Once in a Lifetime Kind of Cow T
he last time animals were exhibited on the colored shavings, a young woman and her Guernsey named Trixie took to the stage and walked away with the largest award that a Junior could ever dream of. And this duo hasn’t slowed down over the last two years, gaining even more fans and adding showwinning daughters to their resume. The story of Katie Livingston and Trixie isn’t all roses though, but the team has overcome challenges and is ready for the next chapter of their story.
They were very excited to add Trotter, a full sister to the 3x Unanimous All-American EX-95 Tambourine, to their herd. Their niece Katie Livingtson was also at the sale, and they promised Katie she could show the calf from Trotter if it was a heifer. Thurston Farms Primetime Trixie was born in late October 2017 and Katie was smitten from the start.
Glenn and Sheryl Taylor of Cassville, NY, purchased Knapps Regis Trotter-ETV, a bred heifer, from Daniel Thurston at the 2017 NY Spring Guernsey Breeder’s Sale.
Katie, now 17, had showed Katie with Trixie at the Northeast Spring All-Breeds Guernsey Show. Guernseys since she was had never exhibited at a national show, 10, and was excited about adding Trixie and she was nervous! However, once she to her herd. Trixie was her showmanship and Trixie hit the show ring, they quickly animal as a calf, and Katie recalls that she settled in. walked perfectly, and their relationship grew from there. “She’s the only milking “This heifer that starts the class for us cow I’ve ever shown,” remarked Katie. is just lights out,” stated Judge Seth Johnson as Katie and Trixie won the “And she’s my favorite cow of all time!” Milking Yearling class. “Wow, she caught Katie and Trixie traveled to several county our eye right away,” said Judge Johnson fairs in New York as well as the New York during the Intermediate Champion class State Fair in 2018. Katie was preparing to of the Junior Show. “She’s got the frame show Trixie at the 2019 NY State Fair once that’s ready to roll, she’s got the open rib, again, but unfortunately Trixie miscarried and for a fall yearling in milk, check out twin calves just prior to the fair. While that rear udder – it’s high, it’s wide – you the family was extremely disappointed, can just see this cow developing in the they decided to milk Trixie since she had future.” Trixie was also named Reserve partially bagged up. The early calving did Intermediate Champion of the Open slow Trixie down a bit, but she made a Show. steady recovery and started making milk. Once she turned the corner, “it was full- “I was shocked even as I was pulled into first in class,” recalled Katie. “It felt like a steam ahead,” remarked Sheryl. dream for the weeks after the show and Good friends and fellow New Yorkers, definitely the most memorable days of Kevin and Barb Ziemba, kept tabs on my life!” Trixie’s development, predicting that if she could make enough milk, she could As Katie and Trixie paraded back in the compete at Expo. Within weeks, Trixie ring for Grand Champion of the Junior had developed a great mammary system Show, the excitement was high. “For to go with her frame and she looked the Grand Champion of the Junior Show, today, it’s still this yearling in milk,” part to show at World Dairy Expo. remarked Judge Johnson. “She’s just such Trixie traveled to Madison with Kevin and an awesome young cow. We can see her Barb Ziemba, who had cared for Trixie just getting better and better.” It’s no at the 2018 NY State Fair and other local surprise that Trixie was named Unanimous shows. Katie made the trip to Madison All-American in both the open and junior later in the week with her parents, Don divisions later that year. and Karen, brother Tim and aunt and uncle, Sheryl and Glenn. While Katie had Trixie calved again in August 2020 with been showing locally the past 5 years, she a Jaeger heifer. While there were no
52 « COWSMOPOLITAN Late Summer 2021
