Dave and Linda Cochard
Together, Dave and Linda Cochard have 80 years experience working with Guernsey cattle.
Dave was born in 1940 at Hoosier Heart Farm, a registered Guernsey operation in Indiana. He received both state and national recognition for his 4-H dairy project work during the 1950s and has continued his work over the years with the Guernsey breed.
Linda, born in 1941 at Cleburne, Tex., owned and operated Dewberry Farm, a registered Guernsey farm in Texas. She was also a 4-H club member during her high school years.
After their marriage in 1983, the Cochards developed a small, but quality, herd of registered Guernseys. Over the years they have had 45 Open and/or Junior All Americans, 29 Excellent cows, National Show Champions, and seven National Class Leading records. Their first All-American was the 1956 All-American two year old and the most recent is the 1998 All-American Aged Cow.
Both are active in the Missouri Guernsey Breeders’ Association, and each has served as its president. Together, they co-chaired the 1991 National Guernsey Convention in St. Louis and were co-chairs for the first and second Ozark Jubilee Guernsey Sales.
In 1998, Dave was appointed Executive Secretary Treasurer of the American Guernsey Association and is presently a member of the board of directors.
Both Dave and Linda have judged state dairy shows and Dave has judged several shows in Australia. In 2001 they have been invited to Australia for one to judge the Sydney Royal and the other to judge the Toowomba District Show.
Both have been active in 4-H dairy leader roles in their home states and Missouri. Linda was the coach of two state winning 4-H dairy judging teams in Texas and Dave is still a 4-H dairy leader in Franklin County.
They also belong to the National Dairy Shrine, Missouri Dairy Hall of Honors, the Missouri and Indiana Guernsey Breeders’ Associations, Indiana 4-H Key Club Foundation, Air Line Pilots Association, and the American Guernsey Association.
They were nominated to receive the Dairy Hall of Honors Distinguished Dairy Cattle Breeder Award by the Missouri Guernsey Breeders’ Association.
Dave holds a BS degree in dairy production granted by Purdue University in 1962. At Purdue, Dave was a soloist with the Purdue Varsity Glee Club and performed for the President of the United States. In 1962 he sang “Back Home in Indiana” to open the running of the Indianapolis 500 and continues to sing for different events.
He was a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force from 1962 to 1966 and served in Vietnam in 1965 66. There, he received the Air Medal with Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and the Distinguished Flying Cross.
While Guernseys have always been important, Dave was also an airline pilot. He retired in 1996 as a captain after 29 years service with Trans World Airlines.
Linda attended Richland College and East Texas State University. The Cochards have four children – Gary Cochard is an electrician; Kristin Gage is an elementary teacher; Michael Cochard is a pharmaceutical representative; and Karla Woods is an agency field specialist for State Farm Insurance. They also have six grandchildren.
Dave and Linda live in Union, Mo.