National Brown Swiss ConventionJune 27-30, Coralville, Iowa

Coffeen peggy
Coffeen was a former editor and podcast host with Progressive Dairy. 

Highlights:

  • The 2018 Brown Swiss National Youth Heifer Show included 126 head exhibited. Junior champion was won by Pit-Crew Formula Twilight, exhibited by Abby Foss of Minnesota. Reserve junior champion honors were captured by Onward V Vernita Twin, exhibited by Carter Kruse of Iowa.

  • The National Youth Achievement Award winner was Laura Frye of Indiana.

  • The 2018 Genomic Merit Heifer Award was won by Laura Frye of Indiana, with her heifer, Miami Hills Bush Delsie.

  • Scholarships were awarded to Sarah Lehner, Jackie Johnson, Isabella Portner, Laura Frye and Abby Sterner.

  • Jax Bauer from Hayfield, Minnesota, was crowned breed ambassador. Jaynie Rule, a 19-year-old from Dodgeville, Wisconsin, was selected as the alternate ambassador.

  • The Brown Swiss Historical Society presented their Master Breeder Award to the Daubert family of Wind Mill Farm from Pine Grove, Pennsylvania.

  • The Historical Master Breeder Award went to Roy Arnold of Arnola Farms in North Carolina.

  • Receiving several production and performance awards was Jonlee Secret Langwathby, owned by Dalton, Dillon and Breanne Freeman of Bremen, Indiana.

Compiled from Brown Swiss Cattle Breeders’ Association press releases

American Milking Shorthorn Society (AMSS) National Convention
June 27-30, Wilmar, Minnesota

The American Milking Shorthorn Society

Highlights:

  • There were 68 entries from eight states in the National Junior Heifer Show. Topping the show was the winning fall heifer calf, Heavenly Watermelon, exhibited by Scotty Young and Brett Groebner of Heavenly Show Cattle, Monroe, Wisconsin.

  • Joseph Achen of Kansas was recognized as the Junior Progressive Breeder.

  • Junior member Amelia Manderfeld of Minnesota was chosen to participate in the Australian Exchange Program.

  • Bailey Larson of Wisconsin was crowned the 2018-2019 National Milking Shorthorn Queen.

    a fall calf, Heavenly Watermelon , took home top honors
  • The Harry Clampitt Young Breeder Award went to Texas breeder Mikayla Krause Russell.

  • Dual Purpose Breeder of the Year was Dr. Joseph Schallberger of Oregon.

  • David Kendall of Wisconsin was presented with the Annual Citizen of the Year Award.

—Submitted by American Milking Shorthorn Society

National Holstein Convention
June 29 – July 3, Traverse City, Michigan

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Holstein Elite Breeder Award to Tom and Gin Kestell

Highlights:

  • Tom and Gin Kestell of Ever-Green-View Farms, Waldo, Wisconsin, were honored with the 2018 Elite Breeder Award.

  • David Harvatine of Aurora Ridge Dairy in King Ferry, New York, was named the 2018 Distinguished Young Holstein Breeder.

    Holstein 2018 Distinguished Young Holstein Breeder Award to David and Leigh-Ann Harvaltine
  • National Distinguished Junior Members were recognized: Alexandra Gambonini, Petaluma, California; Kayla Leiding, Fountain, Minnesota; Erin Norris, Westhampton, Massachusetts; Joseph Opsal, Blue Mounds, Wisconsin; Nicholas Logan Potts, Purcellville, Virginia; and Mary Scott, Westgate, Iowa.

    Holstein National distingushed Junior Member finalists
  • William C. Nichol of State College, Pennsylvania, was the 2018 Distinguished Leadership Award recipient.

  • R. Paul Buhr of Wisconsin and Patrick Maddox of California retired from their respective board positions. A reorganization meeting of the board welcomed returning directors John Andersen of Idaho and John Marshman of New York, and newly-elected directors Robert Webb of Wisconsin and Bill Genasci of California.

  • Iowa beat out all other competitors in the junior and senior divisions of dairy bowl. The winning junior team consisted of Louis Hamlett, Trenton Hammerand, Naomi Scott and Brynlee Volker. Iowa’s senior team consisted of Nathan Arthur, Amanda Dougherty, Mary Scott and Brylie Volker. Both teams were coached by Jeff Hammerand.

  • Through June 23, registrations totaled 176,412 Holsteins, which is an increase of 4 percent over the same time last year.

  • An elite Holstein sale averaged $12,077 on 87 full lots. Topping the sale was Lot 1 at $91,000, the No. 2 GTPI Modesty in the breed at +2904, out of a Delta daughter of a VG-87 Supersire from the Misty Springs Shottle Satin family. She was purchased by Peak Genetics.

—Compiled from Holstein USA Inc. news releases

To see even more photos from various annual meetings and conventions, check out this slideshow.

National Guernsey Convention
June 26-30, Dubuque, Iowa

Highlights:

  • The National Outstanding Young Guernsey Farmer was awarded to Megan Schrupp of Paynesville, Minnesota.

    National Outstanding young Guernsey Farmer Megan Schrupp with husband Tim Schrupp
  • Bill Peck Sr. of Welcome Stock Farm was presented with the Master Breeder Award.

    Wayne and Elizabeth (Peck)Foote and Mary-Elizabeth Foote win Master Breeder from the American Guernsey Assoc.
  • Rachel Grober of Ionia, Iowa, was crowned the 2018 National Guernsey Queen. Jamie Trotter of Enon Valley, Pennsylvania, was crowned the 2018 National Guernsey Princess.

  • David (Dave) Trotter of Enon Valley, Pennsylvania, was awarded the 2018 Distinguished Service Award.

—Compiled from American Guernsey Association news releases

Red and White Dairy Cattle Association National Convention
June 19-20, St. Charles, Illinois

Highlights:

  • Hannah Nelson of Ellsworth, Wisconsin, was crowned the 2018 National RWDCA Queen.

  • Kaleb Kruse of Dyersville, Iowa; Katie Thompson of Plainview, Minnesota; and Sarah Thomas of Pittsboro, North Carolina; each received a $1,000 RWDCA scholarship.

  • Doug Lyons of Castalia, Iowa, was awarded the Larry Moore Master Breeder Award.

    National Red and White Queen Present doug Lyons with Master Breeder Award
  • Morgan Olbrich of Harvard, Illinois, was presented with the Junior Breeder Award.

    Morgan Olbrich was presented the Junior Breeder Award
  • Matt and Joe Engel of Luck-E Holsteins, Hampshire, Illinois, were awarded the JP “Doc” Ostrander Younger Breeder Award.

    Matt and Joe Engel were awarded JP"doc" Ostrander Younger Breeder Award
  • The Don Albrecht Distinguished Service Award was presented to Barb Kayser, Milton, Wisconsin.

  • The Gary Mayhew Keystone Award was awarded to Mary Etta Lenkaitis, St. Charles, Illinois.

  • Gary Janssen, Wauconda, Illinois, was honored as a retiring board member and president. The RWDCA welcomes Ryan Griffin of Thief River Falls, Minnesota, as its newest member of the board of directors.

Contributed by the Red and White Dairy Cattle Association

American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA) and National All-Jersey Inc. (NAJ) Annual Meetings
June 27-30, Canton, Ohio

Highlights:

  • The group reported record numbers for Jersey registrations as well as semen sales in the past year.

  • The record-breaking 61st National Heifer Sale averaged $7,190.85 on 41 lots. The high seller was JX Pine-Tree Disco Paris 1696 {5}-ET, from Matthew Steiner and Pine-Tree Dairy, Marshallville, Ohio, commanding $67,500 from ABS Global, De Forest, Wisconsin.

    Top selling heifer Paris
  • Ron and Christy Ratliff of Garnett, Kansas, were honored as the 75th recipients of the Master Breeder Award.

    Ron and Christy Ratliff honored as Jersey Master Breeders
  • Two Wisconsin dairymen, Chris Sorenson of Pine River, and David Endres of Lodi, were honored as the 2018 recipients of the Distinguished Service Award.

    Chris sorenson received Jersey Distinguished Service AwardDave Endres recieved Jersey Distinguished Service Award
  • The AJCA-NAJ Award for Meritorious Service was awarded to Ole Meland, who is a key contributor to advancement of the dairy cattle industry as a geneticist, product development and distribution business manager, and breeding adviser.

  • Six Young Jersey Breeder awards were given: James B. Pearson Jr., Lincolnton, North Carolina; Jennifer Zumbach, Coggon, Iowa; Amy and Elizabeth Marcoot, Greenville, Illinois; Wendy Bok, Defiance, Ohio; Robert and Gail Klinkner, Viroqua, Wisconsin; and Leah and Jason James, Mineral Point, Wisconsin.

  • Jonathan Merriam of Hickman, California, was elected as president of the American Jersey Cattle Association.

  • John Kokoski of Hadley, Massachusetts, was elected as president by the board of directors of National All-Jersey Inc.  end mark

Compiled from AJCA-NAJ press releases 

PHOTO 1: Dalton Freeman received the J.P. Eves Milk Award for Jonlee Secret Langwathby, the cow that had the highest 305-day actual milk record of all DHIR records received during 2017, regardless of times milked. Her record included 41,840 pounds of milk with 5.5 percent fat and 3.8 percent protein. Photo provided by Brown Swiss Cattle Breeders’ Association.

PHOTO 2: The American Milking Shorthorn Society (AMSS) board of directors welcomed new director Matt Henkes of Iowa (far left). Photo by Christy Achen.

PHOTO 3: A fall calf, Heavenly Watermelon (right), took home top honors in the National Milking Shorthorn Junior Heifer Show. Photo by Kate Smith.

PHOTO 4: Holstein Association USA CEO John M. Meyer (left) with 2018 Elite Breeder Award winners Tom and Gin Kestell, and Holstein Association USA President Boyd Schaufelberger (right). Photo provided by Holstein USA.

PHOTO 5: Holstein Association USA President Boyd Schaufelberger (left) and CEO John M. Meyer (right) present the 2018 Distinguished Young Holstein Breeder Award to David and Leigh-Ann Harvatine. Photo provided by Holstein USA.

PHOTO 6: National Distinguished Junior Member finalists (from left to right): Joseph Opsal, Blue Mounds, Wisconsin; Erin Norris, Westhampton, Massachusetts; Alexandra Gambonini, Petaluma, California; Kayla Leiding, Fountain, Minnesota; Mary Scott, Westgate, Iowa; and Nicholas Logan Potts, Purcellville, Virginia. Photo provided by Holstein USA.

PHOTO 7: Megan Schrupp, pictured with husband Tim Schrupp, was recognized as the National Outstanding Young Guernsey Farmer. Photo by Purebred Publishing. 

PHOTO 8: Wayne and Elizabeth (Peck) Foote and Mary-Elizabeth Foote (right) accept the Master Breeder Award for Bill Peck Sr. from the American Guernsey Association. Photo by Purebred Publishing. 

PHOTO 9: National Red and White Queen Hannah Nelson (left) and RWDCA board member Sarah Wendorf (right) presented Doug Lyons (center) of Castalia, Iowa, with the Larry Moore Master Breeder Award. Photo by RWDCA.

PHOTO 10: Morgan Olbrich (center) of Harvard, Illinois, was presented with the Junior Breeder Award by outgoing RWDCA board president Gary Janssen (right). Photo by RWDCA.

PHOTO 11: Matt and Joe Engel of Luck-E Holsteins, Hampshire, Illinois, were awarded the JP “Doc” Ostrander Younger Breeder Award. Photo by RWDCA.

PHOTO 12: The top-selling heifer, Paris, is pictured with the National Jersey Queen, Lakaya Lyon; Fred Stout Experience winner Amanda LoRusso; Lydia Chittenden on halter; Zach Berry from ABS, Aaron Steiner consignor. Behind them are Greg Lavan, JMS manager, and Chris Hill, auctioneer. Photo by Jaclyn Krymowski.

PHOTO 13: Ron and Christy Ratliff of Garnett, Kansas, were honored as the 75th recipients of the Master Breeder Award. Photo provided by AJCA-NAJ.

PHOTO 14: Chris Sorenson of Pine River, Wisconsin, was honored with the Distinguished Service Award. Photo provided by AJCA-NAJ.

PHOTO 15: David Endres of Lodi, Wisconsin, was honored with the Distinguished Service Award. Photo provided by AJCA-NAJ.

Peggy Coffeen