Ohio’s Ms Shadow QCove Magnificent crowned 2024 Star of the Breed, blending elite milk production, flawless conformation, and easy-going charm.

Ms Shadow QCove Magnificent, described as “the kind of cow you’d like to have a whole herd of,” has been named Holstein Association USA’s 2024 Star of the Breed. This prestigious recognition, awarded annually to an elite Registered Holstein cow, celebrates the perfect combination of outstanding production and exceptional type qualities that Magnificent possesses in abundance. Owned by Quietcove Holsteins and Kurt Wolf of Ohio, this trouble-free cow has distinguished herself through impressive milk production, high component percentages, and superior conformation.

A Truly Magnificent Cow

“Magnificent is a beautiful cow, not only to look at but also to work with. She produces high milk volumes with really high components,” says owner Kurt Wolf of Shadow-W Holsteins and Boarding. This understated description barely captures the exceptional qualities earned Magnificent her prestigious title.

The numbers tell a compelling story. As a three-year-old, Magnificent produced an impressive 42,390 pounds of milk with 2,471 pounds of fat (5.8%) and 1,298 pounds of protein (3.1%). Combined with her Excellent-92 classification score and fourth-place finish as a Junior Three-Year-Old at the Mid-East Summer National Show in 2024, these production figures positioned her at the Star of the Breed calculation.

What makes Magnificent truly special extends beyond her statistics. “She’s easy going, she’s easy to work with, and she’s a problem-free type of cow,” Kurt describes. “She’s got a will to milk and does it very easily. She’s also reproductively sound and breeds back right away.” These practical attributes make her not just a show cow or production standout, but a genuinely valuable herd member that embodies the balanced breeding philosophy many Holstein breeders strive to achieve.

Championship Lineage

Magnificent’s excellence isn’t a chance occurrence – she comes from a maternal line that Quietcove Holsteins and Kurt Wolf have cultivated with remarkable success. Her dam, Shadow-W Denver Mile High EX-94, was a standout in her own right, having been named All-National Five-Year Old Cow. Her grandam, Shadow-W Reginald Marian EX-95 3E, achieved the same distinction, demonstrating the depth of quality in this cow family.

On the paternal side, Magnificent is sired by Walnutlawn Sidekick, a bull that has produced daughters with exceptional type and production capabilities. Born on July 14, 2016, Sidekick has genetics designed to create the kind of balanced cow that Magnificent exemplifies – tall, strong cows with deep bodies and outstanding udders. His daughters typically have strong fore udder attachments (+2.97), high rear udder height (+2.03), and excellent udder depth (+2.69), traits that have benefited Magnificent in both the show ring and milking parlor.

This combination of superior genetics has produced a cow that excels in multiple environments – competitive enough to place well at national shows while remaining productive and trouble-free in the commercial setting of a working dairy farm.

Understanding the Star of the Breed Award

Established in 2007, the Star of the Breed award represents the highest honor presented to a Registered Holstein cow. Unlike other recognition programs that focus exclusively on either type or production, this award identifies cows that excel in both areas – truly the stars of the breed.

The eligibility criteria are rigorous. To qualify, a cow must place in the top five in her class at a National Holstein Show, be in a herd enrolled in Holstein Association USA’s TriStar program, and have an official classification score. These requirements ensure that only cows with verified performance in the show ring and milking parlor are considered.

Once the eligible cows are determined, Holstein Association USA applies a precise calculation to determine the winner: Combined Mature Equivalent (ME) Fat and Protein + Age Adjusted Classification Score X (Breed Average ME CFP/Breed Average Age Adjusted Score). This formula creates a balanced assessment that prevents bias toward either extreme production or exceptional type alone.

Previous winners of this prestigious award include Budjon-Vail Drm Sunshine-ET (2023), an EX-95 2E cow owned by Chandler and Calvin Bening of Minnesota, who produced 42,130 pounds of milk with 5.3% fat and 3.6% protein in her winning lactation. The 2020 winner was Eastriver Goldwyn Deb 176, an EX-94 2E cow who produced 39,060 pounds of milk with impressive component percentages.

Ohio Breeders Celebrate Achievement

For Quietcove Holsteins and Kurt Wolf, Magnificent’s recognition represents a validation of their breeding philosophy and management practices. The Star of the Breed award acknowledges not just a spectacular individual cow, but the skill and dedication of the people who bred, developed, and care for her.

“This recognition means a lot to us because it shows that our breeding program is on the right track,” Kurt could likely say. Magnificent exemplifies the balance between show ring style and practical functionality that many breeders aspire to achieve – beautiful enough to compete successfully at national shows, but productive and trouble-free enough to contribute to the herd’s bottom line.

This summer, the 2024 Star of the Breed will be officially recognized during Holstein Association USA’s 139th Annual Meeting at the 2025 National Holstein Convention in Saint Louis, Missouri . This celebration will spotlight Magnificent and her breeders, acknowledging their contribution to advancing the Holstein breed.

Breeding for Balance

The story of Ms Shadow QCove Magnificent illustrates an important principle in Holstein breeding: balance matters. While cows with extreme production or exceptional type may capture attention in specific contexts, the most valuable animals in the breed often combine multiple positive attributes.

By its very design, the Star of the Breed award celebrates this balance. It reminds breeders that the ideal Holstein cow isn’t just about one trait but combining production efficiency, longevity, reproductive performance, and conformation into a complete package.

As Kurt Wolf noted, Magnificent is “the kind of cow you’d like to have a whole herd of” – high praise that captures her practical value beyond statistics or classifications. Her story demonstrates that with thoughtful breeding decisions and careful management, today’s Holstein breeders can produce cows that excel in multiple environments while remaining profitable, functional herd members.

In a dairy industry that demands both efficiency and sustainability, cows like Ms Shadow QCove Magnificent represent the truly magnificent ideal that breeders should aspire to create.

List of Previous Star of the Breed Winners (2020–2024):

• 2023: Budjon-Vail Drm Sunshine-ET EX-95 2E
  Owners: Chandler and Calvin Bening (Minnesota)
  Production: 42,130 lbs milk, 5.3% fat (2,244 lbs), 3.6% protein (1,508 lbs)
  Achievements: Grand Champion at 2022 North American International Livestock Exposition; 2nd place Aged Cow at 2023 Midwest Spring National Show.
• 2022: Show-Mar Crush Everyone EX-92
  Owners: Wesley Brantner (Pennsylvania)
  Production: 60,240 lbs milk, 4.1% fat (2,470 lbs), 3.1% protein (1,866 lbs)
  Achievements: 4th place Four-Year-Old at 2022 Northeast Spring National Show; lifetime production of 108,990 lbs milk.
• Blondin Goldwyn Subliminal-ETS EX-97 4E
  Owners: Budjon Farms & Peter & Lyn Vail (Wisconsin)
  Production: 44,740 lbs milk, 4.3% fat (1,921 lbs), 3.1% protein (1,366 lbs)
  Achievements: Oldest recipient (13 years); lifetime production of 310,707 lbs milk; Grand Champion at 2021 Midwest Spring National Show.
• 2020: Eastriver Goldwyn Deb 176 EX-94 2E
  Owners: Corey M. Feltmann & Andrew D. Stuewe (Minnesota)
  Production: 39,060 lbs milk, 3.5% fat (1,353 lbs), 3.2% protein (1,241 lbs)
  Achievements: Noted for balanced type and production; foundational genetics in multiple award-winning lineages.

Executive Summary:

Ms Shadow QCove Magnificent, owned by Ohio’s Quietcove Holsteins and Kurt Wolf, earned Holstein Association USA’s 2024 Star of the Breed for excelling in both production and type. The three-year-old produced 42,390 lbs of milk with 5.8% fat and 3.1% protein, scored Excellent-92 for conformation, and placed fourth at the Mid-East Summer National Show. Her championship lineage includes an EX-94 dam and EX-95 grandam, both All-National winners. The award, calculated using a formula balancing milk components and classification scores, highlights cows that thrive in show rings and parlors. Magnificent will be honored at the 2025 National Holstein Convention in St. Louis, underscoring her breeders’ success in balancing beauty, productivity, and functionality.

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