This was a great year for Ovaltop Holsteins at the New York State Fair. The Richfield Springs, NY, farm took 11 cows from their herd to the fair and “did pretty good,” said Justin Wolfe, son of co-owner Mike Wolfe.
The farm won Premier Breeder in the open show; Premier Breeder and Exhibitor of the Red & White show; and Premier Breeder of the Black & White show.
The farm has 65 head of purebred, Registered Red & White and Black & White Holsteins, including milkers and heifers. They also grow 600 acres of oats, hay and straw, with 300 of those as rented acres. Wolfe said he would love working full-time on the family farm but doesn’t see how that would be realistic.
“You can’t make a living farming anymore, which is sad,” he said. “I had to think of other options.”
Currently a junior at SUNY Brockport studying education, he hopes to return to the farm to work there during summers and teach elementary education and physical education during the school year.
Mike’s brother Douglas and their parents, Howard and Ginny Wolfe, own the farm.
Justin said the cows that won at the NYS Fair are slated to compete in the All-American Dairy Show in Harrisburg in September.
“It’s definitely one of my favorite shows,” Justin said.
He’s been raising and showing cows all of his life. Because there are so many top-quality bulls available, he considers breeding more luck than anything else.
“Sometimes the traits you want for your farm and your breeding program come out; other times, they don’t,” he said.
But when it comes to show preparation, it’s all about planning.
“Obviously, an animal can be very ornery sometimes,” he said. “Working with them at home every day helps. We have them in a halter every day. A lot of farms don’t have the luxury of doing that or just pull them out of a stall. A lot of our animals are pretty mellow.”
Nearer to showtime, careful grooming can make a difference.
“Definitely put a lot of oil on them,” Justin said. “You have to clip them pretty tight nowadays. You shouldn’t be judging on how tight they are, but they look better when they’re clipped that tight.”
The farm maintains no separate area or barn for show cattle. There’s no “show herd” set apart. Ovaltop prides itself on taking plenty of cow comfort measures, including rubber matting and cross ventilation, as well as providing quality feed for all of its animals, not just a special diet for show cows.
Although this year at the NYS Fair proved a good one for Ovaltop, Justin said he has experienced surprises in the showring before.
“They’re not always placed the way you want them to be but it also can come down to who’s judging,” he said. “There can be bias when it comes to judging. It is what it is. You can’t do anything about it. You just have to be happy with how your animals did that day.”
He enjoys meeting new people while showing and rekindling old acquaintances. Some of these connections have proven helpful for his future. He also appreciates the camaraderie among exhibitors.
“Everyone’s like a family member. If you need help, you can pretty much ask. It makes you feel like the world is a wholesome place. I wish a lot more people today could see how important it is to be humble and give back to the community,” he said.
