- Holstein Plaza

Tri-Day Ashlyn
 From legend to legacy
Show ring legends – we all have our favorites! Cows that
made an indelible impression on us as they stood in the
middle of the ring. Cows with that big-time magic are rare
and that’s why they’re so memorable. Even more rare is
the legendary show cow that goes on to create a legacy
for herself through her talents as a brood cow.
Tri-Day Ashlyn has done just that. She’s one of the first
cows you think of when it comes to extending her name
beyond the show ring and into the history books as a
matriarch of a powerful family. Ashlyn died in January,
2015 at 18 years of age, but she left her legacy with over
400 offspring registered in the United States and Canada. Currently, she has over 50 EX daughters scored all
the way up to EX-96 with approximately 40 younger heifers yet to calve.
Tremendous stats
Ashlyn hit all the marks of success you could expect from an elite
Holstein female. She scored EX-96 2E and attained Gold Medal Dam
and Dam of Merit status. Her top record of 4-09 365d 43,090lbM
4.8%F 2079F 3.3%P 1422P shows exceptional production ability. Obviously, with 400 offspring, she was a prolific reproductive cow. And,
of course, she dominated the show ring in her prime. Ashlyn was the
All-American and All-Canadian Four-Year-Old in 2001 and was Supreme Champion at the International Holstein Show, the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and the Eastern National Show that year.
Ashlyn Feature.indd 10
Bred by the Curtis Day family of Pennsylvania, Ashlyn’s pedigree was
not particularly deep – an EX-92 2E Dreamstreet Odyssey dam and a
VG-86 Glen-Valley Star granddam – but it was a pedigree that got
‘wide’ rapidly. Marcrest Encore was the magic cross with her Odyssey
dam. That mating resulted in 14 Excellent full sisters, of which Ashlyn
was not even the first famous show cow. Her sister, Tri-Day Adeen
EX-93, was already a four-time All-American by the time Ashlyn took
her first steps into the show ring in 1997 as a fall calf. Adeen was
owned and campaigned by Oseeana Holsteins of West Virginia, who
quickly recognized that lightning had struck twice when they purchased Ashlyn as calf in the summer of 1997. She had a notable show
record as a heifer, being named Reserve All-American Fall Calf in
1997 and HHM All-American Fall Yearling in 1998.
Ernest Kueffner of Maryland bought into the cow after she calved as a
two-year-old and she hit her stride as a show cow as a three- and fouryear-old.
Ernie Kueffner
“She really knew she was going to win. She loved
the ring and always carried herself with pride
and confidence, yet she was so gentle and graceful for a big cow. It was tough to beat her."
There was a strong demand for embryos out of her after her Supreme
Champion campaign in 2001. German breeders in particular wanted
9/8/15 1:49 PM
Kingsmill Durham Ava EX-93
Durham granddaughter of Ashlyn
EO Siemers Ashlyns Angel EX-96 3E GMD
Four-time All-American nominee
Storm embryos, one of which resulted in the popular type sire EKOseeana Storm Alert at Masterrind.
The matings
Ernie thought the Storm cross to Ashlyn was a good one and decided
to flush her to the Storm son, Comestar Stormatic, for more embryos.
In those pre-genomic days, Ernie used the bull fairly early. Stormatic
had just received his initial proof in February, 2002 and shortly after,
he was used as a flush sire to Ashlyn. “I wanted to give her more dairy
character, open up the rib a little and protect the teat size a bit,” reflects
Ernie. Surprisingly, these embryos didn’t sell as well as he anticipated.
Siemers Holsteins bought a few, but in the end, Ernie ended up implanting them for calves himself.
Of course, as we now know, that Stormatic cross to Ashlyn was one of
the most successful in breed history. From that early flush came:
EK-OSEEANA AMBROSIA EX-95 3E
- Reserve All-American 4-Year-Old 2007
- Reserve All-American Junior 2-Year-Old 2005
EK-OSEEANA APHRODITE EX-95 2E
- Nominated All-American 125,000 Lb Cow 2010
- Member All-American Best Three Females 2007 & 2009
EO SIEMERS ASHLYNS ANGEL EX-96 3E
- Reserve All-American Aged Cow 2010
- Reserve All-Canadian Mature Cow 2010
- Nominated All-American 4-Year-Old 2008
- Reserve All-American Senior 2-Year-Old 2006
- All-American Winter Yearling 2005
A later result of Stormatic x Ashlyn yielded Kingsmill Ashlyns Audrey
EX-94, who was nominated All-American Junior Two-Year-Old in
2010. From the embryos nobody wanted came four full sisters all
scored EX-94 or higher and all attaining All-American nominations
or awards! Certainly, it’s a rare, rare achievement in the Holstein
breed.
Of course, with her extreme type and exemplary show ring record,
other embryos were exported to Europe. Smiddiehill Durm Ashlyn
EX-90-UK, the result of an Ashlyn x Durham embryo that landed in
the UK, was the Intermediate Champion of the National Holstein
Show in 2010, taking the family show ring success global. This Ashlyn
Siemers Alisha Gold Ava EX-95 2E GMD
Holstein Association USA Star of the Breed
has also proven herself to be quite a brood cow. Her Goldwyn daughter owned by Sterndale and Peak Holsteins, Sterndale Gold Ashlyn
EX-91-UK was the All-Britain Champion Junior Heifer in Milk in
2010. Her full sister, Riverdane Gold Ashlyn, is scored VG-89-UK for
her owners, Willsbro Holsteins. Durm Ashlyn’s most famous daughter, Riverdane Talented Ashlyn EX-93 EX-94-MS, is one of Talent’s
finest daughters in Europe. She has collected numerous championships for her Riverdane Holsteins operation including being named
the All-Britain Intermediate Heifer in Milk Champion in 2012. She is
bred back to calve early next year to hopefully compete at the European Championship Show in France. Owner Mark Nutsford thinks
highly of his Ashlyns as a group.
Mark Nutsford, Riverdane
“They are one of our best families.
Good udders are a given and they have
great power and strength coupled with
capacity and openness of rib – traits that are
hard to come by in this genomic era!”
High-end homes
In the fall of 2003, Kingsmill Farm II of North Carolina, the eventual
breeder of Audrey, purchased Ashlyn from Oseeana Holsteins and
Ernie Kueffner. There she entered an intensive IVF program and over
the next seven years made over 150 offspring with the Kingsmill prefix totaling 21 Excellents and 49 Very Goods to date. In addition to
Audrey, Kingsmill Ashlyns Aisha (sired by Wilcoxview Jasper) and
Kingsmill Ashlyns Ashore (sired by Goldwyn) are also scored EX-94,
the highest scored cows to date from the Kingsmill group.
When it became clear in 2010 that Kingsmill would be dispersing
their registered herd, Tim Abbott of St. Jacobs/ABC bought Ashlyn
for their female program which emphasizes making offspring out of
high-profile, high-type cows. Ashlyn certainly fit the bill and she
made over 30 Very Good and Excellent daughters sired primarily by
St. Jacobs bulls including Aftershock, Resolute, Fremont, Destry and
Perseus. In July of 2011, Ashlyn changed hands for the last time and
found her final home in Wisconsin at Siemers Holsteins.
Siemers had previously purchased embryos out of Ashlyn including,

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Ashlyn Feature.indd 11
9/3/15 2:46 PM
as noted in her name, EO Siemers Ashlyns Angel EX-96 3E, who was
born and raised at the farm. Another daughter, EO Siemers Ashlyn
Alisha (sired by Gibson), was the Reserve All-Wisconsin Spring Yearling in 2004 and flushed to Goldwyn as a heifer. While Alisha was lost
at calving, her Goldwyn daughter, Siemers Alisha Gold Ava, eventually scored EX-95 and continued the family tradition of show ring
glory. Nominated All-American as a Spring Calf, Spring Yearling, Junior Two-Year-Old, Five-Year-Old, 125,000 Lb. Cow, Ava was also
named the Holstein USA Star of the Breed in 2012. She was, incidentally, Braedale Goldwyn’s very first All-American nominated daughter
and went on to make an incredible record of 56,330M 4.1%F 2301F
3.3%P 1865P at 5-03.
“We were thrilled to have the opportunity to give Ashlyn a great home.
She was a special personality and always loved attention,” says Sherry
Siemers-Peterman. The Siemers flushed her primarily to high-type
genomic sires. Those first daughters are calving this year and they still
have many yearlings and calves on the farm sired by Defiant, Atwood,
Brokaw, Wood and Armani among others.
Sherry Siemers-Peterman
“We feel she’ll be one of the most recognized
cows of all time. If you are a cow connoisseur,
you’ll know who Ashlyn is!”
As the family continues to grow and expand around the world, the
members keep doing what they do best: excel in the show ring.
Kingsmill Atwood Alison EX-92, a granddaughter of Ashlyn out of
Ernest-Anthony Alison VG-86 (sired by Gibson), was the winning
four-year-old and Reserve Grand Champion for Milksource Genetics
of Wisconsin at the Midwest Spring National Show earlier this year.
Nominated All-American Senior Two-Year-Old for Milksource in
2012, she is now owned by Jordan and Whitney Ebert of Wisconsin.
An Ashlyn great-grandaughter, Sahara Atwood Ambrosia 5, carries a
max score of VG-89 in the UK and is one of Europe’s highest PTAT
cows. Owned by Sahara and Wiltor Holsteins, she is an Atwood out of
a VG-89 Toystory out of Ambrosia and was named Grand Champion
at the 2015 Royal Welsh Show and the 2015 Celtic Dairy Showcase.
Ashlyn’s highest scored daughter appears to be her one of her best
transmitting as well – EO Siemers Ashlyns Angel EX-96 3E GMD
DOM, owned by Arethusa Farm of Connecticut. Her EX Durham
daughter, Butz-Butler Durham Angel, is the dam of a perennial show
ring favorite, Milksource Goldwyn Africa EX-95, nominated AllAmerican Aged Cow in 2014 and a many-time champion for owners,
Peter and Lyn Vail and Budjon Farms of Wisconsin.
And it’s due to Angel that this story comes full circle back to one of the
people that helped start it. The Unanimous All-American Senior TwoYear-Old in 2014 was Arethusa Fever Almira EX-92, owned by Ernest
Kueffner. Almira is a Fever daughter out of Arethusa Angels Affection
EX-92, who herself was All-American Milking Yearling in 2009, then
All-American Angel and All-American Ashlyn. Four generations of
All-Americans – and Ernie had a hand in every mating from his early
co-ownership of Ashlyn to his time at managing at Arethusa with Angel to his outright ownership of Almira. “When Almira won her class
last year that was probably the most satisfying win at Madison I’ve
ever had,” comments Ernie. “It’s a rare feat to have four generations of
All-Americans – and it all started with Ashlyn.”
Sterndale Ashlyns Valentine VG-87-UK
Granddaughter of Tri-Day Ashlyn
12 | Hotspots
Ashlyn Feature.indd 12
9/3/15 2:46 PM
The Ashlyn Pedigree.indd 1
♀ Tri-Day Ashlyn EX-96 2E GMD DOM
(s. Marcrest Encore)
♀ Bendy-Brook Odyssey Favorite EX-92 2E DOM
(s. Dreamstreet Odyssey)
♀ Bendy-Brook Star Fonda VG-86
(s. Glen-Valley Star)
THE ASHLYNS
♀ Sterndale Gold Ashlyn EX-91
(s. Braedale Goldwyn)
♀ Five-Mills Amarula
(s. Maple-Downs-I G W Atwood)
♀ Kingsmill Mac Annissa VG-85
(s. Regancrest-HHF Mac)
♀ Sahara Atwood Ambrosia VG-89-2YR
(s. Maple-Downs-I G W Atwood)
♀ Milksource BLV Alexxis EX-90
(s. Magor Bolivia Allen)
♀ Smiddiehill Toystory Ambrosia VG-89
(s. Jenny-Lou Mrshl Toystory)
♀ Ernest-Anthony Andorra EX-90
(s. Regancrest Elton Durham)
♀ EK-Oseeana Ambrosia EX-95 GMD
(s. Comestar Stormatic)
♀ Ridgefield Durham Ambrosia VG-85
(s. Regancrest Elton Durham)
♀ Ernest-Anthony Aquarius EX-92
(s. Regancrest Dundee)
♀ Ernest-Anthony Accolade EX-92
(s. Braedale Golwdyn)
♀ Ernest-Anthony Acoustic EX-93
(s. Braedale Goldwyn)
♀ Ernest-Anthony Astoria EX-94
(s. Braedale Goldwyn)
♀ Kingsmill Ashlyn Ashore EX-94
(s. Braedale Goldwyn)
♀ Ernest-Anthony Aphrodite EX-95
(s. Comestar Stormatic)
♀ Kingsmill Atwood Alison EX-92
(s. Maple-Downs I G W Atwood)
♀ Arethusa Angels Affection EX-92
(s. To-Mar D Fortune)
♀ EO Siemers Ashlyns Angel EX-96 3E GMD DOM
(s. Comestar Stormatic)
♀ Ernest-Anthony Alison VG-86
(s. Silky Gibson)
♀ Butz-Butler Durham Amy EX-95
(s. Regancrest Elton Durham)
♀ Kingsmill Ashlyns Anissa EX-92
(s. Scientific Destry)
♀ Butz-Butler Durham Angel EX-90
(s. Braedale Goldwyn)
♀ Arethusa Goldwyn Avenue EX-91
(s. Braedale Goldwyn)
♀ Siemers Wood Ashlynn
(s. Pine-Shelter Clay Wood)
♀ Siemers Alisha Gold Ava EX-95
(s. Braedale Goldwyn)
♀ Hez Heztry Anne
(s. St-Jacob Destry Heztry)
♀ Kingsmill Ashlyns Audrey EX-94
(s. Comestar Stormatic)
♀ EO Siemers Ashlyn Alisha N.C.
(s. Silky Gibson)
♀ EK-Erhardt Sid Abeline VG-87-3YR
(s. Pine-Tree Sid)
♀ Riverdane Talented Ashlyn EX-93
(s. Ladino Park Talent)
♀ EK-Oseeana Ashlyns Allure EX-91
(s. Regancrest Elton Durham)
♀ Tri-Day Ashlyn 2 *RC VG-87-2YR
(s. Ladino Park Talent)
♀ Smiddiehill Durm Ashlyn EX-90
(s. Regancrest Elton Durham)
♀ G.N. Ashlyn P-Red VG-87-2YR
(s. Aggravation Lawn Boy P-Red)
♀ Sterndale Ashlyns Valentine VG-87-2YR
(s. Braedale Goldwyn)
♀ Anderstrup Shottle Ashlina EX-90
(s. Picston Shottle)
♀ Saxony Storm Amely VG-89
(s. Maughlin Storm)
♀ Sterndale Gold Ashlyn VG-89
(s. Braedale Goldwyn)
♀ Riverdane PS Ashlyn VG-87-2YR
(s. Picston Shottle)
♀ Kingsmill Durham Ava EX-93
(s. Regancrest Elton Durham)
♀ EK-Oseeana Mason Ashley EX-90
(s. Shoremar Mason)
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♀ CloverhillFM Atwd Angela EX-92
(s. Maple-Downs I G W Atwood)
♀ Arethusa Fever Almira EX-92
(s. Crackholm Fever)
♀ Milksource Goldwn Africa EX-95
(s. Braedale Goldwyn)
♀ Riverdane Golden Ashlyn VG-86-2YR
(s. Golden-Oaks Alexander)