We just received the Premium Book/Entry Information for the All-American Dairy Show in Harrisburg this coming September.  For anyone who doesn””t know, there is a White Show Pants Exchange each year — great idea!  For junior exhibitors only, you can bring your CLEAN show pants on Sunday September 17, Northwest Barn (Barn B) - help junior members maintain proper dress in the showring and exchange your pants that you no longer use for a different size!  Additional information can be obtained by calling Patty McMurray at 724.239.2759.

Good Morning all bloggers! 

During converstation at the 121st National Holstein Convention, The Holstein World staff learned that SCOTT CULBERTSON of Select Sires was at one time an English major while in college.  From our understanding, there might be more than one correct answer to our first trivia question.  We appreciate your responses and look forward to more reader participation.  

Stay tuned to All Breeds Blog for more interesting tidbits and entertaining industry information!

Sixty-Four lots averaged $6780 on a mild evening in Sioux Falls on Saturday.  The sale was held in a bright and attractive venue at the Sioux Empire Fairgrounds.  Look for more details and photos on Tuesday!

And what a great one it was!  South Dakota Holstein breeders” were wonderful hosts and the many compliments from convention goers show how impressed they were.  The hotel and convention headquarters were so convenient being so close together, and in close proximity to the jr headquarters just across the street.  Not to mention both hotels were very nice and the food at every meal was superb (especially the desserts:). 

Karen mentioned the exciting dairy bowl results earlier so I thought I”d follow up in this blog with some of the other junior awards that were given at the Saturday afternoon Jr Awards Banquet.  More detailed convention information will be published in the August Holstein World.  Here’’s what I have right now:

NHWSO Scholarship Winners

John Mitchell, IL; Annie Specht, OH; Laura Leazer, IA; Sonya Galley, NY; Esther Rupp, OH; Krista Sheehan, MN

Dairy Challenge

Sr: 1-MN #2; 2-IN; 3-UT

Jr: 1-MN #2; 2-KS; 3-UT

Dairy Bowl

Sr. Sportsmanship: WA

Jr. Sportsmanship: NC

Scrapbook Contest

1-IA; 2-MO; 3-MN; 4-PA; 5-CA

Banner

1-IL; 2-MD

Young Distinguished Junior Members

Alisa Arata, CA; Maureen Lee, WI; Danielle Brown, WI; Kevin Shaffer, PA; Christopher Potts, VA; Mark Simon, IA; Jarrett Remsburg, MD

Distinguished Junior Member Finalists

Laura Leazer, IA; T. Jason Ewing, MO; Casey Rickeman, MN; Krista Sheehan, MN; Joe Sarbacker, WI; Julie Drendel, IL

Congratulations to all of this year’’s winners! 

 SOS

It was a clean sweep for the Iowa Junior and Senior Dairy Bowl teams this morning!  The tension was high as the junior team won two rounds against Florida, to only tie in the second round and emerge victorious from a 5-question bonus round.  The seniors also won two rounds to defeat Pennsylvania in another nail-biting competition.  It was a fantastic culmination of junior competitions this week - well played by all teams!

Retiring JAC member Rissa Mitchell and Tim Perotti served as dairy bowl judge and score keeper respectively.  The timed they have served the junior association is admired by all!

Through our conversation with convention attendees, the Holstein World staff members learned a very interesting tidbit of information from a industry friend.  So…here is the first ever All Breeds Blog Trivia Question!  Please send us your guess and we will reveal the correct answer following convention.

Trivia Question #1

Which Select Sires staff member was at one time an English major while attending college?

Besides the important business of elections and other matters being attended to by the delegates today, one of the highlights of the week will take place tonight as the South Dakota Nationals Sale is held.  Activities begin at 5 pm with the pre-sale meal.  Just as with the South Dakota Futures held this week, the sale will feature a unique bidding format as bidders will be able to bid in real time and see the entire sale on the internet.  For the Futures, over 100 bidders registered to bid in this manner off-site.  Many bids were entered, with one lot ultimately sold to an internet bidder.  Tune in to www.holsteinworld.com and the All-Breeds Blog for details as soon as they become available!

For those of you unable to attend Tour B during Host Day this week, you missed an awesome day!  Not only was the drive north on I-29 absolutely beautiful, it is teeming with agriculture…not something that this New Yorker sees everyday!  I can tell you that our stop at Sipka Holsteins was almost like a visit to Canada itself!  The newly renovated dairy barn, that used to be a hog barn, is almost two years old now.  Tiestalls are 5′ x 6.5′ for the massive cows that the Post family has….and those cows fill the large stalls completely.  With lots of hay piled in front, also a good Canadian sign, the cows were extremely comfortable on their water mattresses.  Sires included Linjet, Integrity, Citamatt, Ultimate, Counselor and Warden.

Prairie Gold, a 15-month old facility that’s completely full with 3,600 cows is quite impressive in its own right.  With 5% registered Holsteins on the farm, Randy and Jennifer Gross have their hands full developing the registered herd, while also managing 28 full time employees.  “From a labor standpoint, we chose to farm in the I-29 corridor because we knew we could get quality help.  There’s also a tremendous amount of great feed produced in this area, as well as a strong milk market,” explained Randy. 

The Ranch Rodeo in Freeman, South Dakota  held on Wednesday was enthusiastically attended by Holstein enthusiasts and encompassed many of the typical activities involved with working cattle on a western ranch including sorting, working, roping, and trailering, as well as a fun-filled event called “mutton-bustin””” that was a favorite of the children who participated and the specators as well!  A warm afternoon made the treat of ice cream appreciated even more by the audience. 

A traditional  “Schmeckfest”  or “Festival of Taste” was held prior to the rodeo also in Freeman and featured a traditional German ethnic meal. Some of the dishes included  Grune Schauble Suppe (Green Bean Soup), Damplfleisch (Stewed Beef), Sauerkraut, Zwieback (Twin Buns), and Kuchen (a desert somewhat reminiscent of pie)

The  Schmeckfest  was held on the Freeman Academy Campus and included a tour of the Heritage Hall Museum Complex consisting of a Pioneer Home, School, and Churches, and a breathtaking display of Plains Indian artifacts including exquisite beaded clothing and equipment used by the indians, as well as items used in every day pioneer life on the Plains.