By Ron Schaap

She wasn't in the show catalog. She was not listed in the Bullvine fantasy contest, even the pre-show scouts of the big boy herds never gave her a second look as they perused the aisles looking to buy the next big winner.  Unless you journeyed to the back of the last barn you wouldn’t have seen her. And she was abandoned by half of her stall mates Tuesday after the International Junior Holstein show at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin.

Sheeknoll Durham Arrow paraded onto the colored shavings for thousands of expo attendees to lay their eyes on her for the very first time. Even Judge Pat Conroy looked perplexed. Who is that Cow?

Sheeknoll Farms of Rochester, Minnesota brought one animal to the World Dairy Expo and she won it all!

And here is the rest of the story of this home-bred, home -fitted and home-shown cow....

Sheeknoll Farms is owed by the Sheehan family and they loan calves to family and friends to show. Sheeknoll Durham Arrow was shown as a novice spring calf by nephew Dylan. The children are given the option to rename their projects. Because Dylan admired Thomas the Tank Engine (most parents and grandparents have read this book many times) he decided “Thomas” was a good name for his calf even though “Thomas” was not a girl’s name.

Dylan's grandparents, Jeannette’s parents, raised the calf in a calf hutch next to the garage. “Thomas” was spunky and tenacious, but was not a spoiled calf. After seven years Thomas still responds to her masculine name when called. The Sheehans told me that they and all the Minnesota Holstein enthusiasts now know “Arrow” as “Thomas.”

After a modest show career as a calf, “Thomas” started showing in milking form at the Minnesota State Holstein Show.  She stood fifth in the Junior 2-year-old class but judge Callum McKinven told Andrew Sheehan that she'll be a good cow someday. Good cowmen can tell, and it sure is not surprising that a Durham got better with age.

“Thomas” won Grand Champion for the first time two years ago at the Minnesota State Holstein Show as a 4-year-old and that year went on to be Reserve Grand Champion at the Minnesota State Fair Midwest Fall National.

Then came 2016, she was grand at both the Minnesota State Show and the Midwest Fall National. Still, only the Sheehans believed that something even bigger could happen.

The anticipation of show day was nearing the end when on Saturday morning, Bob and Jeannette Sheehan arrived at the barn and with one look they knew “Thomas” was shy on milk. But son Andrew Sheehan said, “Don’t worry dad.” And with the confidence of her fitters, in the back of the second barn, “Thomas” got ready for the ring.

Her fitting crew consisted of Andrew and his college buddies, Luke Olson and Jared Tessmer. When it came time to lead her into the ring, Jeannette Sheehan handled the halter expertly. “Thomas” won the aged cow class and went into the ring for the Champion Bred and Owned and walked out with that banner.

By the time she was tapped for Senior Champion she was a crowd favorite.

Standing in the center of an arena full of cheering fans, hundreds of enthusiasts watching online all over the world and a stunned Sheehan family, “Thomas” took the grand champion banner of the 2016 International Holstein Show!

 “Thomas” is a Durham daughter, his first Grand Champion daughter at WDE. Durham was named Premier Sire four times and tied a fifth time at World Dairy Expo, but his first Champion daughter didn’t come until 22 1/2 years after his birth.

Her dam was a VG-86 Pronto that was lost as a 3-year-old. Bob mated this good-footed, smooth uddered, power house Pronto daughter to Durham to introduce some style and the result was an expo champion.

“Thomas” is EX-94 and will see the classifier in a couple weeks. She made over 30,000 lbs of milk and 1100 lbs of fat as a 4-year-old. She has a Jr. 2-year-old daughter that could go VG and daughters by Chelios, Doorman and Sid. She has calved five straight years in April and IVF will be started soon.

The Sheehans milk 250 cows in a free stall barn and a 60 cow tie barn, where “Thomas” now has her own pen.

Good things happen to good people! With the upbeat spirit and constant smiles, the Sheehan family certainly qualifies!