Edith and Chelsea continued to show and mature and as a yearling, Edith was a top 10 heifer at WDE. However, that was the only time Chelsea didn’t show her because Chelsea was too young to enter the show ring.  So that year our good friend Fitzy showed the heifer that the little girl always showed and said that she was nothing short of miserable! Chelsea, Edith, and many of her progeny won championships locally and nationally and Edith and her family earned Chelsea nearly a dozen Junior All-American nominations. The big black cow and the little girl at her halter were known around the world because of their incredible teamwork and connection.  

Edith went on to produce a lifetime production record of over 270,000 lbs and excelled on our flush program. She spent the last few years as a retired lady, owning the pastures around our home in Sheldon. Sadly in the winter of 2017, Edith’s 17 year old body began to give out from carrying around her 2000 pound frame and on a cold spring day we made the agonizing decision to put her down. She now graces the pasture at our house where she loved to graze and lay on summer days. As we made the decision to put her down, we had to reflect at what this black cow had given our family. Even though Edith was Chelsea’s and Caitlyn wasn’t lucky enough to have a cow like her, Edith brought something to all of us.  She taught us how to compete and work hard, how to win and how to lose.  She brought our family on many great trips and grew up with our girls.  She was Chelsea’s best friend when she was a teenager and felt like she couldn’t talk to anyone and a friend that was always here to greet her when she returned home from college or other far away places. Edith blessed us with many daughters and embryos and she helped pay Chelsea’s way through Virginia Tech and sparked her passion to study IVF and reproduction for her Masters at the University of Tennessee.   

So, we say thanks to a great friend and part of our family.