The 2024 butter cow display at the Ohio State Fair celebrates elite athletes, honoring Ohio’s dairy farmers.
Created from 2,000 pounds of butter, this display is a fun and creative way to highlight Ohio’s dairy industry and engage with fairgoers, said Pickaway County dairy farmer Greg Conrad, who milks 85 Ayrshire, Holstein, and Red and White Holsteins.
“We’re thrilled with this display every year. As dairy farmers, we love the excitement around the State Fair. The dairy cow is like a super athlete. We’ve made great strides in production year after year in dairy farming. We ensure she gets all the nutrients she needs to thrive and give her the best comfort possible, using superior genetics to improve each generation,” Conrad said. “It’s wonderful to show the public what can be done with butter. We’re very proud of our dairy products, especially butter. Everyone tries to imitate butter flavor, but we have the real thing and are proud of it.”
This year, the butter cow and calf are adorned with butter medallions and stand beside life-size butter sculptures of four elite athletes: a track and field para athlete at the starting line, a gymnast on a balance beam, a cyclist rounding a curve, and a high-jumper clearing the bar.
“Athletes are dedicated to perfecting their craft, pushing their limits, and striving for excellence,” said Jenny Crabtree, senior vice president of communications at the American Dairy Association Mideast. “Elite athletes become role models, inspiring us to chase our dreams and believe in our potential.”
The butter sculptures were crafted by a team of Ohio-based technical sculptors led by Paul Brooke of Cincinnati, including Tammy Buerk of West Chester, Erin Birum of Columbus, dairy farmer Matt Davidson of Sidney, and Joe Metzler of Auburn. The team spent approximately 450 hours on the display, with 375 hours dedicated to sculpting inside a 46-degree cooler.