The award was established in memory of Obie Snider of Bedford County, a founding father of the All-American Dairy Show. It recognizes an individual who places significant value in service to the industry and community and displays high standards of conduct.

“As a contemporary of Obie’s, John has witnessed the evolution of the show and has contributed to its growth through sponsorships over the years. He is the epitome of the kind of person the award was designed to recognize.”

Raised on a crop and livestock farm in Lancaster County, John graduated from Penn State in 1952 with a degree in agricultural economics.

Just before graduation, John was recruited by the owner of a dental supply company, who inherited several farms in south-central Pennsylvania, to establish a dairy business. Ashcombe Farm Dairy in Cumberland County and Ashcombe Dover Dairy in York County were formed, and Cope worked for the enterprise for 45 years.

John recalls visiting Obie Snider’s farm to glean ideas from Snider’s jugging operation when developing the Ashcombe businesses. In the 1960s, John began a jugging business selling 12,000-13,000 gallons of milk a week from the two dairies’ more than 500 cows, as well as processing eggnog and ice cream.

John established the herd of Holsteins from breeding stock purchased at the National Holstein Convention, sparking his interest in registered cattle. Through the years, under the Ashcombe prefix, John marketed cattle in seven countries and became active in the Pennsylvania Holstein Association, where he served as treasurer, vice-president and president. Under his leadership, the association grew to more than 6,000 members in 1980, making it the largest state membership in the country.

Elected as a director to the National Holstein Association in the mid 1980s, John went on to serve a two-year term as president in 1995. During that time, he traveled to Germany, Holland, Japan and Mexico to help open international markets for U.S. cattle.