Bell Ringers From Coast to Coast
They hail from across the country; 3,038.4 miles separating them. They have different stories but the same common denominators. They are all linked by a love for Brown Swiss. The National Bell Ringer Program brings them together in junior competition. Their success is rooted in a strong sense of family and cattle with deep pedigrees. No matter where life takes them, they each vow to stay involved with a breed that has given them so much. Meet five of the 2018 National Bell Ringer winners.
Shelby Biasini
The year was 2006, and 10-year-old Vermont native, Shelby Biasini, was on her first trip to World Dairy Expo. Can you imagine the excitement this little girl was feeling? That was until she watched the baggage carousel at the airport go around and round and there was no sight of her suitcase which contained her white show pants and boots. The excitement was replaced with anxiety. However, she ended that trip with a new pair of whites and a shiny silver plate that read, Junior Champion of the Junior Show. Fast forward to Expo 2018, Shelby’s last year as a junior exhibitor. There was no drama at the airport but the same end result, Junior Champion of the Junior Show.
Shelby’s junior career as a Brown Swiss exhibitor has come full circle. What makes this journey so unique is that a majority of her accomplishments spanning twelve years has come from within one cow family. The foundation cow for the Silver Top herd is Savage- Leigh Tweetie 2E93 who has a long list of accolades. She is still in the herd today enjoying retirement. Tweetie was purchased privately in 2002 at WDE after her second-place finish in the Summer Yearling Class. Silver Top Denver Twizzle EX92, a direct daughter of Tweetie was the Junior Champion in 2006. Silver Top Allstar Trick, the most recent, traces back to Tweetie as she is her fourth dam. Trick began collecting blue ribbons in 2017 as a Spring Calf. She won her class as well as best bred and owned at World Dairy Expo. She was later named the All-American Spring Calf, a first for Silver Top. Her 2018 campaign ended with the title of National Spring Yearling Bell Ringer and Reserve All-American.
Shelby graduated from the University of New Hampshire in May 2018 with degrees in Dairy Management and Sustainable Agriculture. She is currently employed as a Certified Milk Inspector and Field Rep for National Farmers, a nationwide organization representing conventional and organic agriculture with an emphasis on supporting family farms. Shelby says “I will always be involved with the Brown Swiss breed no matter where my job takes me. To me, they are a one-of-a-kind breed and I will always be a die-hard fan!”
Caylee James
Sometimes we follow in the footsteps of our parents, and for good reason. “My mom showed Brown Swiss when she was young and was successful,” shares Caylee James, age 13, of Wolcottville, Indiana. Caylee is the sixth generation to live and work on the 600- acre farm that has been in her family for 189 years. She shares the vast landscape with her parents, Mark and Emily who work off the farm as veterinarians and a younger sister Katelyn. They raise dairy heifers and a small beef herd. Caylee is actively involved in 4-H, FFA, volleyball and track. However, she states, “I would rather be showing cattle or in the barn with my cows more than anything else.”
Blessing Bosephus Franny, is this year’s National Winter Yearling Bell Ringer, a heifer that is leased by Caylee from Blessing Farms. Caylee says she chose the Bosephus daughter out of a 2E90 Bonanza x EX Banker because she was a well-built heifer and she could see her potential. Franny is the kind of heifer that exudes ring presence and has the ability to “show herself.” Together, Franny and Caylee compiled a successful show resume but more importantly, Franny taught Caylee that when you fall, you get right back up. At the Indiana State Fair, during the showmanship competition, Franny stepped on Caylee’s foot, causing her to fall. “Franny continued to show herself as I quickly got back up. Those things happen, and you just have to learn to move on or find the humor in it like I did,” shares Caylee. Teamwork makes the dream work, and they went on to win that showmanship class. They were also first Junior at the International and Southeastern shows last fall.
Caylee is quick to point out that Brown Swiss enthusiasts are a great group of people to be around, always willing to help out and share advice. Other than her parents, she gives credit to Steve Blessing and Kathi Brown-Meier for having made a great impact on her life as a Brown Swiss breeder. “I cannot thank them enough for the knowledge and opportunities they have given me,” concludes Caylee.
Ryland & Brayton Nierman
When speaking of the Brown Swiss breed, there are names that automatically come to mind. One such name is the Nierman family, owners of Long Lane Farm located in Brownstown, Indiana. Long Lane is the exclusive home to 230 head of Brown Swiss. While many farms today have a mixed herd in some form or another, Long Lane is the exception. Brayton (10) and Ryland (17) Nierman, who are the next generation in line to take over the operation, share that Brown Swiss is the only breed to step foot on the property since 1945.
Brayton and Ryland share in the ownership of this year’s Honorable Mention Junior-Three-Year-Old Bell Ringer, Niermans Braiden Lace. Lace is classified EX90 out of an Excellent 92 GrandSlam, who herself was a two-time Reserve National Bell Ringer, followed by a 2E-90 Nautlis. Ryland shares that Lace “comes from a tremendous cow family and was tall and long as a calf and had many aspects that would carry her over to being a good cow.” Brayton takes the credit for teaching her to lead as a baby calf. Both boys have enjoyed the limelight with Lace. Brayton enjoyed the honor of exhibiting her at the county fair for the first time and she proved to be an outstanding showmanship animal for Ryland.
The Nierman boys realize the obstacles that face the dairy industry today but do not let that hinder their vision of the future. Brayton says the all Swiss herd allows them to take advantage of component pricing, helping them achieve a premium price for their product; while Ryland, who will attend Purdue University in the fall, sees value in keeping small family farms alive and honoring family traditions. Together, they share the goal of keeping 74-years of Long Lane breeding alive.
Andi Dillon & Lila Howell
They didn’t grow up with Brown Swiss or even on dairy farms. The exposure they had to the dairy industry was all black and white. However, one calf in a hutch at a neighboring farm with big ears and beautiful brown eyes lured cousins Andi Dillon (9) and Lila Howell (16) right in. “There was just something unique and whimsical about that calf” shares Andi’s mom, Sarah; and Lila’s mom, Laura had an extreme passion for the breed. As they say, the rest is history.
The girls enjoyed quick success in the breed with Posey Creek Barkin Brynnda. “It was a bit of a freaky deal,” says Sarah. She was home-bred, short aged and national shows were not on their radar. That is until Brown Swiss enthusiast/judge Sherry Glenn Smith saw her at a county fair in Michigan and encouraged Andi and Lila to take the next step. They took a leap of faith and headed to Louisville. Brynnda won the Summer Yearling class and Reserve Junior Champion honors at North American International Livestock Exposition in 2017 with Lila at the helm. The taste of victory is something you don’t forget and something that makes you long for more.
While attending the 2018 National Convention to receive their first-ever Bell Ringer Award for Brynnda, Andi and Lila were on a mission to find a replacement for Brynnda who had since been sold. They did some smart buying with the purchase of Cutting Edge S Tiffin. Tiffin is a Seaman x 2E94 Dublin Hills Treats who is certainly no stranger to the show arena. Tiffin is following in her dam’s footsteps and has not disappointed. This time it was Andi who was able to experience the thrill of victory in Louisville as together they won the Spring Calf Class. Tiffin is this year’s Honorable Mention Spring Calf Bell Ringer.
Although cousins, the girls are more like sisters since the untimely passing of Lila’s mom. They invest together using their savings accounts, share the responsibilities and decision making and are currently working on a plan for return on investments. They have created a short-term goal of making it to World Dairy Expo. Look for them there, sooner rather than later!
Elise Regusci
Modesto, California, is home to the largest winery in the world, E & J Gallo Winery. The area also has some of the most fertile land in the state. Seven-hundred acres of that land belongs to the Regusci family, where they produce almonds, walnuts, hay, and pumpkins. In 2005, the family added Brown Swiss to the landscape when John Paul purchased his first Brown Swiss. His twin sisters Elisabeth and Elise followed suit. Together they have developed the TopdiMark herd and the family name has become synonymous with Brown Swiss.
Elise currently owns the Reserve National 5-Year-Old Bell Ringer with a purchase she made at the 2013 National Convention Sale as a pick of flush. She chose Precious B Pretty ET because of her balance and correctness. Pretty is now 87-points. She is a Bonanza daughter out of 3E93 Random Luck V Precious followed by 2E93 Random Luck KB Phoebe. Both dams have All-American credentials solidifying the true breeding of this maternal line.
Elise says the family has not missed an Expo since 2005 and some of her fondest memories come from there. This past year was no exception. With her junior career nearing its end, the family made the 2,000-mile trek to John Nolan Drive with Pretty. This was Pretty’s third trip to Madison, improving on her finish each year. This year, she stood second where the top three entries were all owned by junior exhibitors.
Elise says Expo has given her life-lessons and memories to last a lifetime. “Under those bright coliseum lights, I have learned the value of hard work, humility and friendship. I have had the honor of working with my family and preparing Busy Bee Syndicate Jasper 3E94 owned by my twin sister Elisabeth for the Supreme Champion Pageant two years in a row. I cherish all of it.”
Elise served as the 2016 Brown Swiss Youth Ambassador and was an Achievement finalist. She was a recent intern at Hoards Dairyman and will be graduating from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in June with a dairy science degree.