A Fitting Job for the Farm Show

Dick Wanner
Lancaster Farming Staff

HARRISBURG, Pa. — One of the busiest guys at the 2009 Pennsylvania Farm Show was Brian Sparling, of Ralston, Pa. But he wasn’t showing, selling, scooping or judging. Sparling is a professional fitter, whose business it is to get dairy cows ready for the showing and the judging.

When we spotted him in the dairy barn last January, Sparling was putting the finishing touches on Lola, a spiffy looking Brown Swiss that was part of the Kir-Kare Dairy Farm in Millville, Pa. Karen Cramer — the “Kare” part of “Kir-Kare” — was at the Farm Show with 15 Brown Swiss, one Jersey and five little Cramers. Husband Kirk — the “Kir” part — stayed home to tend to chores.

The “Kare” part wasn’t about to get a small herd of cows and a carful of kids ready for a show, so she called on the services of Sparling and his assistant, D.J.

“We’re here because it’s a learning experience for the kids and a great way to educate the public,” she said in the Farm Show dairy barn. “But I need some help to get everything done.”

Sparling has managed to making fitting and hauling animals — to and from sales as well as shows — a full-time job. He got into showing animals through 4-H and FFA and started doing his own animals at the age of 10.

He’ll be at the 2010 Farm Show on Thursday and Friday, helping Dale and Nina Bendig get ready. Last year, the Bendig’s showed their champion Red Holstein to supreme champion, the top cow in the show.

“I keep busy most of the year,” Sparling said. “The economy affected us last year, and it certainly hasn’t gotten any better. But we’re doing okay. And from what I’m hearing, most of the dairymen who were at the Farm Show in 2009 will be back in 2010.”

A significant part of Sparling’s year-round business is clipping cows for classifications. He hauls animals for on-farm and consignment sales, also, and said he’s been involved in sales and fitting for 26 years.

Dick Wanner can be reached at rwanner.eph@lnpnews.com or (717) 419-4703.