2014 WHA Futurity A Night to Remember for Everyone

The Wisconsin Holstein Association Futurity is always a night to remember, and this year was no exception. The crowd gathered on Saturday, August 9th to watch our stunning exhibitors and their entries enter the arena to compete for the title of champion of the 28th annual WHA Futurity. Out of the original 122 entries, eight Registered Holstein three-year-olds were paraded around the arena. Judge Joe Gibbs of Epworth, Iowa, had the difficult task of placing the eight best Registered Holstein three-year-old cows that Wisconsin has to offer.

 

Mar-Linda-K Damion Jilette will go down in the history as the winner of the 2014 Futurity. Jilette was exhibited by Nicole Wright of Mar-Linda-K Holsteins, located in Watertown, Wis. This was the first year Mar-Linda-K Holsteins exhibited at the show, and it will definitely be a night to remember for Nicole and her family. Nicole received a $1,500 check sponsored by Badgerland Financial. Jilette and Nicole also received Best Bred and Owned, sponsored by Robert and Randy Nigh of Lirr Farms. They were also awarded Best Udder of the show, sponsored by East Central Select Sires, and 1st place Junior in the class, sponsored by Angela Davis-Brown of Ma-Brown Holsteins and Jerseys and the Wisconsin Junior Holstein Association. 

 

Placing second in the class and receiving a $750 check sponsored by International Protein Sires was Oeh-My Richman Eliza exhibited by Chase and Willow Oehmichen of Abbotsford, WI. Third place received a $500 check sponsored by Agropur, and went to Crestbrooke GAP Torrie-ET, exhibited by Kyle Natzke of Fond du Lac, WI. Torrie also took the Top Milk Production and Top Fat & Protein awards, both sponsored by Brian Greenman, Rural Mutual Insurance Agent

 

Though the cows are the main stars of the show, our exhibitors were dressed to impress as they traded in their blue jeans and boots for formal wear. All of the Best Dressed winners received a plaque and $100. Nicole Wright was named Best Dressed Junior which was sponsored by Mark and Mary, Chad and Amy Ryan of Ryan-Vu Dairy. Kyle Natzke was voted Best Dressed Adult Male, sponsored by Robert and Karyn Schauf of Indianhead Holsteins, and Barb Maroszek received the award for Best Dressed Adult Female, sponsored by David and Yvonne Preder of Scenic-Edge Holsteins. 

 

Laura Herschleb and Moriah Brey served as Mistresses of Ceremonies for the evening where they helped to introduce distinguished guests. In attendance were Wisconsin Secretary of Agriculture, Ben Brancel; Alice in Dairyland, Zoey Brooks; Wisconsin Fairest of the Fairs, Kaitlyn Riley; WHA Princess, Kayla Krueger; WHA Princess Attendant, Kristen Broege, WI RWDCA Princess, Carley Krull, and Green County and Dane County Royalty. 

 

The futurity would not be possible without our generous sponsors. WHA would like to thank the major futurity sponsors, Badgerland Financial, International Protein Sires, Agropur, and Brian Greenman, Rural Mutual Insurance Agent, for helping to make this show a success. 

 

In addition to our very generous sponsors, we would also like to thank our committee members for all that they do when it comes to setting up and taking down the arena. We could not have such a successful event without your generous help.

 

The purpose of the WHA Futurity is to help promote the dairy industry to the general public and display the care and dedication that we have for our animals and the products they produce. The WHA Futurity was initiated to inform people that are not from an agriculture background about the Registered Holstein and the dairy industry. Even though the WHA Futurity has come and gone for the year, we can start to look forward to next year's spectacular event because one thing is for certain and that is there is no other show like the WHA Futurity.

 

 

To see more futurity photos and final placings, check out the WHA Futurity Show Results page!

12th Featured Futurity Exhibitor

Featured Futurity Exhibitor: Justin and Jenna Langer, Langer Dairy Farms

Our final futurity exhibitor is Justin and Jenna Langer of De Forest, WI. Justin and Jenna, along with parents Randy and Sue, and siblings Darren and Lindsey, own and operate Langer Dairy Farms. Langer Dairy Farms is a 400 head dairy farm that consists of 2,500 acres of land owned and rented and every family member is involved in the dairy farm. Langer Dairy farms has had many achievements over the past couple of years. Those achievements include Grand Champion at the Grand National Jr. Show in 2013, Grand Champion at the Midwest Spring R&W Show in 2014, and premier exhibitor at the 2014 District 6 Holstein Show. They have bred a two time Jr. All American known as Langer Dundee Bubbles and have received numerous Jr. All American Nominations.  We look forward to having Justin and Jenna participate in this year's Futurity Show!

Futurity Fun Fact:
The Wisconsin Holstein Futurity Show is a very special event that takes place once a year during the Wisconsin State Fair. Its a very prestigious show where our exhibitors will enter their calves in hopes of raising a high quality show animal that may become the next Futurity champion three years later. We would like to invite you all to attend the 29th anniversary of the WHA Futurity in 2015! We hope to see many of you at this year's Futurity as well as the many years to come! Good Luck to all of our exhibitors and we will see many of you this Saturday August 9th!

11th Featured Futurity Exhibitor

Featured Futurity Exhibitor: Barb Maroszek, East-Branch Holsteins

The 11th featured futurity exhibitor is Barb Maroszek. She is exhibiting one of East-Branch Holstein's entries this year. Barb is the youngest of four children and is married to Bill Maroszek. They have four kids of their own which help out on their farm and the kids absolutely love the animals. Barb also works part time at Kalypso Salon in Green Bay, WI with Kristine Jarek. Barb's family shows beef at different show throughout the year and she likes to have her kids involved as much as possible because of how much they all love the animals. Be sure to look for Barb at the Futurity Show on Saturday!

Futurity Fun Fact:
The Futurity show is a show like no other as it features an opening ceremony where all of our special guests will be introduced with a short bio while riding on one of two convertibles. Our special guests include our show sponsors, dignitaries, and royalty. After all of our special guests have been introduced and are settled in the ring, the national anthem will be performed by Bryce Krull and Kristin Olson. Then the animals will enter the ring, one by one, as a bio is read about each exhibitor and their farm. After all of the animals are in the ring, Judge Joe Gibbs will pick the top ten animals starting from the bottom until he reaches the next futurity champion. During the show, our special guests will also have the opportunity to talk to the crowd about what they do and how it affects the dairy industry.

                                       2013 special guests enter the ring in a convertible

10th Featured Futurity Exhibitor

Featured Futurity Exhibitor: Jacob Pintens, Indianhead Holsteins

Our 10th featured futurity exhibitor is Jacob Pintens from Hillsdale, WI. Jacob is exhibiting Indianhead Holsteins second entry at the futurity show this year. He will be a sophomore at UW-River Falls this fall and he is studying in the area of Agriculture. Indianhead's dairy farm is located in the center of 1,200 acres with 900 actual crop acres. They market snap beans, corn, rye, soybeans, and hay besides feeding the resident herd. Indianhead also has a wood shaving business where they deliver over 1,400 semi loads of wood by-products to dairy and poultry farmers in a given year. They also supply wood chips for fuel. We are excited to have Jacob and Indianhead Holsteins exhibit at this years futurity show!

Futurity Fun Fact:
All of our junior exhibitors, like Jacob, have the opportunity to compete for the 1st place junior award. This year the 1st place junior will receive $50 from the Wisconsin Junior Holstein Association and an in-kind award that is sponsored by Angela Davis-Brown, Ma-Brown Holsteins and Jerseys. In order to compete for the 1st place junior award, exhibitors must be younger than 21 years old.

2013 1st Place Junior: Bryce Krull

Krull Sanchez Eminem-ET

9th Featured Futurity Exhibitor

Featured Futurity Exhibitor: Gabriel Schauf, Indianhead Holsteins

Our 9th featured futurity exhibitor is Gabriel Schauf of Indianhead Holsteins. Gabriel's parents, Robert and Karyn, own and operate Indianhead Holsteins located in Barron, WI. His brothers, Christian and Jacob, work off the farm in marketing. His brother, Zachary and Zachary's wife Brooke, are currently returning to Indianhead to work in the shavings business. Indianhead Holsteins has a rolling herd average of 30,000 lbs. of milk and they milk three times a day. Their current BAA is 111.8% and they currently have 39 Excellent cows. Gabriel is married to Katie and he is a funeral director at Harder Funeral Home in Brookfield, WI. His wife, Katie, is a medial assistant at a children's eye center. Indianhead Holsteins will have two entries in this year's futurity. Be sure to watch for Gabriel and Indianhead Holsteins exhibit at this year's futurity show!

Futurity Fun Fact:
Did you know that Indianhead Holsteins won the very first futurity in 1987? Twenty eight years ago, the very first Futurity champion was crowned and was named Indianhead Chief Jessica-ET and was exhibited by Robert and Karyn Schauf. The Wisconsin Holstein Futurity Show originated in 1984 by Klaas Koopmans of Darien, WI. The idea came from reading about the success of the Ohio Futurity in a Holstein World article. The very first Wisconsin Holstein Futurity was held in 1987 at the Wisconsin State Fair Park. Pabst Brewing Company was the main sponsor of the Futurity show for the first 10 years. Then in 1997, Alto Dairy Cooperative (Saputo) became the main sponsor. In 2010, Badgerland Financial became the main sponsor of the Futurity show and continues to sponsor the show today.

                                              First futurity champion in 1987:

                              Indianhead Chief Jessica-ET exhibited by Robert and Karyn Schauf