INDIANAPOLIS — Former WRTV consumer reporter and 1979 state cow-milking champion Barbara Boyd returned to defend her title outside the Indiana Statehouse 45 years ago today.
The annual event, an Agriculture Day tradition, pitted area news media personalities against one another in a cow-milking competition. Indiana Governor Otis Bowen and Lt. Gov. Robert Orr were among the elected officials on hand.
Boyd, who won the competition in 1979, said it was important to have “good fingers” when milking a cow. Boyd’s competition both on the air and under the udder, was WISH-TV’s Kim Sanders.
The cattle competitors were a Holstein named Esther-Sue, and a Jersey named Karen. Boyd noted Esther-Sue was a “cool, calm, and collected” cow while Karen was not very friendly. Karen’s unpleasant demeanor was captured on camera when she gave Sanders a cold-hearted kick.
Despite the tussle, Sanders and Karen were able to squeeze out a victory in the 1980 competition.
