THE SISTERS AND THEIR COWS
BY DEMANI BUTLER
M
uddy shoes, country music and a lot of cows.
Junior Sadie Janisko and her sisters Haley senior and Shelby Butler sophomore annually participate in the Kentucky State Fair Cow Show along with their family members. If you live in Kentucky or around Louisville, chances are you’ve attended the Kentucky State Fair and seen the cow show. The family spends a lot of time training and preparing their cows for these events. The Butlers own a specific breed of cows called Jerseys. They travel all around the country showing their cows and their hard work throughout the year. “Preparing for the Kentucky state fair is a year-round job. We are constantly working with our animals, figuring out which ones we will bring and preparing our display,” Haley Butler said. “We have to work with our cows to make sure they will be calm and cooperative when around other people,” she said.
The family on showing day 20201. “I really enjoy being with them,” said Saddie Janisko. Photo taken by mother Alicia Butler.
Cows are not home pets so it is not as easy to train them and get them used to other people. It takes dedication and natural care from the Butlers in order to get them ready. “Although prepping is a lot of work and very time consuming, it’s all for fun,” Butler said. Haley has participated in roughly 20 shows and doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon. “I have been showing with my family my whole life but I have been showing on my own for seven years,” Butler said. The girls have spent most of their lives working with these cows so a love for the activity is an understatement. Many people aren’t very aware of what this family does and how important it is to them and their community. “Training calves takes all year long and the process of training your cows really never ends. There are always things to improve on, whether it’s a calf or a cow you’ve shown for three years,” Shelby Butler said, “I am very thankful to have been able to grow up around something that not many people are fortunate enough to experience.” Shelby has won the past two years at the Spencer County fair winning grand champion with her 5-year-old cow Pepper. “I believe it is important to inform people on what we do because not many people get the opportunity to do it. Most people who come by the state fair are eager to learn because they don’t know much about dairy cows or farming and they find it very neat,” Janisko said. When younger kids are going to state fairs or events, they get excited to be able to see live animals in their elements.
Shelby Butler and her competeing cow, Pepper just chilling around. pepper is now a professional when it comes to showings. “This is my baby,” said Shelby. Phot taken by stepmom Alicia Butler.
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