Stiles Receives Max Gordon Award
Wayne Stiles, Westminster, Md., has been named the Max Gordon Recognition Award recipient for 2024. He was honored at a ceremony held during the National Jersey Jug Futurity in Louisville, Ky., on November 10.
The Max Gordon Recognition Award is given annually to an exhibitor who possesses the five key elements for which the award’s namesake stood: sportsmanship, ethics, professionalism, ability and promotion of the Jersey cow. Recipients are chosen by a committee of individuals who have previously received the Max Gordon Recognition Award.
Former NFL player and motivational speaker extraordinaire Trent Shelton once said, “It takes all kinds of people to make the world go round.” Some thrive on making decisions and basking in the spotlight. Others shine behind the scenes, ensuring everything runs seamlessly.
Wayne Stiles embodies the latter. For more than 50 years, this Jersey breeder known as “Uncle Wayne” by many, has fostered inclusion in the dairy community, especially among young people and those getting a start with Jerseys. Though mild-mannered, congenial and unassuming, he possesses a keen awareness of all that is happening and an innate ability to recognize needs and take action to address them.
He and his brother, Allen, operate Spring Valley Farm on a dairy farm established by their grandfather, N.C. Stiles, in 1921 with grade Holsteins. When he feared he might lose his milk market in 1924, the patriarch introduced his first Jersey to the milking string to boost the fat content of their milk. Today the farm is home to about 120 head of Jerseys, including cattle bred and developed by Wayne’s late nephew, Michael Heath, who received the Max Gordon Award in 2022. The herd has an average final score of 89.3% and includes 28 Excellent and 19 Very Good cows.
Showing has been a passion and lifestyle for the Stiles family for decades. They have been a mainstay at the Maryland State Fair and World Dairy Expo and have shown at the Pennsylvania All-American Dairy Show every year since it was established in 1964. They have also been strong supporters of the All American Jersey Show, where they exhibited several champions and more than a dozen All American or Reserve All Americans to date. Equally impressive, they have bred tanbark winners now in strings of some of the dairy industry’s most highly visible, elite show herds.
Wayne’s helpful nature likely stems from his upbringing in a large extended family, where hospitality was a way of life. The doors to the home and barn were always open and anyone with an interest in cows was welcome. In this environment, strangers quickly became friends and family.
The Stiles family has been involved with 4-H and other youth programs across three generations. More than 30 descendants of N.C. Stiles have competed on Maryland 4-H dairy judging teams, including Wayne and Allen, their father, John, and Michael. The family first invited the Maryland 4-H dairy cattle judging team to practice on the Spring Valley cattle in 1962, an act that has continued every year since. John also established the tradition of filling a trailer with project animals from the herd for youth from the community to exhibit at the fair free of charge.
Wayne continues the ritual and ensures all boxes are checked so juniors can take their turn in the ring.
“Wayne wears a lot of hats to get this done,” summed Tom Arrowsmith, Hillacres Jerseys, Peach Bottom, Pa., who has worked with Stiles for decades. “He makes sure kids have animals to show, a way to get to the show, and paperwork that is in order, things that can easily be overlooked if one is not organized or does not pay attention.”
Wayne takes his mentoring job seriously. Last year, when he learned the grandson of his longtime significant other, the late Marcia Molesworth, was coming to the farm to work with his project calf, Wayne changed plans for attending a high-visibility cattle sale so he could work with the youngster.
Acts like this have been common over the years.
“When I was growing up, Wayne used to come to the farm to help us pick project calves for my siblings and me,” said Doug Martin, Pleasant Valley Jerseys LLC, Chambersburg, Pa. “We looked forward to his visits every year and trusted his eye for finding the most promising prospects.”
“Though we milked Holsteins in those days, it was Wayne who helped me buy some of my first Jerseys,” Martin continued. “When I was 14 years old, he took me with him to Ohio for the Folck Classic Sale, where I purchased a heifer that became my 4-H project that year and launched my Jersey herd.”
By 1988, the Martins had transitioned from Holsteins to Jerseys, a shift smoothed with the guidance of people like Wayne. “Though Michael was the first to call him ‘Uncle Wayne,’ he earned that title from countless others he mentored over the years, just as he did for us.”
“Wayne and the whole Stiles-Heath clan treated us like we were family. They let me tie in with their string at the Maryland State Fair and the Pennsylvania All-American and took me to the All American several times.”
Spring Valley Farm was inducted into the Maryland Dairy Shrine in 2017 and received the McKown Master Breeder Award with Heath Jerseys in 2023.
Wayne has been active in show arenas, at the halter of many blue-ribbon winners, and in the center of the ring as the official. He has presented cattle for breeders of nearly every dairy breed, earning the title of “ambassador to all.” Wayne has judged Jerseys at the Eastern States Exposition and Holsteins at the Pennsylvania and Maryland spring shows. He was Michael’s associate judge for the International Jersey Show held during World Dairy Expo in 2015 and has also served as president of the Maryland Jersey Cattle Club.
Previous winners of the Max Gordon Recognition Award include Rob and Lisa Leach, Linwood, Kan. (2023); Michael Heath, Westminster, Md. (2022)*; Ted DeMent, Kenney, Ill. (2021); Donna Greiwe, Sidney, Ohio (2020); Steve Bachelor, Angola, Ind. (2019)*; Kevin Williams, McConnelsville, Ohio (2018); Greg Bourne, Ansonia, Ohio (2017); Roger Riebe, Cumberland, Wis. (2016); Steve White, New Castle, Ind. (2015); Jeff and Alta Mae Core, Salvisa, Ky. (2014); Gene “Bambi” Henderson, Manchester, Iowa (2013); Norman Nabholz, West Union, Iowa (2012); George Barlass, Janesville, Wis. (2011)*, Jim VanBuskirk, Mich. (2010)*; Brian Sayles, Ont. (2009); Mike Stiles, Va. (2008); Harry Mykrantz, Ohio (2007)*; Ronnie Rider, Ky. (2006); Chuck Myers, Ohio (2005)*; Charles Luchsinger, N.Y. (2004); and Ron Mosser, Ind. (2003). *deceased
