By Norman Nabholz
During the glory years “Waterloo” would be a gathering place for millionaires with fine show cattle from throughout North America. The only way to know you had the best was to compete with the best and the Cattle Congress was the tournament grounds. With the proximity to the show Cattle Congress was also a way for dirt farmers from its home state to take a shot at the brass ring. Any young person in the state of Iowa could compete in the Iowa State 4-H dairy show held during the big show where your animals would probably be judged by such people as Henry Thomas, Vernon Hull or Arthur Clark the well known managers of the big farms who were competing later in the week. This Holy Grail of shows would give these young dairy enthusiasts the opportunity to walk through the barns and see how the worlds finest dairy cattle were prepared for show and perhaps the young Iowa 4-H boy or girl could observe these superstars at work. There was never a shortage of leaders to bring over cattle from the box cars when the call would go out in the 4-H dormitory that Lee’s Hill or McDonalds had arrived and needed assistance to lead over a famous Brown Swiss or Guernsey champion the quarter of a mile to the show grounds. The Lyon Family from Toledo and the Lang Family from Brooklyn Iowa were two such groups of young people that had competed in those youth shows and near the end of the 1950’s had learned their lessons well and would compete with the “Millionaires in the cornfields”
"What's a Jersey Daddy Worth?" was the theme in 1958 that the American Jersey Cattle Club would use for the purpose of promoting what one bull could do for a Iowa farmer. The tour of the group of daughters of the bull Jester B Noble Aim would begin at the Cattle Congress, then on to Chicago for the International, with the final stop on the tour being the All American at Columbus.
Jester B Noble Aim
The bull Jester B Noble Aim was purchased by the Earl Lyon family along with their cousin Russell (Bud) Lyon in 1953 from the well known Meadowridge Farm in Michigan. The bull was bred by one of the greatest cow men of his era, Dale Dean who himself had judged Waterloo as well as every big show of the time. Joe Lyon, a young fellow with a world of potential and his cousin “Bud” took the train to Michigan to inspect the bull and his family and made the purchase of a lifetime signing the check of $500, quite a sum in those days for a Jersey bull calf and arranging for his trip to the heartland. The bull himself was some kind of fancy in his own right and competed quite favorably as a show bull but it was with his daughters that “JB” and the Lyons family hit pay dirt.
To be selected to sell in the All American Jersey Sale in those days was not only an honor but also a chance to reap financial rewards that could pay for a farm, buy a much needed piece of equipment or propel your herd into national prominence. The sale supplied the stage to present your product to the buying public that included some of the wealthiest people in the World.
Lyon Jesileus Madeline
The cow Lyon Jesileus Madeline was spotted by a sale selector and a call was made to the American Jersey Cattle Club explaining that the bull and his daughters would make a wonderful promotion for the Jersey Cow, COBA who had just purchased the bull, the Lyon Family and “Madeline” herself who was selected to sell in the All American sale during the show and sale.
Howard Lyon
The deal for the tour was finalized and the preparations begun with the Lyon Show string showing at the local parish show, All Iowa Fair, Iowa State Fair, Waterloo Chicago and finishing out the year at the All American where Madeline would be a feature of the sale. The tour was a win-win situation for all involved--COBA, Madeline, The American Jersey Cattle Club and the Lyon Family. It also launched the career of one of the most influential people in the dairy industry, Joe Lyon who would go on to be the president of the American Jersey Cattle Club as well as being the leader in milk pricing and his influence felt a half century after the “What’s a Jersey Daddy worth” tour.
After winning big at The All Iowa at Cedar Rapids and the State Fair the group trucked the 40 miles to Waterloo on Thursday, September 25th and set up the exhibit at the east end of the Jersey barn. The American Jersey Cattle Club welcomed spectators to the Jersey barn and was staffed by field men promoting the Jersey cow. Dr. John L. McKitrick judged the two day show with heifers and bulls on Tuesday, the 30th of September and cows the next day. Wednesday, October 1, 1958 would be day to remember for the Lyon Family starting at 8:00 am when the two year olds hit the ring:
Lyon Belsilua Mandy was 9th 2 Yr. Old
Lyon Jesileus Beth was 1st 3 Yr. Old
Lyon Jesileus Aaretta was 3rd 3 Yr. Old
Lyon Jesileus Maria was 10th 3 Yr. Old
Lyon Jesileus Madeline was 1st 4 Yr. Old with Blair Folck at her halter
When it came time for Senior Champion, Blair Folck had his own cow to lead so the well known Forest Fansher was called in to lead Madeline who was a “handful” but Fansher would prevail and Madeline was named Sr. & Grand Champion Cow and was also named Best Udder of the show.
Madeline and Beth and Aaretta won the Best Three Females and with Maria won the Sr. Get. And Dairy Herd Maria and Madeline won the Produce of dam Premier Breeder and Exhibitor with 7 blue ribbons would round out the day for the Iowa Farm.
Joe Lyon and his partner Bill McCorkle were now going to experience the life of big time showmen and riding a box car, something new to both Iowa farm boys. Their car was delivered to the siding south of the Cattle Congress grounds and it was their job to prepare it for the next three weeks of travel. The nice thing about those days was there was always someone willing to give advice and what better place to find that information about box car preparation than the National Dairy Cattle Congress.
There were about fifty box cars sitting on the siding prepared by the masters of the dairy show world. Joe and Billy were assisted by R.L Van Meter, a Jersey showman from Illinois, who had traveled miles on the railroad. The lumber was brought in and with hand saws, hammer and nails, the home on the rails was prepared in two days. The adventure was one of a lifetime leaving Waterloo on Sunday Morning for the day trip to Chicago.
The string competed favorably at Chicago and Columbus and Madeline was sold for $6,000 at the All American sale ($45,000 in 2010 money) to Colorado. Jester B Noble Aim would be one of the most popular bulls of his time at COBA and Lyon Jerseys would still be in business more than fifty years after that glorious day. The farm has grown from 44 milking cows and 320 acres in 1958 to 380 cows and 1600 acres in 2010. Joe Lyon still milks cows twice a day along with son Eric and nephew Stuart. Joe’s wife Duffy for years was the face of the Iowa State fair carving her niche in history with the World Famous Butter statues that remain the most popular attraction at not only Iowa but hundreds of fairs in the United States. A survey of fair visitors during the 1990’s ranked the butter cow as the most anticipated stop for fairgoers and a statue of a Jersey cow and her calf by Mrs. Lyon, on the North side of Toledo, is the hometown’s tribute to the family and the contribution to the area.
Showing against the Lyon show string at the Iowa State Fair in the 1960’s and beyond was a learning experience as no cattle were better prepared thanks in no small part to one of the most talented, unheralded cowmen in that era, Joe’s brother Howard. Howard was a quiet, gentle man who was admired and respected by his peers like few others.
Always with a smile for everyone he met as a farmer, cowman, fitter and showman Howard Lyon would rank with the best ever. The cornfields of Iowa would be fertile grounds for some of the best of the trade and if a “dream team” of showmen would have ever been drafted, such people as Howard Lyon, Harold and Bob Massee and Wendall Nicklin would have all been first round draft picks for that all-star group.
At nearby Brooklyn, Iowa, twenty-five miles south of the Lyon farm, was another group of young dairy enthusiasts with Ayrshire cattle, The Howie Lang Family who would first make an appearance showing at the Cattle Congress in 1932. Howie Lang got started in Ayrshires - while in Illinois for the 1922 National Hampshire Show, when he visited another Hampshire breeder's farm and was impressed with his Ayrshire cattle. He thought that they would make good 4-H projects for his children, so he traded 3 Hampshire show hogs for 3 Ayrshire heifers. The Lang Families Iow Ayr Farms were a two time Premier Breeder at Waterloo and their cattle anchored many of Iowa’s winning State Herds.
1963 Herdsmanship l to r: Jack Lang, Iow Ayr Farms, Brooklyn, IA; Gary Magnuson, Norvic Farms, Lake Mills, WI; Horst Kretschner, Elgin, IL; Arthur Clark, Meredith Farms, Topsfield, M; Allen Hetts, Crescent Beauty, Ft. Atkinson, WI; Louis Porter, Happy Valley Farm, Danville, KY; Stuart Rowe, Innisfail Herd, Davis, CA
Jack Lang was a Herdsmanship winner a couple times at Waterloo which was pretty heady stuff when you consider he was competing with the likes of Meredith and Lippett as well as Oak Ridge and West Unity Woolin Mills and of course Willie Watson, all of which were Klussendorf winners.
Among the winners for the Langs were:
Iow Ayr Designer's Nancy: Grand Champion Female 1954
Oak Ridge Ormsby, Junior Champion Bull 1963
Iow Ayr Cherrys Count, 1
st Bull Calf 1963
Iow Ayr Conquest Janell, 1st Heifer Calf 1963
Today (2010) the Lang Families milk over 400 head of Holsteins, Ayrshires and Jerseys and have shown at the Iowa State Fair for 90 years.
While just a short drive from Waterloo, The Langs and Lyon family competed with the Millionaires and more than held their ground. Both families have excelled in leadership positions throughout the agriculture community and have passed on their love of the dairy business and the love of the land to the next generations. Memories abound about the Cattle Congress and the shows impact on Iowa agriculture. These families will be the first to tell you how fortunate they were to be so close to the ultimate dairy show and the opportunity to compete with the very finest right in their back yard.