NEW YORK HOLSTEIN BREEDER WINS 2009 KLUSSENDORF TROPHY

Charlie McEvoy, Marathon, N.Y, was named the 68th winner of the Klussendorf Trophy, the highest recognition given to a dairy cattle showman in the United States. The award is made in memory of Arthur B. Klussendorf, considered the outstanding showman of his time and a model for all those who have followed him.

McEvoy’s selection was made by members of the Klussendorf Memorial Association, formed in 1937, at its annual meeting held earlier this week in Madison, Wis. He received the silver trophy designed by Tiffany Jewelers of New York City from the 2008 winner and this year’s judge of the International Holstein Show, Mark Rueth, Oxford, Wis.

This year’s Klussendorf winner has a long and distinguished history with the dairy cow. McEvoy was born into a farm family who raised registered Holsteins and began showing at a very young age, and has since been part of the showring for every season of his 74 years. At age 16, he moved to Marathon, New York with his mother and father, and for nearly 60 years has resided at the same farm which he now owns in partnership with his youngest son.

It was in the early 1950s when McEvoy met Henry Thomas, a nationally known cattleman who served as his mentor for the coming years. Thomas worked with the McDonald Farm Guernsey herd and was the 1951 Klussendorf Award winner. During those days, the newest Klussendorf winner traveled across the country by railway to shows in Columbus, Chicago, Waterloo, and points farther west. During the ensuing years, our 2009 honoree worked with many Klussendorf winners and even helped Harry Strohmeyer, one of the three original members of the Klussendorf Committee, take several cattle pictures.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, he continued to worked with great herds such as McJunkins, McDonalds Properties Guernsey’s, working with Denny Ferguson and High Meadow Guernseys, again teaming up with Henry Thomas. In the 1980s and 1990s, McEvoy worked at World Dairy Expo for great breeding establishments such as Lylehaven, Mansion Valley, Ladyholm, Pamtom Farms, Dreamstreet Holsteins, Sycamore Hill Jerseys, and Areuthusa. At the same time, he has found time to show his very own MacMara herd.

A very generous man, McEvoy is very active in his county and state, helping out at numerous dairy shows. In 2006, he was honored for his dedication to the Cortland Classic show, and, in 2007, was honored for his outstanding fellowship and sportsmanship at the New York State Fair. Just this past year, this Marathon, New York native was named the 2009 Master Breeder at the New York All Breeds Convention. With all this said, perhaps his finest attribute comes from the fact he and his wife, Caroline, have raised and educated eight children who are professionally employed as engineers, lab techs, extension educator, and dairy producers.

For more information, contact World Dairy Expo at 608-224-6455 or http://www.worlddairyexpo.com.