“And the winner of the 2007 Supreme Champion at World Dairy Expo is….THE GUERNSEY! Indian Acres MM Pistachio Pie exhibited by Ashley Sears of South Deerfield, Massachusetts.”
Those words resonated throughout the coliseum at World Dairy Expo in 2007 and no one was more excited than Ashley Sears and her long-time Guernsey fan mother, Carrie Sears. They would take home the Supreme banner that year and would travel down a new road with their treasured “Pie.”
Ashley Sears and Pistachio Pie
When “Pie” won her just desserts, descendents of this one of a kind Guernsey were sparse. But that has changed since ’07. Arriving home from Iowa just in time for the New England winter,” Pie” has been flushed with great results. With nine daughters on the ground and more due next month, “Pie” now has three sons in AI with more to follow.
“Probably what was most exciting is how well her first son's offspring performed last year,” said Carrie. She continued, “An American Pie spring calf from Knapp’s Farm in Iowa was the second high selling live lot at the National Guernsey Sale in ‘09. She also had an offspring that was third at Harrisburg, Ashley had a calf that was Junior All American and Honorable Mention All American and Smith's in KY, had the All American spring calf and Reserve Junior All American. So that is a nice start to her genetics being continued in a winning way!”
Living 50 minutes south of the 800 acre Bryant Farm where Carrie’s husband, David and brother-in-law Russell, farm together, their farming situation is as unique as “Pie.” Carrie explains, “We have around 200 head of cattle and milk 85 head consisting of registered Guernseys, Jerseys and Holsteins. The Jerseys are Russell’s, the Holsteins are David's and Russell's, while Ashley and I have the Guernseys.”
Explaining the Guernsey heritage, Carrie said, “The Guernseys have always been my hobby when my dad bought my first one at 5 years old from Stanley Murphy ,Maggie Murphy's dad - Wandering Brook Farm in Tully, NY. That heifer won at Eastern States, MA State Guernsey and CT State Guernsey Shows and was nominated for All American. These were the days when Chedco, Golden Harvest, Falcon Flight, Merit Guernseys, Coons Bros., and Grassland were bringing out their high-powered strings. I joke that I never had to go to a national show to get nominated in the past since the quality always was strong on the east coast.”
Ashley, the only child of the Sears is carrying on the tradition with her love of the breed. She served as the National Junior President of the American Guernsey Youth Association last year and finished her junior year being named the National Outstanding Guernsey Youth and continues to serve as an advisor to the association.
Ashley also showed two animals last year and received two Junior All Americans. The spring calf, Lavender, is a highlight since Ashley bred both the sire and dam; American Pie and Lavender, who scored VG 88 as two year old.
As for the future, Carried offered, “Pie will be continued to be IVF'd in the future and we are making decisions on bulls to mate her to, which is not easy in a small breed population.” She concluded, “The Guernsey breed has a great association and is a good breed for youth to begin with. Many opportunities exist for youth though the various junior programs.”
Dairy Agenda Today would like to congratulate the Sears family on their North America’s Best Bred and Owned Guernsey Cow; Indian Acres MM Pistachio Pie.