It is time to cast your ballot for this year’s Brown Swiss Historical Society Awards. Two awards,
Historical Master Breeder and Active Master Breeder, will be presented at the National Convention in July in Wisconsin. Mini-bios are inlcuded that you may become more familiar with the
nominees. Deadline for voting is April 15!
2013 Master Breeder Award Nominees
Historical Breeders
David G. Aldrich, Worcester, Massachusetts. Aldrich
deserves special credit for keeping the few head of
Brown Swiss imported together and identified, matings
and births recorded (first 11 Brown Swiss animals bred
on US soil) and early promoting of the breed. When the
group of Brown Swiss breeders met to form the Brown
Swiss Cattle Breeders’ Association on Sept. 8, 1880, he
was elected as its first President. He continued to support the breed in every way possible both as an officer
and on the Executive Committee for many years.
Armbruster Brothers, Red Brae Farm, Eagle, Wisconsin. James, Edgar and Andrew Armbruster began farming together in 1963 and became Swiss breeders in 1968
when they purchased the herd of Lyle Spenser with
James operating the Brown Swiss herd. World Dairy
Expo started many of their All-American nominations
on their way - Red Brae Fanny being All American in
1964. The depth of quality in the Red Brae herd provided many bulls for A.I. - among which were Red Brae
Citation and Red Brae Monarch. Jim was active with 4H Dairy Youth on all levels, from 4-H to college, and received the first Badger Dairy Club “Guest of Honor” in
1972.
Roy Arnold (1921-2006) Arnola Farm, Lexington,
North Carolina. A dairy farmer all his life, Roy Arnold
started with Brown Swiss in the 1960’s. Arnold is best
known as the breeder of one of the great brood cows
of the breed - Arnola Peggy Priscilla, “5E”, National Total
Performance Winner in 1989 and 1991 and Superior
Brood Cow. Her progeny, both male and female, dominated the shows and sales and Sire Summaries and
have had an impact on breeding programs worldwide.
He served six years as a National Director from District
III.
Leon W. Button (1933-2003), Vine Valley Farm,
Rushville, New York. Leon ’Dub’ Button’s great-grandfather started farming in 1885 and in 1937 his descendants added a milking herd to the operation. A young
Dub purchased two nine month old heifers in the Empire State Sale at Cornell University in 1948 for his 4-H
projects and got his start with registered Brown Swiss.
He would concentrate - when it was his time to own the
farm - on being a top New York breeder with state fair
champions and the top Brown Swiss DHIA herd. Vine
Valley Loa Pauline “3E” won six times at NY State Fair
and her son, Vine Valley Chip’s Paul, influenced many
NY herds. He bred, raised and developed Vine Valley A.
Sun Lois, a “Superior Brood Cow”. She was the dam of
Vine Valley Paul LuAnn “5E”. LuAnn was nominated All
American in every milking class and was National Total
Performance Winner at 12 years in 1979. Leon was President of the New York Brown Swiss Association, served
on the National Type Committee and received the New
York Progressive Breeder Award.
Henry W. Clark, Belmont, Massachusetts A wealthy
Boston manufacturer, Clark introduced Brown Swiss
into the United States with his importation of one bull
and 7 females during the winter of 1869 and 1870 for
his Holiday Farm in Belmont. While he did not become
a serious breeder himself, he did recognize the superiority of the Swiss butter and cheese and sold most of
his animals to David G. Aldrich of Worcester, MA.
George DeVoe (1899 - 2000), Judd’s Bridge Farm,
New Milford, Connecticut. George DeVoe first put together 19 properties for Rowe B. Metcalf to establish
Judd’s Bridge Farms - he then set about assembling a
leading Brown Swiss herd. DeVoe managed Judd’s
Bridge from 1932 to 1948 and even before he purchased
Jane of Vernon, Judd’s Bridge animals were at the top
of the show and production classes. Fifteen hundred
people attended the Judd’s Bridge Dispersal where
Colonel Harry of J. B. set a new high of $23,500, selling
to a group of Ohio breeders. This son of Jane of Vernon
sold with 60 of his daughters and two maternal sisters,
Jane of Judd’s Bridge and Chloe of J.B., affording breeders the opportunity to obtain the best the breed had to
offer. DeVoe was a great promoter, contributing much
to the New England Association and the Eastern Breeders’ Sale, and ultimately, the breed.
Jim Harkness (1912-1996), We-Gotta Farm, Marcellus,
New York. The first Brown Swiss were purchased by his
father in 1925 and Jim Harkness became a member of
the first 4-H Dairy Club in New York State with a Brown
Swiss calf. The herd had to be sold when his father died,
but after finishing school in 1941, Jim started dairying
and was able to purchase a descendant of his original 4H calf which was Swissland Fi-etta. Among her famous
descendants was We-Gotta Jetway Fancy who had four
All American daughters. This family’s winning genetics
were sold into many of the top herds. Youth programs
continued to be important to Jim Harkness, and he
served many years as Youth Chairman in New York.
George G. Harris (1934-2012), Harris Hill Farm, New
Milford, Connecticut. The original Harris farm was in
Wethersfield, CT - here George W. purchased a Brown
Swiss, Tube Rose 24, and later imported two groups
from Switzerland in 1882-83. His son, George M., continued until his death in 1956. George G. moved the
herd and family to New Milford in the spring of 1958
with an emphasis on the dairy, continuing the use of
the bull Mandarin of Laurel Ridge whose progeny put
the herd on the map. Perennial favorites were Harris Hill
Mandarin Mary “Ex” and Harris Hill Tina L “4E”, Elite,
Superior Brood Cow and Supreme Champion at Eastern
States Exposition in 1972. Her son, Harris Hill Tom Jones,
was a highly used Superior Sire. He also bred Harris Hill
Laddie’s Sorrel, dam of Top Acres Elegant Simon.
George G. served as president of the New England Association and was a member of the Eastern Breeders’
Sale Committee. He later served as an Area Rep and
Classifier for several years before becoming National Executive Secretary from 1987-1994.
Nelson McCammon (1919-2012), Nelsland, Monroe,
Wisconsin. Following service and attending Purdue,
Nelson began his career with cows working for Curtiss
Candy, followed by Rolling Acres Guernseys, both in Illinois. Then CB Farms Brown Swiss in Connecticut, Norvic Farms, Lake Mills, WI; Cold Springs Brown Swiss,
Monroe, WI; and Red Brae in Mukwonago. Following
his marriage to Lois in 1966, he and Lois bought her parents’ farm and founded the Nelsland herd. In addition
to breeding show winners that carried the Nelsland prefix, two standout cows he purchased and developed
were Ingleside Babaray Piper, 1994 All American 4 Year
Old, and P R V Petes Rose Lynn - Grand at The Royal.
Nelsland was one of the founders of the Wisconsin
Share-A-Heifer program. Even after it ceased, he would
buy Swiss heifers and have “personal contracts” with
juniors. Nelsland was recognized for his many years as
a master showman when he won the Klussendorf Trophy in 1959.
Clyde (1898-1976) and Bernard Monson, Meadow
View Farm, Gowrie, Iowa. Clyde Monson purchased
his first Brown Swiss in 1926 from the Ed Doran and
Mooney & Larrabee herds in Iowa. Believing improvement came with sound management practices, he set
up requirements for the Meadow View herd which included care in the selection of the bulls used, going on
HIR test in 1939, and classifying regularly from when
that program started. He did not neglect working with
other breeders and was active in Iowa Dairy organizations and especially the Iowa Brown Swiss Association
where he worked to start the Canton Shows and State
Sales. He served as a National Director from 1946 - 1952.
His son Bernard joined him in 1950, beginning a time
of successful showing at the National Shows and developing some great cows and bulls. The first Iowa cow of
any breed to produce over 1211 pounds of fat was
Meadow View Jerami M, and the bulls Meadow View
Jared C. and Meadow View Destiny were sire summary
favorites. With Clyde’s retirement in the late 60’s,
Bernard carried on the Meadow View tradition of good
cattle and service to the breed. He developed Schulte’s
Sunwise Pat who was Grand Champion at the National
in 1972 and ‘73. Bernard served as National Director
from 1965-1972 and was National President from 1975
to 1979. In 1986, the Meadow View herd was dispersed
in Guelph, Canada to comply with the terms of the
Herd Buyout Program. Bernard then put his dairy expertise to work as a classifer for the Brown Swiss Association from 1989 to 2004.
Rex Mort, Morts Dairy, Pierceton, Indiana. Rex Mort
took over his father’s Brown Swiss herd in 1957 when
he finished school and spent 50 years breeding ‘his
kind’ of cow - one that made the next generation better.
He was famous for finding and buying cows that he developed into winners such as We-Gotta Fragment Fancy
Twin whose daughter, Mort Tower Frisky “E94”, was a
3 time All American and the Total Performance Winner
in 2002. He is also credited with breeding 10 cows scoring 94 points and breeding the famous Mort Jade Starbuck bull who now has 31,761 daughters on test
worldwide. Active in the Indiana Association, Mort
served as a director and on the show committees.
Bill (1928-2011) and Velva Notter, Venture-West,
Holyoke, Colorado. Bill spent 18 years working for three
leading herds before establishing Venture Farm in April
1959 in Gladstone, New Jersey with 19 Brown Swiss cows
and their son’s 4-H calf. Two moves were made: first to
Cobleskill, NY and then to Holyoke, Colorado, there becoming Venture-West with a herd of 350. Type selection
was for feet & legs, quality udders and strong cows. Production was geared to lifetime records with the first Million Pound Herd (5 living cows with over a Million
pounds of milk) accomplished in 1975. They bred a Five
Generation Superior Brood Cow family and two A.I. Sires,
Ventures Sunny Bruce and Ventures ESP Babaray - both
from the five generation Superior Brood cow, Evansdale
Ethan Bella. Bill was President of the NY Assn, Chairman
of the Eastern Breeders’ Sale, Director from District I, and
National President 1980-83. Velva is a long-time secretary
of the Rocky Mountain association and has served on the
Cow Recognition and By Laws Committees and is the
Brown Swiss Historical Society Publication Chairman.
Orbec Sherry (1896-1988), Vernon Stock Farm, Viroqua, Wisconsin. Orbec Sherry, one of Dairy Shrine’s Pioneer Breeders, is best known as the breeder of Jane of
Vernon, who through her two sons and six daughters,
changed the Brown Swiss breed. Sherry started breeding registered Brown Swiss in 1923, enjoying the showing and testing competition. He hit the jackpot when
he mated Butternut Jane to Janet’s Boy of Elmhurst. The
resulting calf was Jane of Vernon who for five straight
years was Champion at Waterloo (national show). Jane
also had a son and the famous “Four Janes” who were
an inspiration to breeders at the Treasure Island National Show in 1939. Sherry sold the Four Janes to Lee’s
Hill in New Jersey and Jane to Judd’s Bridge Farm in
Connecticut where she had another son and two
daughters. Orbec spent many years judging and gathering cattle for export to Central and South America.
Pete Vanderham, Bridge View, Mira Loma, California.
Pete began with two Brown Swiss cows in 1957 and a
goal to excel in breeding the right kind. 52 years of hard
work later, it can be called successful with 58 All American and 44 Reserve All American wins (with all but
seven carrying the Bridge View prefix), 22 National
Show Champions and a herd acclaimed worldwide for
it’s influence on the breed through the use of Bridge
View sires, most notable, Bridge View Elegant Jade.
Unique were the back-to-back-to-back National Championships (one national show) of Bridge View R.F.
Joanne (1968), and Bridge View Aristocrat Jolene (1969
& 1970). Bridge View Miss Patrice is one of the two cows
with eight All American nominations. Pete served two
years as a National Director from District IX and a term
as National President.
Walhalla Farms, Rexford, New York Founded in 1900
by Frank Freemyer of Middleburg, NY, the Walhalla
herd was started with animals a few generations removed from Imported stock. These animals Freemyer
wisely developed into a herd that went on to win at the
shows. He was first to put cows on ROP test (Freemyer
was in charge of Association testing in 1910-11), developed Top Phyllis, the first bull to have 6 daughters on
the ROP list, and sold over 600 head to 26 states and 5
foreign countries before selling the herd and name to J.
Frank Zoller in 1925 for his farm in northern New York.
Zoller, an officer at GE, was determined to have a top
herd and to achieve this he hired Harold Magnussen as
Herd Manager and spent money to buy the best Brown
Swiss that were offered. In 1930 the herd was moved to
a new farm outside of Schenectady. Zoller brought in
the bulls, Imported Jack of Walhalla and Blankus of Walhalla from Mexico. When Zoller died in 1932, Mrs. Zoller
continued the herd until it was dispersed in May of
1962. Whether it was the foundation inheritance in the
herd or the wise cooperation of Mrs. Zoller and Harold
Magnusen, the name ‘Walhalla’ was found in most
pedigrees of the Class Leaders and the Show Champions in this era.
Active Breeders
Dean and Brenda Daubert, Victory Acres, Perry, New
York. Victory Acres was founded on April 1, 1984. The
herd began on a rented farm near Bernville, Pennsylva-
Historical Master Breeder Award Winners
2010 - Vernon C. Hull
2011 - Norman E. Magnussen
2012 - Jacob, Jake and Howard Voegeli
Active Master Breeder Award Winners
2010 - Wayne E. Sliker, St. Paris, Ohio
2011 - Milan “Bob” & Steve Blessing, Ft. Wayne, Indiana
2012 - Darrel Worden, Wausau, Wisconsin
nia. Five years later they purchased a farm near McElhattan, Pennsylvania and in 2006 moved to Perry, New
York. The herd was dispersed in November of 2012, but
they still own a few animals. Victory Acres Jubilat Emory
*TM and Victory Acres Simon Even ET *TM were bred
by Dean and Brenda. Their dam was Witlas Improver
Emily, purchased by Dean right after high school at the
Witla Dispersal, and developed at Victory Acres. They
also developed the Wind Mill Mat Victoria family, maternal side of “Vigor”. Dean served on the National Type
Committee and was Pennsylvania State President for ten
years. He also served as chairman of the Keystone Sale
(state sale) for ten years.
Wm. R (Ronnie), Dennis and Ronald Ray Daubert,
Wind Mill Farm, Pine Grove, Pennsylvania. Ronnie
began the Wind Mill Swiss herd in 1952. In 1996, sons
Dennis and Ronald Ray took over the operation, but
Ronnie still helps out. Third generation, Andrew, Dennis’s son works on the farm and owns animals.
Dauberts were breeders of Lyndale Convincer Elaine’s
dam, Wind Mill Talisman Ellen. A herd favorite was
Wind Mill Joan T, former Honor Roll cow. The Dauberts
look for good cows to add to their beeding program. At
the Vine Valley Dispersal, Ronnie purchased Vine Valley
Hattie and her dam and grandam. Many good cow
families have come from that purchase. They also
bought Lo-Vi Cook EM Camay ET, full sister to Snickerdoodle. Ronnie served on the National Brown Swiss
board. Dennis has served two different terms as president of the Pennsylvania Association.
Richard & Donna Hill, Hill’s Valley Farm, Cattaraugus,
New York. Richard Hill began registering Brown Swiss
under the Hill’s Valley prefix in the early 60’s. His herd
grew in conjunction with his parents’ herd until Richard
and Donna purchased the farm in 1979. Rich and Donna
have been Premier Breeder at the New York State Fair
at least 15 times; Premier Breeder and Exhibitor at Eastern National twice and Southeast National in 2011. In
2011 they bred and owned the Intermediate Champion,
Hills Valley Perfecta Ritz, at World Dairy Expo (International Show) and the Eastern National. Richard served
on the National Board of Directors and served as Vice
President for two years. He is the chairman of the newly
formed Awards and Recognition Subcommittee of the
Historical Society. Richard and Donna were committee
members for the 2007 New York National Convention.
Larry Kruse, Kruses Swiss Farm, Earlville, Iowa. Larry’s
father purchased a Brown Swiss calf as a 4-H project for
him in 1954. As a young man Larry and his father
farmed together for ten years and in 1973 Larry and Julie
took over the farm. Larry bred and owned Kruses Beautician Vixie, grand at Madison two times including the
1980 Centennial National Show in 1980. Other noteworthy animals bred and developed at Earlville were Fantasy Vix and Ransom Folly. Larry served as Iowa
President, co-chair of the Iowa State Sale and served on
the National Board for two terms. He was one of the
founding members of Progressive Sires. In 2011 Larry received the Whitie Thomson Award at World Dairy Expo.
Roger Nierman, Long Lane Farm, Brownstown, Indiana. Roger was raised with Brown Swiss on his father’s
dairy. Henry, his dad, had started with Brown Swiss in
1945. In 1974 Roger took over the herd. His greatest one
achievement is developing a Brown Swiss herd that can
be passed on to his son and his kids and the family can
continue farming and pursuing his life’s dream with the
Big Brown Cow. Noteworthy achievements are breeding and owning National Cows for All Seasons and a
National Total Performance Winner. Most recently he
had the 2012 Cow for All Seasons, Niermans Ringleader
Paris. He also bred the dam of Gentle Breeze Mat Christine. Roger served as state president in Indiana and on
its board of directors. He also served on the National
Board of Directors for two terms and several national
committees.
Alan Rinehart, R-Hart Farm, Wapakoneta, Ohio. Alan
was raised on the family Brown Swiss farm. In 1979 he
and his brother, Bruce, took over from his father. In 1990
Alan and his wife, Randi, took over sole ownership and
operation of the herd. R-Hart Farm is best known for
their development of cow families, most notably the
Gentle Breeze Mat Christine family - which placed many
plus proven bulls in A.I. and had wide-spread positive
influence over the breed. Christine’s daughter, Christian, is most familiar to many as a bull mother. Sons include Denmark, Eagle and Ace. Another of Christine’s
daughters, Clar, was the dam of R Hart BC Collection.
Alan served as Ohio State President and also many years
as a director. In 1997 he helped with the Ohio-hosted
national convention and in 2007 served as the chairman
for that Ohio National Convention.
Sunshine Genetics, Dan Hornickel and Chris Keim,
Whitewater, Wisconsin. Chris and Dan started the nucleus of their small select herd in 1976. In 1983 the herd
came to the location at the farm outside of Whitewater
where they are located today. As veterinarians, their
main focus has been on using their expertise with technology available to develop ET offspring for other people. Families developed in their small herd along with
their partners include the Mort Matt Tammy family
(foundation of the Twilite family) and the Top Acres
Present family. They have served on national committees
and on the Wisconsin State Brown Swiss board.
Ballot
(Everyone invited to vote - one vote per person!)
Active Master Breeder Award. This award recognizes an active breeder who has successfully developed a
breeding program that accentuated cow families, especially those that contributed significantly to the advancement of the breed.
VOTE FOR ONE NOMINEE BY PLACING A CHECK ON THE LINE PRECEEDING THE NAME YOU SUPPORT
Active Breeder Nominees:
______ Dean and Brenda Daubert, Victory Acres, Perrry, New York
______ Ronnie, Dennis and Ronald Ray Daubert, Wind Mill Farm, Pine Grove, Pennsylvania
______ Richard and Donna Hill, Hill’s Valley Farm, Cattaraugus, New York
______ Larry Kruse, Kruses Swiss, Earlville, Iowa
______ Roger Nierman, Long Lane Farm, Brownstown, Indiana
______ Alan Rinehart, R-Hart Farms, Wapakoneta, Ohio
______ Sunshine Genetics, Dan Hornickel and Chris Keim, Whitewater, Wisconsin
Historical Master Breeder Recognition. This award recognizes a breeder who has retired or has passed on.
The recognized breeder will have a legacy that has made a lasting impression on breed progress by developing
one or more strong cow families.
VOTE FOR UP TO THREE NOMINEES BY PLACING A 1 ON THE LINE PRECEEDING THE NAME YOU SUPPORT MOST, 2 FOR SECOND AND 3 FOR YOUR THIRD CHOICE
Historical Breeder Nominees:
______ Aldrich, David G.
______ Armbruster Bros, Red Brae Farm
______ Arnold, Roy, Arnola Swiss
______ Button, Leon W., Vine Valley Farm
______ Clark, Henry W.
______ DeVoe, George, Judd’s Bridge Farm
______ Harkness, Jim, We-Gotta Swiss Farm
______ Harris, George, Harris Hill Farm
______ McCammon, Nelson, Nelsland
______ Monson, Clyde and Bernard, Meadow View
______ Mort, Rex, Mort’s Swiss
______ Notter, Wm “Bill” and Velva, Venture’s Swiss
______ Sherry, Orbec, Vernon Stock Farm
______ Vanderham, Pete, Bridge View Swiss
______ Walhalla Farm
Deadline: April 15, 2013
Mail or Email this ballot to:
Russ Giesy, 10540 Emerald Ave, Leesburg, FL 34788 or email: russgiesy@yahoo.com