LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Some dreams take years, even decades, to realize. For Logan Cliffe, dreams that began as a young Guernsey breeder in Delaware, were finally realized on the green shavings of Freedom Hall at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville.
“They tell you good things come to those who wait,” Cliffe said. “Boy, was this one worth the wait.”
On Nov. 9, her second-generation, homebred Guernsey aged cow, Pare-View Pandoras Box, was named the senior and grand champion cow by judge Chris Lang at the National Guernsey Show held during the North American International Livestock Exposition.
Cliffe and her husband, Jack, are lifelong devotees of chasing ribbons and banners at dairy shows throughout the country. Logan works as the parts department manager for Ederer’s Professional Dairy Service while Jack works as a dairy cattle fitter. The couple resides in Loganville, Wisconsin.
“It’s an incredible feeling to have success with something you’ve bred and raised — to see her accomplish so much and finally have her time to shine and show everyone that cow she is,” Cliffe said.
The story of how Pandoras Box fulfilled Cliffe’s dreams dates to 2008 when Cliffe was 14 years old.
Cliffe purchased a bred heifer, Millborne Challenge Pixel, at the Pennsylvania Guernsey Breeders Association’s Blue Halter Sale. Pixel gave Cliffe a taste of showring success and laid the foundation for a calf born nearly 10 years later.
The calf Pixel was carrying — Millborne Fame Pixels Pixie — was responsible for shaping much of Cliffe’s future — igniting Cliffe’s passion for the show ring and introducing her to her future husband.
“I tied Pixie in with Knapp Guernseys at Louisville in 2013,” Cliffe said. “Jack was helping them. That’s when we first met.”
Pixie’s daughter, Pare-View Jud Pixie Pumpkin, was a successful show heifer for Cliffe and is the dam of Pandoras Box.
Cliffe said the name Pandoras Box has its own story.
“Jack wanted something unique,” she said. “He thought she was going to be something — that she needed to have a name that had a ring to it when it was announced.”
Pandoras Box has built a respectable resume. After solid performances as a heifer, Pandoras Box calved in to prove Jack’s theory. A 2-year-old in 2020, her first show campaign as a cow was limited to the Wisconsin State Guernsey Show, where she placed second. She received her first All-American nomination in milking form.
The next year, Pandoras Box returned to the Wisconsin State Guernsey Show a month fresh. This time she would win the senior 3-year-old class on her way to capturing the intermediate championship banner and being named the honorable mention grand champion.
That October brought a class win at World Dairy Expo, leading to Pandoras Box to being named the All-American Senior 3-Year-Old for 2021.
Following Expo, Pandoras Box suffered her first setback, aborting a pregnancy. Her 4-year-old show campaign was limited to an appearance at the Midwest Quality Colors Spring Show, where she won her class and was named the senior and honorable mention grand champion.
As a 5-year-old, Pandoras Box hit the colored shavings of World Dairy Expo winning the class and being pulled out for champion alongside Guernseys like Malt, Uno and Lovely. She was selected as the unanimous All-American 5-Year-Old in 2023.
“She’s always been right there for a banner, always so close,” Cliffe said.
“She’s always been behind cows that are good, that have made a name for themselves. That is something I don’t think a lot of cows can say, that they’ve always been right there with cows that have been winning.”
Pandoras Box spent her first three lactations residing at KnH-Endres near Loganville, Wisconsin, under the care of Kevin, Heidi and Tyler Endres. As she grew older, the Cliffes moved her to Rosedale Genetics Ltd near Oxford, Wisconsin.
During her fourth lactation Pandoras Box met another speed bump — she suffered a displaced abomasum about 40 days before she was set to head to WDE.
“She stood second to Uno at Expo, which we were very happy about,” Cliffe said. “But we knew she wasn’t at her full potential. She was still fighting through everything, still coming around.”
The Cliffes decided that with another month’s recovery, Pandoras Box deserved a trip to NAILE.
“She came off the trailer in Louisville, started eating and never stopped,” Cliffe said. “She knew she had something to do, that it was her last shot to prove something this year.”
A show ring veteran, Cliffe said nothing could have prepared her for the tide of emotions that enveloped her on the green shavings.
The enormity of what the cow had accomplished and the obstacles she had overcome on the way to making a dream come true overwhelmed her, Cliffe said.
“When Chris (Lang) came towards me for the high five for senior champion — it’s a feeling like no other, you can’t describe it,” Cliffe said. “Then when he came towards me for grand, I lost it. They never tell you that when it’s your own cow you’re just going to cry like a baby.”
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here