12 years of age. Her show record included All-Illinois honors (1976-1979), a win in the dry-aged class at the 1979 Central National Show, and two All-Canadian nominations. She was part of eight All-American and All-Canadian groups, and with Glenridge Emperor Rocket, became All-Time All-American produce in 1984. 

Unanimous Acclaim: The Legendary Assessments of Glenridge Citation Roxy

Between them, Andy Clawson and Avery Stafford have classified over 1,000,000 cows. Their assessments of Glenridge Citation Roxy are nothing short of legendary. Clawson, the classifier who initially scored Roxy with an impressive 96 points, declared, “Roxy was closer to perfection than any cow I ever scored,” underscoring her unparalleled quality. Avery Stafford, who elevated her score to an extraordinary 97 points two years later, echoed this sentiment unequivocally. “Roxy was the best cow who had ever come before me,” Stafford remarked, establishing her status as a pinnacle in the field. 

R.F. Brown, known for developing Green Elms Echo Christina, stated, “Roxy was the best I have ever seen,” a high compliment from someone recognized for his discerning eye and high standards.

Roxy captured public affection, winning titles such as Queen of the Breed I & II, Top Cow of the Century, and International Cow of the Century, decided by popular vote in breed magazines. 

A Milestone in Bovine Excellence: Roxy’s Unmatched Legacy and Ubiquity

Roxy was the first cow with ten daughters classified Excellent. Achieved 4E-97-GMD and became a 3rd generation 200,000-lb. Milk producer. Member of eight All-American, All-Canadian, or Reserve All-Canadian groups. The Roxy family is everywhere, consistently appearing in sale catalogs and maintaining their proper type and high milk production legacy.

Miller recognized the potential of embryo transfer, a budding technology at the time, and Roxy produced 30 embryos along with three natural offspring. She had 20 daughters, becoming the first cow to have ten Excellent daughters—16 of her daughters eventually scored Excellent, with additional Excellent and Very Good offspring.

Seven of Roxy’s daughters earned Gold Medals, contributing to a cow family of exceptional persistence. There are 50 direct maternal lines of at least four generations of Excellent descending from Roxy. Her 16 Excellent daughters produced 34 Excellent daughters; these 34 had 52 Excellent daughters, who then had 48 Excellent daughters—virtually a nonstop excellence-producing family. 

Their consistency as breeders is remarkable. Extensive research reveals an impressive lineage: over 381 Roxy descendants have achieved EX status, tracing directly back to Glenridge Citation Roxy. This legacy expands exponentially when considering the progeny of her sons. A standout in perpetuating this excellence is Gloryland Lana Rae EX-94-2E-USA DOM. An impressive 16 out of Lana Rae’s 21 classified daughters have reached EX status, with an average score of 90.9 points. Lana Rae descends from an exceptional line: an EX Lindy daughter of Hanoverhill Tony Rae EX-96-2E, following Hanoverhill TT Roxette EX-94-2E USA, then back to Roxette. 

Good udders, feet, legs, great frames, and diligent milk production mark the Roxy legacy. These cows are healthy, fertile, and resilient, rebounding from stress and not “knuckling under” as some do. 

Roxy’s Most Outstanding Daughter Mil-R-Mor Roxette (EX-30*)

Until 1977, Bob Miller had never sold a daughter. He relented that year when he consigned Roxy’s Elevation daughter to the National Convention Sale in Columbus, Ohio. She was Mil-R-Mar Roxette, born on Valentine’s Day the year before and sold openly. Peter Heffering purchased 17 heads, ringing up a bill of $207,600. Among the cattle purchased was J.P.G. Standout Kandy, the top seller at $41,000, and Mulder Elevation Mazie. He also bought Mil-R-Mar Roxette for $25,000, the third highest price of the sale. 

R Peter Heffering commented, “We felt that Roxy was one of the breed’s great cows and probably the best daughter of Citation R. Elevation was making a lot of good offspring, so when the Elevation heifer was coming up for sale at the National Convention Sale, we bought her as a foundation female for the herd. Roxette flushed well and became one of Roxy’s strongest transmitting daughters.”

After the sale, Miller raised objections regarding the investor’s terms. A rumor persists that the transaction nearly collapsed. However, years later, Miller expressed his gladness that Roxette ended up at Hanover Hill.  Roxette’s son, Hanoverhill Raider (EX-Extra), is sired by Hanoverhill Starbuck (EX-Extra) and ranks among the top Hanover Hill bulls. 

Her notable daughters include: 

  • Hanover-Hill Astra Roxie (EX-GMD) This Paclamar Astronaut’s daughter recorded six consecutive records over 22,000 lbs. milk and 1,000 lbs. fat. She was the dam of three Excellent and three Very Good daughters, including Hanoverhill TTA Roxie (EX), one of the first cows to produce over 50,000 lbs. milk in Canada with her record of 52,879 lbs. milk, 2,200 lbs. fat, and 1,801 lbs. protein in 365 days.
  • Hanoverhill TT Roxette-ET (EX-94-2E-GMD-DOM) Roxette’s Triple Threat daughter was sold for $37,000 in the 1989 Hanover Hill Dispersal. She made 31,790 lbs. milk, 1,303 lbs. fat, and 961 lbs. protein at six years. Her daughter, Hanoverhill Tony Rae, became grand champion at the 1992 Western Spring National and the 1993 Western National. Tony Rae left nine Excellent and 13 Very Good daughters. One of her notable descendants was Scientific Debutante Rae (EX).
  • Hanoverhill Star Roxy (EX-92-3E-GMD-DOM) She was Roxette’s Hanoverhill Starbuck daughter and a full sister to Hanoverhill Raider. As a four-year-old, she produced 31,779 lbs. milk, 1,393 lbs. fat, and 1,054 lbs. protein and left behind six Excellent daughters. One of her exceptional daughters, Hanover-Hill-R MSCT Roxy (EX-93), was sold for $40,000 in the 1998 Hanover Hill Dispersal.
  • Hanover-Hill-R Rhonda-TW (EX-94-4E-GMD-DOM) Rhonda, Star Roxy’s Leadman daughter, mothered Hanover-Hill-R MI Rochelle-RC (EX-93), who was dam to Sir Ridgedale Rustler-Red (EX-95). Rustler was exceptionally popular in Germany.
  • Mil-R-Mor Toprox-ET (EX-94-3E-GMD): This highest-record daughter of Glenridge Citation Roxy produced 43,660 lbs. of milk, 5.3% fat, and 3.4% protein. Described by Mary Briggs of Brigeen Farms as healthy and fertile, Toprox was known for her temperance and capacity—a monument at Mil-R-Mor farm honors Glenridge Citation Roxy’s remarkable achievements and contributions.

Roxy’s Descendants Continue to Make an Impact

Roxy’s descendants continue to make an impact. Their consistency as breeders is remarkable. Breeders who invested in Roxy’s lineage developed strong lines under varied management conditions. Notable descendants still making an impact include:

Golden-Oaks Champ Rae EX-93

Ms Crushable Carolina
Reserve Intermediate Champion World Dairy Expo 2022
(Crushabull x GOLDEN OAKS BY CHARLOTTE ET EX 90 x GOLDEN-OAKS MCC CHARLINA-ET EX-90
x GOLDEN-OAKS ATWD CHARLA-ET EX-93 x GOLDEN-OAKS CHAMP RAE-ET EX-93)

(Calbrett-I H H Champion x Scientific Beauty Rae RC EX-90 x Scientific Jubilant Rae RC EX-90 x Hanoverhill Tony Rae EX-96 x Hanoverhill TT Roxette EX-94 x Mil-R-Mor Roxette EX x Glenridge Citation Roxy EX-97) 
Champ Rae, a foundation dam bred at Golden-Oaks Farm in Wauconda, Illinois, has 47 US-class daughters, with 17 scored VG and 19 EX. Many of these daughters have achieved top records of 35,000-40,000 lb. (18,144 kg) of milk. The dam’s fame is spreading internationally, with Spanish AI Ascol testing Byway son Tec Laureles Sanmames out of granddaughter Charlina. The dam’s daughters and granddaughters have performed well, with Golden-Oaks Sid Charlise VG-87, now at Cherry Crest Holsteins in Canada, and Golden-Oaks Atwood Chloe EX-92 from Cranehill Genetics and Long-Haven Sid Carla EX-94 from Oakfield Corners Dairy. New York’s Kings-Ransom Farm hosts three special sisters: Kings-Ransom Cleavage, Cleo, and Kings-Ransom Epic Cassie, each with EX-94 scores. Jeff King, manager at Golden-Oaks Farm, praises Champ Rae’s enormous frame and her sisters’ functional and productive nature, stating that they give lots of milk with a high-fat test and require minimal attention. The goal is to combine Champ Rae descendants with high-type sires, sacrificing as little as possible for fitness traits and longevity.

Gloryland-I Goldwyn Locket EX-94

Walkerbrae Doorman Locket EX95
HM All American 5yr old 2018
Nominated AA and AC Junior 3 2016
Doormand x GLORYLAND-I GOLDWYN LOCKET 2E94

(Braedale Goldwyn x Gloryland Lakota Rae VG-88 x Gloryland Lana Rae EX-94 x Scientific Liza Rae EX-90 x Hanoverhill Tony Rae EX-96 x Mil-R-Mor Roxette EX x Glenridge Citation Roxy EX-97)
Bred by David Tait, goes back to Hanoverhill Tony Rae EX-96. Locket, classified EX-94, through Scientific Liza Rae EX-90 and the notable Gloryland Lana Rae EX-94. Lana, distinguished for her superb udder quality and excellent feet, produced 32 daughters, with 22 achieving EX status, including the illustrious Gloryland Lexie Rae EX-96 and Gloryland Liberty Rae EX-95, who commanded $410,000 in 2008.  Locket’s exceptional genetics originated from the Canadian Crasdale herd of Brian Craswell, who produced Locket and her full sister through embryo transfers. Bert Tuytel later acquired a share in Locket. 

Brigeen-C Integrit Robin EX-95 

Dirigo-Conant Gold Rissa-ET (Ex-91)
1st Aged Cow, BU and Hon. Mention Champion Louisville 2012
Her dam is Brigeen-C Integrit Robin-ET (Ex-95)

(Robthom Integrity x C Haselmere Prelude Rhoda EX-91 x Brigeen Southwind Rhonda VG-88 x Mil-R-Mor SWD Rockette VG-86 x Mil-R-Mor Toprox EX-94 x Glenridge Citation Roxy EX-97)
In 1985, the Briggs family from Brigeen in Maine bolstered their herd by selecting six members of the Roxy family. Among them was Mil-R-Mor Toprox, a Hilltop Apollo Ivanhoe daughter from Roxy, who set records with figures of 43,660 lbs of milk at 5.3% fat. Toprox was the highest classified at EX-94. The group also included two Valiant heifers who matured into highly regarded cows. A partnership with David Saunders from Canada led to the purchasing of a Southwind heifer, which eventually scored EX-91 and produced the EX-91 Prelude heifer sold at the Maine State Sale in 1999 named Brigeen-C Integrit Robin. Robin, acquired by Steve Keene and Duane Conant, was flushed to Emory before the sale, resulting in notable offspring like Brigeen Emory Raisa EX-92, a Grand Champion in 2005. Robin’s legacy continued with her daughter, Brigeen Convincer Rhonda EX-95, who also became a champion. Brigeen Atwood Regina EX-90 is a standout, holding a national fat record. Robin’s influence extended globally with exports to Japan and Europe, where her descendants continued to excel, including Ladys-Manor Celebrity EX-94 and Plant-Tree Robin EX-90, solidifying the enduring excellence of the Roxy family.

Sancy MAHOU
Grand Champion SUMMIT of Breeding 2021
(Diamondback x Destry x Barbwire mahogany red EX92 x Scientific (Storm)Mahogany Red EX-90-USA x Scientific Jubilant Rae *RC EX-90-USA  x Hanoverhill Tony Rae EX-96-USA 3E x Hanoverhill TT Roxette EX-94-USA 2E x Mil-R-Mor Roxette EX-90 )

Liddlehome Beemer Rockstar Et EX 92
(Beemer x Liddlehome-R Durham Rhonda Et EX 95 xMiss Ridgedale Rhonda Et EX 92 x Hanover-Hill-R Rhonda EX 94 x Hanover-Hill Star Roxy Et EX 92 x A Mil-R Mor Roxette EX 90 xGLENRIDGE CITATION ROXY ET EX 97)

The Bottom Line

Glenridge Citation Roxy’s legacy intertwines excellence and remarkable influence. Her outstanding EX 97-point classification and the groundbreaking achievement of producing Excellent daughters established her lineage as a cornerstone in the dairy industry.  Born over 50 years ago, Roxy inaugurated a transformative era for the Holstein breed. Renowned breeders like Bob Miller and Pete Heffering have become legends due to their work with her progeny. The strength of Roxy’s lineage is evident in her female descendants, with no other Holstein family producing more EX cows. Numerous branches of this family continue to excel globally. Still today, every significant sales catalog features at least one female descendant of Roxy, highlighting her lasting influence. She truly is the Queen of the Breed.

Key Takeaways:

  • First cow in the world to have ten daughters classified as Excellent.
  • First cow to achieve the prestigious 4E-97-GMD classification and be a third-generation 200,000-lb. milk producer.
  • Member of eight All-American, All-Canadian, or Reserve All-Canadian groups.
  • Her lineage is omnipresent in the dairy industry, appearing in sale catalogs worldwide.
  • Renowned for transmitting her superior type and production capabilities consistently across generations.

Summary:

Glenridge Citation Roxy, hailed as the “Queen of the Breed,” is a legendary bovine, noted for being the first cow in the world to have ten daughters classified as Excellent and to achieve the rare 4E-97-GMD designation while also being a third-generation 200,000-pound milk producer. Her remarkable genetics have made an indelible mark on the industry, with her descendants gracing sale catalogs and show rings across the globe. Andy Clawson and Avery Stafford, classifiers who assessed her, spoke in unison about her unparalleled excellence, describing her as the finest cow they had ever encountered. Even decades later, her family lineage continues to influence dairy cattle breeding standards, preserving her legacy of superior type and production. As the definitive example of bovine perfection, Roxy’s influence is perpetuated through an impressive roster of accolades and the enduring popularity of her offspring, ensuring that her name remains synonymous with dairy excellence.

Learn more:

The Real Story Behind Glenridge Citation Roxy

Glenridge Citation Roxy EX-97 is a true legend of the dairy breeding industry.  Holstein enthusiasts around the world voted Roxy as the “Cow of the Century.”  But did you know this breeding icon almost never existed?

At the 1958 Sale of Stars in Toronto, the Ontario Association of Animal Breeders (eight A.I. units at the time) bought a bull calf, Rosafe Citation R, for an unbelievable price at the time of $30,000 from H.J. Wilcox, who had purchased his dam, Glenvie Nettie Jemima (EX-13*) earlier that year at the age of 15 for $9,000 at the Rosafe Dispersal hedging his bets that she would have a son.  Ontario Association of Animal Breeders was placed him in service at a cost of $7.00 per service, $2.00 above the normal rate, and breeders used him enthusiastically. When the first Citation R calves were being born it was discovered that he was a Red Carrier, something that was seen as undesirable at the time (Read more: Is Red Still Relevant?).  In line with A.I. practice at the time, Citation R was returned to the Wilcox family, who in 1961 sold Citation R to Don Marcos Ortiz, owner of Santa Monica Ranch in Mexico for $33,000.  As those early Citation R daughters developed they dominated the show ring.  With a limited supply of semen available and in high demand in Canada and the US, it prompted Curtis Breeding Service and the Canadian A.I. units in 1966 to bring the semen back.  This was just in the nick of time for Roxy, as the following year Lorne Loveridge, breeder of Roxy, was looking for the right mating of his top cow Norton Court Model Vee, Roxy’s dam.

As a calf Roxy was a tall, gangly heifer that really did not attract much attention from anyone, until she calved for the 2nd time.  It was at this time she caught the eye of Doug Blair and Lowell Lindsay. (Read more: Sire facility dedicated to Alta founder, Doug Blair and Lowell Lindsay To Be Inducted Into Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame)  Blair, part owner of Western Breeders’ Services (forerunner to Alta Genetics) at the time, was looking for bulls to buy, as was Lindsay, who was sire procurement officer for United Breeders.  When they saw Roxy, they were overwhelmed.  They discussed buying her on a 50-50 basis, but they couldn’t come up with the hefty sum Loverridge was asking for.  Enter Bob Miller (Read more: Bob Miller – Outstanding from Any Angle).  Miller was a Canadian born cattle photographer who had immigrated into the US and started his own herd Mill-R-Mor.  Miller was summoned to the Loveridge farm to photograph Roxy and her dam Vee. Miller for quite some time had been searching for a cow family to build his breeding program around.  He had some very specific requirements.  Roxy and her family met all of them – type, production and longevity.  Miller fell in love with Roxy but didn’t purchase her at this time.  Later that year Roxy was named Reserve Grand Champion at the 1972 Canadian Western Agribition, and was nominated for All-Canadian consideration as a four year old in 1973.  Loveridge had already started to realize that his location precluded many visitors from seeing the cow and her family.  It was at this time Miller returned to Glenridge and purchased Roxy and half interest in her dam.    Loverdige considered Miller’s Illinois location more suitable for promotion and marketing and the pair as well as Vale, Roxy’s ganddam, and Glenridge Emperor Rocket (EX-96-3E), Roxy’s three-quarter sister by Downalane Reflection Emperor, moved to Mil-R-Mor.

In Miller’s hands Roxy made four records over 1,000 lbs of fat.  With career totals of 209,784 lbs of milk, 9,471 lbs of 4.5% fat.  Making her the 3rd generation of 200,000 lbs of lifetime production.  She was also one of the very few to ever score EX-97 points.  Roxy was also a member of eight All-American, All-Canadian or Reserve All-Canadian groups, and with Glenridge Emperor Rocket was three times All-American Produce of Dam and all-Time All-American Produce of dam in 1984.

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Glenridge Citation Roxy EX-97-4E
Queen of the Breed I & II
Member of the All-American Produce of Dam ’77, ’78 & ’79
Member of the All-American & All Canadian Get of Sire ’79
1st cow of the breed to have 10 Excellent dtrs
International Cow of the Century 1999
Dam of the 1st 30* STAR brood cow in Canada
7 of her EX daughters earned Gold Medal Status
Dam of 16 EX daughters
She has 3 descendents with 15 or more EX Dtrs! (Roxette 17, Lana Rae 20 & Integrity Robin 15)
The only 4 Generation direct line group of cows with more than 11 EX dtrs: Roxy 16, Roxette 17, Dixie Rox 11, Bstar Roxie 12)
Highest producution Roxy is Brigeen Convincer Rhonda EX-95, 66,320 lbs milk in 365 days
Highest Classified Roxy female is C Hanoverhill Tony Rae EX-96
Highest Classified Roxy male is Sir Ridgedal Rustler Red EX-97
Roxy has more than 300 EXCELLENT descendents

 

Brood Cow Extraordinaire

Even though embryo transfer was in its infancy, Miller placed Roxy on an E.T. program where she produced 30 E.T. offspring and three natural calves.  She had 20 daughters and was the first cow to ever have ten Excellent daughters.  Eventually, this led to 16 daughters scoring EX, four more were VG and there were 4 Excellent Sons.

Mil-R-Mor Roxette EX-Can GMD-DOM 30*

Mil-R-Mor Roxette
EX-Can GMD-DOM 30*

Roxy’s most impactful daughter Mil-R-Mor Roxette (EX-30*) is not without her own story.  Until 1977, Bob Miller had never sold a Roxy daughter.  At the encouragement of Horace Backus, Miller consigned Roxy’s Elevation daughter, Roxette, to the National Convention Sale that year, being held in Columbus Ohio.  Enter the legendary Peter Heffering (Read more: Hanover Hill Holsteins: Peter Heffering 1931-2012).  Heffering had some investors who were looking to purchase some top animals, but would need to a little time to bring the money together.  Backus and Heffering agreed to terms and Heffering came to the Convention Sale and purchased 19 head for $207,600.  Among the cattle purchased were J.P.G. Standout Kandy, the top seller at $41,000 who was named All-American Aged Cow that year and again two years later. He also purchased Mulder Elevation Mazie, who would become a member of two Elevation All-American Gets.  As well he purchased Mil-R-Mor Roxette at $25,000, the third highest seller in the sale.

R Peter Heffering commented “We felt that Roxy was one of the breed’s great cows and probably the best daughter of Citation R. Elevation was making a lot of good offspring, so when the Elevation heifer was coming up for sale at  the National Convention Sale, we bought her as a foundation female for the herd. Roxette flushed well and turned out to be one of the strongest transmitting daughters of Roxy.”

After the sale, Miller raised objections.  He hadn’t been consulted about his heifer being sold on investor terms, with a third down on sale day and the balance over the next two years.  Rumors spread that the deal almost collapsed, though Miller has said years later that he was glad Roxette ended up at Hanover Hill.

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Stardale Leader Roxy EX-95-UK 7E
5 Milking dtrs in UK: 1 x EX, 2 x VG-87 & 2 x VG-86
5 generations average over 93 points for type!

Roxette produced 17 EX daughters and helped establish Roxys as the breed’s most consistent Excellent family.   She became Canada’s first 30 star brood cow and scored 20 stars in the UK where she had many fans after leaving 11 of 22 daughters scored Excellent. Roxette moved first to Bond Haven, where she bred a Dixiecrat daughter, Bond Haven Dixie Rox, who superseded her dam as EX-93 2E 52* after moving to the UK.  Stardale Leader Roxy EX-95 7E, by Comestar Leader from a Mr. Mark Cinder daughter of Rox, is one of the most popular brood cows in the UK.  Leader Roxy produced over 100 tons of milk with her eighth lactation totaling almost 14,000 kgs in 305 days after a seventh lactation yield of 15,200 kgs at 5.27% fat and 3.29% protein for her owners, the Willsbro herd. Leader Roxy has proven to be a solid investment. Purchased for 8,500gns at the 2006 Stardale Sale of the milking herd of Robert and James Burrow, she has to date bred 16 daughters, 13 of which hold the Willsbro prefix, and her nine classified daughters have all scored Very Good or Excellent.

According to research, there are now over 381 EX Roxy’s whose pedigrees run in a continuous line of Excellent cows back to Roxy and hundreds more through her sons.  One of the greatest contributors to that in recent years has been Gloryland Lana Rae EX-94-2E-USA DOM.  So far 16 of her 21 classified daughters have reached EX, with all 20 averaging 90.9 points.  Lana is from an EX Lindy daughter of Hanoverhill Tony Rae EX-96-2E, then Hanoverhill TT Roxette EX-94-2E USA, then Roxette.  The highest scored daughter of Lana Rae is one of her five Durham daughters, Glory-Land Liberty Rae EX-95 EX-95-3E-USA DOM 4*. Liberty Rae was sold for $410,000 in the 2008 Cowtown Sale. She went on to win first Aged Cow, Best Udder, Senior and Grand Champion at the 2009 Vermont State Show.  Liberty Rae has 16 EX daughters.

GLORYLAND LIBERTY RAE EX-95-3E-USA    DOM   4* NOM. ALL-AMERICAN 4-YR 2005

GLORYLAND LIBERTY RAE EX-95-3E-USA DOM 4*
NOM. ALL-AMERICAN 4-YR 2005

It’s also this side of the family that produced Scientific Debutante Rae EX-92-4-YR GMD DOM 3* (Durham x EX-Jubilant x EX-96 Hanoverhill Tony Rae EX-96-3E then TT Roxette) who was the 2005 World Dairy Expo Reserve Champion, 2010 Global Red Impact Cow of the Year, and the dam of many notable Red and White sires, highlighted by Scientific Destry.

SCIENTIFIC GOLD DANA RAE EX-95 2E
Reserve All-American 5-Year-Old 2012
Goldwyn x SCIENTIFIC DEBUTANTE RAE-ET *RC EX-92

Also from TT Roxette comes the extremely influential polled brood cow, Golden-Oaks Perk Rae –Red P EX.  Perk Rae is an eighth generation Excellent polled Roxy. The polled gene in combination with red and Roxy has made Perk Rae the cornerstone of the marketing program at Golden Oaks Farms. Perk Rae traces back to the Roxys through Scientific Beauty Rae-ET *RC EX-90 who is sired by Rubens, then Jubilant Rae and Tony Rae. Sired by Perk-Red, Perk Rae has numerous daughters worldwide and sons at ABS Global, ABC Genetics and Trans-World Genetics. (Read more: GOLDEN-OAKS PERK RAE – 2012 Golden Dam Finalist).

GOLDEN-OAKS PERK RAE EX-90-5YR-USA 2*

Other notable descendants of Roxette are her sons Raider (Starbuck) who was a very influential bull across Canada and the United States in the mid-1990’s and Royalist (Sheik). A full sister to Hanoverhill Raider is Hanover-Hill Star Roxy EX-92 2E. Star Roxy was twice nominated All-American and had four EX-94 offspring, three daughters and one son. Her great grandson, STBVQ Rubens VG-88 ST’98 GM’03, added udder quality, style and airiness not previously seen in the red and whites. This earned him the Premier Sire banner at World Dairy Expo for six years in a row.

Mil-R-Mor Toprox (EX-94-3E-GMD)

Mil-R-Mor Toprox (EX-94-3E-GMD)

Mil-R-Mor Toprox (EX-94-3E-GMD) was the highest record daughter of Roxy, and one of the breed’s first 2,000 lb. fat cows.  Sired by Hilltop Apollo Ivanhoe (VG-GM). Her most famous descendant of recent times is Brigeen-C-Integrit Robin EX-95.  One of the highest scoring Integrity daughters worldwide, Brigeen-C Integrit Robin was bred from Haselmere Prelude Rhoda EX-91 3E. Rhoda descends from Brigeen Southwind Rhonda VG-88 2* via Mil-R-Mor SWD Rockette VG-86, who in turn is out of Mil-R-Mor Toprox 3E-94. Mary Briggs, one of the partners in Brigeen Farms, describes Roxy’s in The Holstein History, as “Healthy and fertile – the indexes around the world for somatic cell count, fertility and longevity highlight the family’s real strengths.  They are above average in size and substance and are even-tempered, seldom fighting or stupid. They aren’t a nuisance: they just go along doing their business”.

Bottom Line

These days we see the Roxy’s all over the world having great results in the show ring, the bulls are hitting the top Genomic rankings and family members sell for sky-high prices at auctions.  You can’t pick up a catalog from a top sale without finding a female descendant that traces back through her maternal line to Roxy.  They are all out of different branches, but trace back to the one and only QUEEN- Roxy! Glenridge Citation Roxy has touched every corner of the Holstein world, bringing style, power and longevity to the breed. And she is a real cowman’s favorite with show style to boot.  While it was Red factor that almost resulted in the greatest cow in the history of the dairy breed, Glenridge Citation Roxy EX-97 GMD 6* having never been born, it is now the Red factor, re-introduced to the family through Triple Threat that is having the greatest impact on Roxy’s legacy today.

To read more great stories from some of the most legendary cows in the Holstein breed read “The Holstein History”.

Bob Miller – Outstanding from Any Angle

All round good guys can and do finish first. As evidenced by Holstein USA last week at its Annual Meeting naming Bob Miller its 2013 Elite Breeder Award winner. Bob is an all around good guy and owner of Mil R Mor Holsteins, Orangeville, Illinois.

Bob and Kay Miller at the Mil O Mar Golden Anniversary Sale

Bob and Kay Miller at the Mil O Mar Golden Anniversary Sale

Bob and Roxy

For most Holstein breeders when they start a sentence with the name Bob Miller they end it with the name Roxy. You see Bob and Roxy and her family have now been together for forty years. It started in the late fall of 1973 after Roxy was Grand Champion at the Regina (Western Canada) Agribition Show. She had been Reserve Grand the year previous. Bob was covering the 1973 show as the photographer. He fell head over healing in love with this, just fresh, fourth calving five year old Citation R daughter, Glenridge Citation Roxy. She matched his dream cow. However it would be another ten months, September 1974, before Roxy would leave her Saskatchewan home, owned by Lorne and Glenda Loveridge, and head to Dundee, Illinois. There Bob Miller would lead the transformation from great cow to supercow.

Bob’s Early Years

John Beerwort – Childhood friend of Bob’s

John Beerwort – Childhood friend of Bob’s

“All his life Bob has been full of fun and ideas to improve and excel” so says John Beerwort, Master Breeder, show judge and Type Classification Advisor. John is Bob’s boyhood and lifetime friend from Brome Centre, Quebec. ‘We grew up across the road from each other’. Marshall and Sarah Miller had nine children. The two that caught the Holstein bug were Bob, the youngest child, and one of his older brothers Grant, who served over twenty-years as a very well respected classifier for Holstein Canada. Besides formal education and sports, Bob won both provincial and national judging competitions in 1951. Since in a family of nine not all could farm at home, Bob and his wife departed Quebec in 1955 and he became the herdsman at Ravenglen Farms near Chicago.

What People Say about Bob

We often hear that the true worth of a person is what others say about them. Well in Bob Miller’s case words like humble, passionate, eager, curious, honest, high integrity,  a true friend, a strong supporter of youth, a family man, a hard worker,  able to walk in another’s shoes, thinks of what is best for mankind,….. are all mentioned by people who know him well or have only met him once. Definitely a man for all seasons and all reasons.

Bob’s Breeding Philosophy

Everything old is new again. How’s that you say? Well Bob, from an early age, wanted a cow that would classify Excellent and produce 200,000 lbs of milk with 4% butterfat. And over sixty years later he still wants that kind of a cow. In 2013 that as Bob says ‘is still what most farmer-breeders want from their Holsteins’. Like everyone else Bob has added in some wants including over 3.5% protein (3.2% true protein), high fertility and cows that are low maintenance, thus requiring minimal special care.

Recently Bob expanded his thinking for the Bullvine by saying ‘I want a cow with moderate stature (not show ring tall), wide chest and rump, udder above her hocks, having persistent yield throughout her lactation, calving every 13 months and one that the vet has not had to visit’. ‘Cows that are extremely tall, do not have great udders and are not able to stand in tie stalls or move about freely do not need to apply for work at Mil R Mor’. With practical experience Bob has, over and over again, proven for himself that it is the cow with high but not over the top daily production, with high components and with high fertility that over a lifetime returns the most revenue, at the least total cost, to her owner.

Miller family

Family is Important to Bob

Bob believes strongly in inheritance and the use of cow families with built in profit traits to produce the next generation of dairy cows. However even more important for him and Kay are their family that they work with every day. The family team members at Mil R Mor include their son who runs the cropping and equipment division covering over 2000 acres, a granddaughter who runs the milking herd side and a daughter who cares for non-milking females. Besides those key family members Bob points out that there are thirty family members, covering three generations, either close by or within an hour’s drive, all of whom help out at various times throughout the year. All are Holstein enthusiasts. Mil R Mor will be a breeding herd into the future as Bob proudly says ‘after I slow down a little more’. “I am so proud of my kids and grandkids, they are all genuine caring people’. A proud man is another thing that Bob Miller is.

Glenridge Citation Roxy EX-97-4E

Glenridge Citation Roxy EX-97-4E
“Queen of the Breed”

Queen of the Breed

Much has been written and yet the story is not finished on the Roxy Effect. Twice named Queen of the Breed and also the International Cow of the Year, now that is like being at the very top of Mt Everest. You can not go any higher up. In fact we often see in print that ‘everyone wants a Roxy’. What they want is exactly what Bob saw in Glenridge Citation Roxy forty years ago. A cow with moderately high production, high components, great dairy strength, width throughout, a capacious soft udder high off the ground and feet and legs capable of long winters in a stall in Saskatchewan or walking the pastures around Grenville. Another way of thinking of it is to think of Roxy’s grandson Hanoverhill Raider (EX –  Extra) and the way he left daughters around the globe that fulfilled the need for long lived productive and profitable cows. Over 500 direct female descendents of Roxy have classified Excellent.

When Bob visited Glenridge to picture cows in 1974 he not only found Roxy but also her A.I. sired dam and grand dam both of whom would classify Excellent and produce over 200,000 pounds of high fat milk in their lifetimes. That must have been a very exciting day for Bob to find his dream come true. All that remained for him to do was to somehow be able to get the opportunity to work with this family.

SCIENTIFIC GOLD DANA RAE EX-95 2E Reserve All-American 5-Year-Old 2012 Goldwyn x SCIENTIFIC DEBUTANTE RAE-ET *RC EX-92

SCIENTIFIC GOLD DANA RAE EX-95 2E
Reserve All-American 5-Year-Old 2012
Goldwyn x SCIENTIFIC DEBUTANTE RAE-ET *RC EX-92

Under Bob’s care and breeder instinct Roxy, 4E EX97, GMD 6*, produced sixteen Excellent and four VG daughters (none lower). Most of which were also Gold Metal or Star Brood Cow dams. Her most influential son was Glenridge Citamatt (No-Na-Me Fond Matt) who attained Superior Type for his owner United Breeders. Elevation crossed very well with Roxy, the most complete daughter being Mil R Mor Roxette Ex 30* with 7 EX and 10 VG daughters in addition to son Raider (Hanoverhill Starbuck). Bob started the Roxy Effect and many many top-of-the-line Holstein breeders from around the world have stepped up and bought into the Roxy’s. Notable Roxy’s include Scientific Debutante Rae 2005 World Dairy Expo Reserve Grand Champion and Golden-Oaks Perk Rae – Red as leader in both red and polled (Read more: GOLDEN-OAKS PERK RAE – 2012 Golden Dam Finalist).

GOLDEN-OAKS PERK RAE EX-90-5YR-USA      2*

GOLDEN-OAKS PERK RAE EX-90-5YR-USA 2*

Pedigrees and Bulls

In conversation with Bob he told the Bullvine that he had always focused on pedigree including both cow families and sire stack when mating for the next generation. Now with genomic evaluations Mil R Mor is using genomics but the animals must still come with strong pedigrees. So Bob continues his pattern of using all the tools. For him genomics is one more, very good, tool.

In case you might be wondering, Mil R Mor is not just a one cow family herd. The Pearl family is one other prominent family and they also match Bob’s breeding philosophy for medium sized cows with outstanding reproductive efficiency and long herd life. One of the Pearls has produced 300,000 pounds of milk. Now that is also some feat. When I hear Bob explain his breeding philosophies it makes me think that I should be booking a trip to Mil R Mor just to see this man in action. Action like 14 cows over 40,000 pounds of milk, 23 cows over 1500 pounds of fat, 194 EX cows, 18 Gold Metal Dams, 30 Dams of Merit as well as 4 national and 25 state production leaders and a herd BAA of 110.3.

Mil R Mor Holstins - Orangeville Illinois

Mil R Mor Holstins – Orangeville Illinois

Bob has Done It All

Most of us have three careers in our lifetimes. But not Bob Miller. He has had ten. They are hired man, herdsman, AI technician, breeder-herdowner, photographer, ET recover technician, industry business owner, breeding stock marketer, elected industry leader (in Illinois, the USA and internationally) and now family patriarch. No wonder the breeders of Illinois continue to have him as a Delegate to the Holstein US Annual Meeting. It was interesting to learn that Bob, a pioneer in ET, had developed his own device for the recovery of embryos.

Bob Shares Well

This knowledgeable, humble and caring man has given extensively of his time to youth, fellow North American breeders as well as traveling to numerous other countries.  Many others including the National Dairy Shrine and Illinois Youth have honored him. Recently at the 2013 Holstein Canada Annual Meeting where she herself received special recognition Patty Jones, the accomplished livestock photographer, gave much credit to Bob Miller for giving her her start. Yes Bob truly helps others.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

Bob Miller is the Bullvine’s definition of an elite breeder. An elite breeder is a dairy cattle breeder who sets a high goal for the kind of cow he or she wants to have in their herd, starts with a solid foundation and builds from that to a herd of cows or a battery of bulls that moves their breed to new heights.  Bob Miller has done that extremely well. He has lead by example. Bob we are all following you.

 

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