4th Featured Exhibitor-2013 Futurity

Featured Futurity Exhibitor: Cade Stanek, Our-Favorite Holsteins

Cade Stanek is the son of Todd and Mary Stanek.  Cade and his parents, along with his brother Tyler, own and operate Our-Favorite Holsteins in Fall Creek WI located in Eau Claire County.  They milk 200 cows on 500 acres with an RHA of 25,000 and a BAA of 106.7.  Todd is currently serving on the Wisconsin Holstein Association Board and was the past WHA Board President in 2012.  Tyler will be a Freshman at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in the fall majoring in Chemistry.  Besides exhibiting at the Futurity show, Our-Favorite Holsteins has also shown at District Shows and the Midwest Fall National Show. Make sure to look for Cade and Our-Favorite Holsteins at this year's Futurity Show

Futurity Fact: While Cade is exhibiting his Futurity animal in the Case IH Coliseum, there will be quite a crowd gathered.  Along with dairy industry professionals, the crowd will be made up of many people who are unfamiliar with the dairy industry and the Futurity show.  To answer their questions and keep the crowd active, the Green County and Dane County Royalty will be interacting with the crowd.  They will be asking audience members questions about the dairy industry with grilled cheese coupons as prizes.

Royalty interacting with the crowd at the 2012 Futurity 

3rd Featured Exhibitor-2013 Futurity

Featured Futurity Exhibitor: Calep Dewitt, DKC Registered Holsteins

Calep Dewitt resides on DKC Registered Holsteins with his parents, Kristi and Dan Dewitt, in Clinton, WI located in Rock county. Calep has been a very active Junior member of the Wisconsin Holstein Association and enjoys working with the younger members to help them get their animals ready for the show ring.  Calep has exhibited at the Wisconsin Junior State Fair, World Dairy Expo, and Midwest Spring Show.  He recently graduated from Clinton High School and will be attending Blackhawk East College to major in Agriculture Business.  Calep and MS Duckett Durham Beauty-ET are ready to join us in our "Procession of Bovine Beauties."

Futurity Fact: 

A lot of hard work goes into preparing for the Futurity.  After the show, we invite all exhibitors, dignitaries, volunteers, and sponsors to attend a post-show dinner to relax and reflect on the show. The dinner consists of food from various vendors at the State Fair including steak sandwiches from the WI Cattleman's Association and butterfly pork chop sandwiches from the WI Pork Producers.  Calep and all of our exhibitors will be able to enjoy some good food while de-stressing from the show.    

2012 WHA Princess and friends relaxing after the show. 

2nd Featured Exhibitor-2013 Futurity

Featured Futurity Exhibitor: Brett Hildebrandt, Milgene Holsteins

Brett Hildebrandt, along with Alvin, Roger, Jared, and Ty Hildebrandt, own and operate Milgene Holsteins, located in Hustisford, WI in Dodge County.  The 90 cow, 1,070 acre operation has just been transferred to an LLC, bringing Brett, Jared, and Ty into ownership along with Alvin and Roger.  Brett has been a very active Junior member of the Wisconsin Holstein Association, serving as a JAC and participating in many shows, including winning Jr All-American Red & White Cow of the Year in 2012, and Jr Reserve Grand Champion Female Red & White at World Dairy Expo in 2012.  Brett is a graduate of UW-Madison Farm & Industry Short Course.  Ty, who also served as a JAC, graduated from UW-Madison with a degree in Dairy Science with an emphasis in Business.  Being active members in the dairy industry runs in the family.  Roger has served on the State Holstein Board, is the president of the Dodge County Farm Bureau, and is a current member, along with Ty, of the Dodge County Holstein Board.  Alvin is on the local Feed Mill Board and Jared is on the Dodge County Forage Council. They are all also members of the Dodge County Dairy Promotions Committee.  We look forward to seeing Brett and Milgene Holsteins attend our "Procession of Bovine Beauties."

Futurity Fact: As a Junior member, Brett will be eligible to win the 1st place Junior Award at this year's Futurity Show.  The award goes to the highest placing Junior exhibitor in the show.  Exhibitors must be 21 years old and younger to be considered Junior members.  The 1st place Junior Award winner will receive $50, sponsored by the Wisconsin Junior Holstein Association, and an in-kind award sponsored by Ma-Brown Holsteins and Jerseys, Angela Davis-Brown.

Brett exhibiting Milgene SS Joy-ET at the 2010 Futurity Show

2013 Futurity Sneak Peak

The 2013 WHA Futurity Show will be here before we know it on August 10th at 5:00 p.m.  Our exhibitors have put in long hours grooming their entries to be the best of the best, so we want to give everyone a sneak peak at who our exhibitors are and what it takes to raise a Futurity animal.  Unfortunately, you will have to wait until the show for the big unavailing of their bovine beauties.  So sit tight, enjoy our sneak peak, and we hope to see you at the 2013 WHA Futurity for "A Procession of Bovine Beauties!"

Featured Futurity Exhibitor: Ryan-Vu Dairy, Mark & Mary, Chad & Amy Ryan

Ryan-Vu Dairy has exhibited in the Futurity Show for many years and are big supporters of the show. Chad and Amy, along with Mark and Mary Ryan own and operate the 90 cow operation in Fond du Lac.  The herd has had many accomplishments over the years including ranking 2nd highest BAA herd among 76-100 cows, receiving the Progressive Breeder Registry Award for 3 years, and raising 5 Gold Medal Dams and 8 Dams of Merit.  Chad is currently serving his first term as a director on the WHA Board where he serves as co-chair of the Midwest National Spring Show and Scholarship Committees.  He also coaches the Fond du Lac County Dairy Judging Team and enjoys judging shows.  Make sure to look for the Ryan-Vu entries at this year's Futurity Show.

Futurity Fact:    

The cattle are not the only one's looking their best at the Futurity Show.  It is a chance for the exhibitors to shed the white pants and dress to impress.  Dignitaries at the show vote for Best Dressed Junior, Best Dressed Male, and Best Dressed Female with a prize of $100 for each of the winners. This year, the Best Dressed Junior Award will be sponsored by Ryan-Vu Dairy.

2012 Best Dressed Junior Winner Carley Krull

2013 District Show Season

The 2013 District Show season was a success, to say the least.  Larry and Nicole, along with Princess Morgan and Princess Attendant Crystal, traveled all over the state attending each of the shows and racking up about 1,900 miles! All of the early mornings were worth it to see some of the best Holstein animals Wisconsin has to offer.  1,352 animals were all spruced up and looking their best while strutting their stuff at each of the 9 Districts.  Some of our favorite memories from this year's season were Larry becoming an honorary Princess at District 4 and handing out ribbons, the 10 & under class (how cute is the future of the dairy industry?), and all of the amazing people we got to meet along the way.  Congratulations to all of the exhibitors and winners of this years show and we can't wait to see everyone again at the Wisconsin State Championship Show in July.

Breakfast on the Farm

This past weekend the WHA staff packed up their boxes of goodies and headed out to attend the Breakfast on the Farm.  Larry Nelson, Executive Director, attended the Trempealeau County breakfast while Nicole Smith, WHA intern, and Morgan Behnke, WHA Princess, attended the Dane County breakfast.  It was a great day of meeting and informing the public about our association and handing out promotional items.  After a hard day's work, we got to enjoy a delicious breakfast and some live entertainment.  Overall it was a great day promoting our association and the dairy industry. 

Princess Morgan interacting with the crowd at the Dane County Breakfast on the Farm

 

Kick Off to June Dairy Month

To celebrate the begining of June Dairy Month, WHA held a "Kick Off to June Dairy Month" celebration at the Kid's Learning Express Center in Madison.  Though the sun wasn't shining, the kids were smiling as they learned about the dairy industry.  The kids, ages 5 and under, attended five different stations that showed different aspects of the dairy industry.  WHA Princess Attendent Crystal led a station called "A Day in the Life of a Farmer" where children got to view a milk machine, feed, bottles, and see what a typical farm day is like.  WHA Princess Morgan's station allowed the children to get up close and personal with a Holstein cow and two bull calves.  Green County Dairy Queen Taylor read to the children to teach them about dairy while two other Green County Royalty led a station about dairy products, which even had samples of ice-cream, yogurt, and cheese.  The children also got their pictures taken at the photo booth posing like farmers.  It was a picture perfect day.  What a great way to kick off June Dairy Month by spreading the word to children that might not otherwise get the chance to learn about the dairy industry.

Green County Dairy Queen Taylor reading to the children.

The children got to taste samples of dairy products.

They had the opportunity to make friends with Holstein calves.

Thank you to Morgan, Crystal, the Green County Royalty, and the Kid's Learning Express
for making this such a great event.