Many dairy families would say the cows are their life, their fate, and their calling.
A calling to raise dairy cattle is in our blood just as distinctly as the specific characteristics selected for and bred into our cattle and passed down through generations. A cow, or cow family, can connect you to a mentor long past, who was the reason your name was put on that first registration paper, helped your young hands first hold that heavy set of clippers, or shocked you with how much they were willing to invest in you with the price they paid for the best calf at the calf sale to be your project. For those of us who are part of this life, the cow,the mentor, and the showring were an integral part of of our destiny.
"Written in the Stars, Revealed in the Ring" is the theme for the 59th All-American Dairy Show and Premier National Junior Shows and Events being held September 16 -20, 2023 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg.
Show organizers felt this theme captured the calling exhibitors share, working with their dairy cattle, showing how far they have come, and honoring the legacy that lies in their cows' bloodlines, and is reflected in their own lives.
The All-American Dairy Show will feature nearly 2,000 of the top dairy cattle shown by more than 750 of the best exhibitors from the U.S. and Canada. The event offers 21 dairy shows in five days, including three days dedicated to youth shows, contests, and programs.
The show supports the industry by offering networking opportunities for youth and adults, helping increase the value of their cattle, and providing great youth development experiences. Judging, fitting, showing, and dairy management contests held during the show are a great way for youth to develop skills crucial to the industry, and the events are a showcase for youth who are the future dairy farmers of Pennsylvania and America.