HARRISBURG, Pa. – For the past 39 consecutive years, the Pennsylvania Turnpike has been a familiar route for the dairy cattle show string of Twin Brook Farm of Bentleyville, Pa.
The Marchezak/McMurray family of Twin Brook is one of the six families to be honored at the 40th celebration of the All-American Dairy Show.
The Marchezak family began showing at the newly established national dairy show, called the Pennsylvania All-American Dairy Show, in 1964, its first year. It has made this Harrisburg trip a family tradition ever since.
Starting out. Beginning with the late John Marchezak, three generations of the family have shown at the All-American Dairy Show.
John was very involved in the farming industry with his own milking herd, an on-the-farm butcher shop, and a walking door-to-door milk delivery route.
He was very supportive of the possibility of a national dairy show being established in his home state of Pennsylvania. John and his family had been very active showing Guernseys at various national locations, and welcomed the possibility of a national level show located much closer to home.
Support. John so admired many of the gentlemen who were working diligently on the show, such as the late Cuthbert Nairn, Sr., and the late Lee Yost, that he decided to support the new show.
John and his wife, Dorothy, had three children and all three were involved in showing the Twin Brook Guernseys.
They all made that first trip to Harrisburg to exhibit at the newly instituted Pennsylvania All-American Dairy Show.
Children’s involvement. Quickly all three children, Patty Marchezak McMurray, Jan Marchezak Ivcic, and their brother, John E. Marchezak began participating in many aspects of this national show and they have continued their involvement each year.
The Marchezak family began exhibiting at the National Guernsey Show held at the All-American, and as youth exhibitors in the Pennsylvania Junior Dairy Show.
They have been a class sponsor for the National Guernsey Show for all 40 years. The farm continues to serve as a host farm, offering hospitality and assistance to all fellow exhibitors and striving to make all fellow breeders and friends feel very welcomed.
Judging, winning. During their college years, Patty and John both judged in the Invitational Youth Dairy Judging Contest as part of the Penn State University dairy cattle team.
In 1966, Twin Brook won grand champion Guernsey in the All-American Dairy Show with Peach Green Paula and this award became quite a highlight in the showring career of John Marchezak.
In 1970, Holsteins were exhibited for the first time and became a permanent part of the show string.
In 1980, John Marchezak was chosen as judge for the All-American Dairy Show Milking Shorthorn Show.
Showing family. Numerous class winners and champions have been bestowed upon this successful showing family, including grand champion of the 1967 Pennsylvania Guernsey Junior Dairy Show. John E. Marchezak received this honor with Twin Brook B K Posey.
For the next 10 years after this championship, a direct descendent of Posey was exhibited at one of the shows during All-American Dairy Show Week, and many were first-place class winners.
Ironically, all of her daughters were from the same sire and they looked identical. Additionally, more than 40 offspring from Posey have been shown.
Family members. The most recently exhibited family members were: Twin Brook Dante Iris, a first-place spring calf, owned by John E. Marchezak’s daughter, Randi, and leased to a Pennsylvania 4-H member Twin Brook Loyal Bloom was shown as a 3-year-old furthermore, at least two members of Posey’s family will be exhibited during the 2003 All-American Dairy Show Week.
In addition to the families taking a full string to Harrisburg each fall, John E. Marchezak has been an official at the Pennsylvania Junior Dairy Show.
He will represent LIRA Animal Health Products of Churubusco, N.Y., to present the $2,000 award to the owner of the youth supreme champion at the 2003 All-American Dairy Show.
Patty Marchezak. Patty Marchezak McMurray has only missed three of the past 39 shows because she was giving birth to the couple’s three sons.
In addition to being a judging contestant, she has been a leadsperson, coach, and official judge for the Invitational Youth Dairy Cattle Judging Contest and the Dairy Judging Forum.
She has coached youth in the Dairyman’s Contest and assisted with grade school tours.
She has served on the Show Improvement Committee, the 25th Anniversary Committee, Hospitality Committee, and has been a Good Housekeeping Judge.
Patty has helped with the cheese and milk booth, and has been exhibiting at the All-Dairy Antique and Collectibles Show for the past five years.
A committee composed of Patty, John Morris, and Elsie Wolff created and set the standards for the All-American Image award.
This award was instituted in 1993 to recognize those who have enhanced the image of the show by significant contributions toward its reputation, prestige, and welfare. Patty has also served as a judge for the Supreme Champion Pageant.
Since birth. The All-American Dairy Show became a real family affair for the Marchezak/McMurrays.
Members of the third generation of the Twin Brook families have been very active at the All-American Dairy Show practically since their birth.
The McMurray boys spent many hours in a Radio Flyer wagon while in the barns.
Patty remarks, ” It was the best way to keep the boys at the show when they were young. If I needed to go to the milk house or another location, I could just pull them along with me.”
Grandchildren. All of the grandchildren have shown as 4-H’ers, Junior Guernsey members, and have participated in many of the opportunities offered youth at the All-American Dairy Show.
Jonathan McMurray placed fourth in 1997, and Adam McMurray placed first in 1999 in the Youth Showmanship Contest.
John E. Marchezak’s daughter, Randi, added Jerseys to the family show string. In 2001 she won best bred and owned female at the Pennsylvania Junior Dairy Show in both the Guernsey and Jersey breeds.
Justin McMurray met his wife, Rebecca Kelly McMurray, a fellow 4-H’er, at the All-American Dairy Show.
Her father, Thomas Kelly, was the second show manager of the All-American Dairy Show serving from 1969 to 1973.
The fourth generation of the Twin Brook Families, Patty’s granddaughter, attended the 2001 show at the age of 3 months.
They are all eager once again to travel the familiar Pennsylvania Turnpike route to the All-American Dairy Show Sept. 21-15.
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