In 2001 I was SO excited when the Cow Parade figurines became available. I thought Westland Giftware did a great job on their reproductions. At that time the Beanie Baby craze had ended. (If you remember that craze, the manufacturer made a major goof and discontinued items – then changed their mind. Anyway the craze ended in a poof.)

Westland Giftware and I discussed the new craze, the Cow Parade, which replaced the Beanie Baby one. We wondered how long it would last – our guess back in 2001 was 3 to 5 years. Well, guess what, it’s been longer than that! We’ve had some really great cows!

Now we get to today’s situation.

Westland Giftware and the Cow Parade organization parted ways. Contract expires 12-31-09. If your contract expired at the end of the year, you would want to be sold out of inventory. Westland Giftware has done that. They are shipping no more orders.

The Cow Parade organization tried to add to MY cow blog that you could order through them. They offered their web site and phone number. I did not allow that to go on my cow site. In fact, it infuriated me. I have spent a lot of money designing sites, offering service, etc. to Cow Parade customers. I was the very first web site to offer Cow Parade figurines back in 2001. And, now, Cow Parade – on MY site – is telling you to go to them. Does that seem ethical? I didn’t like it.

I’ve known for awhile that Westland Giftware was getting out of the Cow business. I did not know that I was being forced out of it too. I called Westland and they were surprised and didn’t know. I called two of my competitors who didn’t know.

CowsCowsCows.com will continue selling what I call “black and white” cow items. Wall art, greeting cards, cookie jar, platter, cups, etc – you get the picture. In fact we will expand this area. I found out yesterday that I can no longer purchase Cow Parade figurines. Not just me. All Internet sites can get no more inventory – except for the Cow Parade site itself. Talk about being stabbed in the back. Eight years of work. Legally they have the license and can do what they want. But, it’s a crappy way of doing business. No official notice – we just can’t get merchandise any more.

Since I have been unable to get Cow Parade, I have a very limited inventory today.

Even though I believe that I have been treated unfairly – I would like to help anyone who has purchased a cow from me and hasn’t yet received it. This is what I have done. I have removed the buy link to all Cow Parade items on my web site. They all show as SOLD OUT. I am sending all customers an email explaining this situation and listing the cows that I do have on hand. They will be able to purchase any cow I have.
First come, first served.

Westland Giftware’s contract to produce Cow Parade figurines ends at the end of 2009. What Westland currently have in stock of Cow Parade is all that there will be from them.

The new Cow Parade arrived. We’re sold out of two of them. Café Ole seems to be the most popular.

The cow story began in Zurich in 1998. The Zurich Retail Association used their local Brown Swiss cow (a traditional milking cow in Switzerland) as a model for a life-size fiberglass cow. The plain white, life-size, fiberglass cow had 3 poses: grazing, standing and sitting. Initially, local Zurich artists painted 300 of these fiberglass cows. But, before the event ended Zurich artists had decorated 812 cows!!! They were displayed along streets, in buildings, in parks, in the airline terminal and train station. The cows lured an additional 1.5 million tourists to Zurich. A Chicago businessman who was in Zurich, saw the cows, and brought the idea to Chicago.

Cows on Parade was in Chicago for Summer 1999. Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs solicited local artists to paint a cow. A sponsor paid for each plain fiberglass cow. Nothing could be removed from a cow, but an artist could add to it. There were 313 cows that grazed throughout Chicago from June 15 to October 31, 1999. An auction held in November 1999 netted $4 million for the Department of Cultural Affairs with the cow named “HANDsome” getting the highest bid of $110,000. HANDsome was a tear jerker of a cow since each hand print was that of a kid dying from cancer. My favorite was the Marilyn Monroe cow whose lipstick had to be frequently renewed when it grazed outside the Ferragomo store. Name of cow was “Diamond’s are Forever.”

Cow Parade began in New York City on June 15, 2000. It featured more than 500 cows, which were displayed throughout NYC, Stamford, CT and W. Orange, NJ. This was the first public art exhibit encompassing all 5 boroughs. NYC Department of Parks & Recreation organized it. When the cows were sold at auction later that year, they raised several million dollars for charity. That’s one of the nice features of the Cow Parade – they always raise money for charity. I think my favorite NYC cow was Dancing Diva ala Ginger Rogers. However, “Cowgirls get the blues” had quite a story. The artist submitted the sketch for approval and was told there was no NYC connection. So, she created tear drops and inside each tear drop she painted the Twin Towers. This was done in March 2000, remember the Cows grazed the streets in 2000, not 2001. Westland used to make fairly large cows and the Twin Towers are visible on this size.

Westland Giftware thought the Cow Parade was a great idea and created a 6 inch long reproduction of these cows – depending on the pose. Westland’s first shipment was made September 2000 with 12 Chicago cows. In October Westland shipped 6 NYC reproductions. CowsCowsCows first saw the Westland cow reproductions at the LA Gift Show in July 2000. We loved them, ordered them and had our web site up and running by October 2000. We were the first and only Internet business selling Cow Parade in 2000.

Other vendors also produced Cow Parade items. Character Collectibles offered 85 miniatures, 85 ornaments and a wide assortment of other Cow Parade items.

The most popular miniature cow made was the Twin Cowers set. It had just been introduced when 9-11 happened. At first Character Collectibles ceased sales on all of the Twin Cowers. I called and said I’d buy all of their inventory. They agreed and I bought 1,000. Sold out in 2 days. A couple of weeks later I got a phone call, another 1,000 had arrived (they’d been in transit) did I want those. I said yes and we sold all of them in the next 2 days. These Twin Cowers break very easily – I have to lean mine in a corner. I would guess there have been a lot broken over the years.

In December 2003 Character Collectibles discontinued all of their Cow Parade items.

Since 1999 the Cow Parade has grazed in many towns. Some cows move from town to town, but most cows are created by local artists.

2001:

Kansas City Cow Parade

The 5 Oz cows were the highlight from KC.

Houston Cow Parade

Australia Cow Parade (from one coast to the other)

2002:

Las Vegas Cow Parade

London Cow Parade

Portland, Oregon Cow Parade

San Antonio Cow Parade

Ventspils, Latvia Cow Parade

2003:

Atlanta Cow Parade

Auckland, New Zealand Cow Parade

Brussels, Belgium Cow Parade

Dublin, Ireland Cow Parade

The Waterford Crystal cow sold at auction for the highest price of any cow. I was lucky to see that cow in person – it was gorgeous – and never been reproduced.

Isle of Man,  UK  Cow Parade

Tokyo Cow Parade

W Hartford, CT Cow Parade

This is where the offices of Cow Parade are and they have had cows grazing more than this.

2004:

Harrisburg, PA Cow Parade

Manchester, England Cow Parade

Prague Cow Parade

Stockholm, Sweden Cow Parade

2005:

Barcelona, Spain Cow Parade

Bratislavia, Slovakia Cow Parade

Bucharest, Romania Cow Parade

Geneva, Switzerland Cow Parade

Johannesburg, South Africa Cow Parade

Mexico City Cow Parade

Monaco Cow Parade

Moscow, Russia Cow Parade

Sao Paulo, Brazil Cow Parade

Warsaw Cow Parade

2006:

Athens, Greece Cow Parade

Belo Horizonte, Brazil Cow Parade

Boston Cow Parade

Budapest, Hungary Cow Parade

Buenos Aires, Argentina Cow Parade

Curitiba, Brazil Cow Parade

Denver Cow Parade

Edinburgh, Scotland Cow Parade

Florence, Italy Cow Parade

Guadalajara, Mexico Cow Parade

Lisbon, Portugal Cow Parade

Madison Wisconsin Cow Parade

 and other parts of Wisconsin

Paris, France Cow Parade

2007:

Copenhagen, Denmark Cow Parade

Istanbul Turkey Cow Parade

Marseille France Cow Parade

Miami Cow Parade

Milano, Italy Cow Parade

Rio de Janeiro Cow Parade

Vigo, Spain Cow Parade

West Hartford (again)

2008:

Costa Rica Cow Parade

Madrid Cow Parade

2009:

Flushing, NY Cow Parade

Hong Kong Cow Parade

La Jolla (San Diego) Cow Parade

Lima, Peru Cow Parade

Sao Paulo Cow Parade

Taipei Cow Parade

2010:

Rome, Italy Cow Parade

Bordeaux Cow Parade

In each city the artists have an opportunity to design a cow and have their talent seen, the public has an opportunity to view and enjoy the art, the sponsors have an opportunity to lure the public to their business, and charities make a profit when the cows are sold at auction. Due to this win-win situation the Cow Parade has benefited many cities and charities. Dublin was excited when at their auction, Waga-Moo-Moo (made with 125,000 pieces of Waterford crystal) sold for the highest price ever – $148,000 U.S. dollars. I saw it in person and it was truly magnificent!

Over the years we have learned much. The Cow Parade organization and Westland Giftware have learned to limit the number of new cows to be released each year. They have also learned to have limited quantities of a cow that is retired. For example, both Moon Dreams and Gladiator were available for several years after they were retired. When cows are now retired, Westland Giftware has either sold out or is close to selling out. This works better for the collectors.

The story of the individual cows can be quite interesting. Some artists have done many cows. Other artists do just one. Art classes in school have combined to do a cow. The cow makes a wonderful peaceful pallet.

Thanks for buying from

www.cowscowscows.com