Linda Behling of the National Junior Advisory Committee presents Kristin Natzke with the Judy Collingsworth Award.

The quality of cattle from top to bottom in the Internation Junior Holstein Show was exceptional. The Junior exhibitors came out with their best and had a wonderful show.

1st and 2nd place winners of the show.

Junior Champion Line-Up

Austin & Melinda

Junior Champion: Maheufils Goldwyn Melinda-ET (Braedale Goldwyn-ET), 1st Fall Calf, Austin Rademacher, Penfield, IL

Res. Junior Champion: Rokeyroad Aspen Dollars (EK-Oseanna Aspen-ET), 1st Spring Yearling, Anna Culbertson & Abbi Lea Goldenburg, Elgin, MN

Hon. Mention Junior Champion: Siemers Dundee Haya 9652-ET (Regancrest Dundee-ET), 1st Fall Yearling, Jordan Siemers & Crystal Siemers-Peterman, Cleveland, WI

Line-up for Grand Champion of the Junior Show. Logsdons Durham Cher and Katie Gibson receiving the Grand Champion award in the ring.

Grand Champion: Logsdons Durham Cher (Regancrest Elton Durham-ET), 1st 5-Year-Old, Katie Gibson & Michaela Sanders, Eminence, KY

Res. Grand Champion: Mactalla Marker Molly (Indianhead Red Marker-ET), 1st Aged Cow, Matt Mitchell, Lafollette, TN

Champion Bred & Owned: Rolling-Spring G Escence-ET (Braedale Goldwyn-ET), 1st Sr. 2-Year-Old, Heather Bean, Franklin, PA

Photographer Randy Blodgett turned his camera from the cows to the stands to capture these candids of the spectators from the morning’s Junior Holstein and Ayrshire shows.

The Friday, Saturday and Sunday were busy days for World Dairy Expo exhibitors. Dairy enthusiasts from all over the US and Canada began moving into the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Cattle have filled the barns, displays have been constructed and everyone is ready for what looks to be a very large and an extremely competitive show. A new must see display on the grounds is that of Milk Source. The set-up is like no other!!! See you here!

With another large crowd in attendance, the 2nd and final day of the 2008 Hokkaido Holstein National Show was held on Sunday, September 28th. The three Senior Cow classes were exhibited and then all of the champions of the show were selected.

Four-Year-Old Cow Class - Born October, 2003 - September, 2004
29 head exhibited

Four-Year-Old final lineup

1st Four-Year-Old -
Brightland Lheros Sherry (S: Comestar Lheros-ET)
Owner: Yasunori Tsuboi

2nd Four-Year-Old -
Essence Durham Succeed Apollo (S: Regancrest Elton Durham-ET)
Owner: Kazutaka Kuriki

Five-Year-Old Class - Born October, 2002 - September, 2003
27 head exhibited

Five-Year-Old Class final lineup

1st Five-Year-Old -
Senofarm Leduc Brenda (S: Lystel Leduc-ET)
Owner: Tsuyoshi Seno

2nd Five-Year-Old -
Mountace Roylane Kite (S: Roylane Jethro-ET)
Owner: Katsutoshi Abe

Aged Cow Class - Born before September, 2002
15 head exhibited

1st Aged Cow -
Nellschart Sheena Durham (S: Regancrest Elton Durham-ET)
Owner: Jouji Souda

2nd Aged Cow -
Mount River Special Prim (S: Eastview Bellwood Blitz-ET)
Owner: Naohiro Amida

Ryoji Kita - President of the Hokkaido Holstein Breeders Association announcing the beginning of the Champion selections.

All ages are brought back into the ring at the same time to pick all eight champions. It was interesting to see the judge’s work from both days on display.

Heifer group - 1st and 2nd from each class

Junior Cow group - 1st and 2nd from the two- and three-year-old cow classes and the progeny test class

Senior Cow group - 1st and 2nd from the four- and five-year-old classes and the aged cow class. The Aged Cows show all together as there is no production class for older cows.

Junior Champion -
1st Senior Middle Yearling (she was born February 21, 2007)
Rock Health Storm Michelle (S: Pursuit September Storm-ET)
Owner: Junichi Iwata

Reserve Junior Champion -
1st Middle Yearling (she was born April 21, 2007)
DH Attack Chance (S: Calbrett-I H H Champion-ET)
Owner: Makoto Yamauchi

Junior Champion exhibitors!

Intermediate Champion -
1st Junior Three-Year-Old
Highroad Dundee Episode (S: Regancrest Dundee-ET)
Owner: Junichi Ogura

Reserve Intermediate Champion -
1st Senior Two-Year-Old
Centerland Matt Roy Champion (S: Calbrett-I H H Champion-ET)
Owner: Kayo Nakagawa

Senior Champion -
1st Aged Cow
Nellschart Sheena Durham (S: Regancrest Elton Durham-ET)
Owner: Jouji Souda

Reserve Senior Champion -
1st Five-Year-Old
Senofarm Leduc Brenda (S: Lystel Leduc-ET)
Owner: Tsuyoshi Seno

The Senior Champions were also named Grand and Reserve Grand Champion of the Show. On left - Grand Champion - Nellschart Sheena Durham. On right - Reserve Grand Champion - Senofarm Leduc Brenda

Judge Mitsuo Yamada placed 390 head of cattle and the quality was remarkable from end to end in every class. The top animals would complete handily at any of our national shows and are a testament to the
mating decisions and fine management of the Japanese Holstein breeders.

The Golden National Sale was held on Saturday evening, September 27th. The sale averaged $9,252.00 (converted to US dollars) on 44 head. Four head sold for over $20,000 and the sale topper at $22,700 was a bred heifer by September Storm out of Ms Kingstead Chief Adeen-ET. 2nd high at $20,800 was a Durham yearling that was a full sister to last year’s Hokkaido National Show Grand Champion.

Next post: Hokkaido farm visits

2008 Hokkaido Holstein National Show - Saturday, September 27, 2008

The Two- and Three-Year-Old cow classes were judged after the heifer classes concluded. All champions are selected on the second day of the show including the Junior Champion.

The first class evaluated milking two-year-old daughters of progeny test bulls.

Milking Daughter of Progeny Test bulls - Born after October, 2005
24 head exhibited

1st Progeny Test daughter -
Arrowmaple Colonel Jethro B-Twin (S: Roylane Jethro - a full brother to Roy that is in domestic service in Japan)
Owner: Kimio Yabe

2nd Progeny Test daughter -
Elly BB Elizabeth (S: Ladys-Manor Black Box-ET)
Owner: Eriko Morioka

Junior Two-Year-Old Cow Class - Born after April, 2006
33 head exhibited

Junior Two-Year-Olds final lineup

1st Junior Two-Year-Old -
Lespoir Hagen Reganstar (S: Regancrest Elton Durham-ET)
Owner: Michihiro Sato

2nd Junior Two-Year-Old -
Lipland Tourandot (S: Pursuit September Storm-ET)
Owner: Yuki Yamaguchi

Senior Two-Year-Old Cow Class - Born October, 2005 - March, 2006
30 head exhibited

1st Senior Two-Year-Old -
Centerland Matt Roy Champion (S: Calbrett-I H H Champion-ET)
Owner: Kayo Nakagawa

2nd Senior Two-Year-Old -
Green ATV Dundee Elizabert (S: Regancrest Dundee-ET)
Owner: Yoshiharu Kanno

Junior Three-Year-Old Cow Class - Born April, 2005 - September, 2005
31 head exhibited

1st Junior Three-Year-Old -
Highroad Dundee Episode (S: Regancrest Dundee-ET) She is a granddaughter of Budjon-JK Skychief Elizabeth, who was imported here as a heifer, and her 3rd dam is Krull Broker Elegance.
Owner: Junichi Ogura

2nd Junior Three-Year-Old -
Rockwood Elton Baron (S: Regancrest Elton Durham-ET)
Owner: Haruichi Itoh

Senior Three-Year-Old Cow Class - Born October, 2004 - March, 2005
25 head exhibited

1st and 2nd Senior Three-Year-Olds

1st Senior Three-Year-Old -
Plum Orchard DS Monalisa (S: Lystel Leduc-ET)
Owner: Yoshiro Umemura

2nd Senior Three-Year-Old -
Elmlane White Durham Rose (S: Regancrest Elton Durham-ET)
Owner: Yuji Tanaka

Thanks again to Shuzoh Fukuya for translating and to Rodney Hetts for some very interesting background and pedigree information on several of the cows exhibited at the show.

Next post: Senior cow classes and Champions of the Hokkaido Show!

A crisp but beautiful autumn day in Hokkaido - the first day of the 2008 Hokkaido Holstein National Show held on Saturday, September 27th. Scheduled for the first day were the heifer classes and the two- and three-year-old cow classes.

The airy and spacious show ring. The classes were large and deep - 25 to 35 head in every heifer class - and the quality was very impressive.

Left: Associate Judge Tadashi Takahashi - he is a Field Services Manager for All-Japan Breeders Service (ABS).

Right: Official Judge Mitsuo Yamada - a Holstein breeder from Bekkai, Hokkaido. His Yamada Farm herd has had much success in the show ring over the years.

2008 Hokkaido Holstein National Show

Animals must qualify to compete at the Hokkaido National Show by placing in the top three at their district shows.

No heifers younger than 10 months are exhibited at this show. The heifer classes are broken into two month periods from 10 months to 22 months - six heifer classes in all.

The reasons and catalog, of course, were in Japanese. Shuzoh Fukuya, Minoru Nakagome, Frank Fukumoto and Yumi Kawamata were gracious beyond measure in translating the names of the winning animals and their owners into English. Any mistakes are certainly mine and not theirs.

Heifer Calf Class - Born October, 2007 - November, 2007
39 head exhibited

1st Heifer Calf -
Nishiki Chachelle Caroline (S: Dupasquier Carisma)
Owner: Kazuhiro Akasaka

2nd Heifer Calf -
Segis Beauty Advent Dellia (S: KHW Kite Advent-Red-ET)
Owner: Yoshikazu Takahashi

Top three Heifer Calves (3rd place sired by Braedale Goldwyn)

Junior Yearling Heifers - Born August, 2007 - September, 2007
38 head exhibited

1st Junior Yearling Heifer -
TMF Roy Machidam Benji (S: Roylane Jordan-ET)
Owner: Koichi Sato

2nd Junior Yearling Heifer -
Moorview Grace Valiant Silky (S: Silky Gibson-ET)
Owner: Taisuke Takada

Junior Middle Yearling Heifers - Born June, 2007 - July, 2007
32 head exhibited

1st Junior Middle Yearling -
Spirit Rose Champion (S: Calbrett-I H H Champion-ET)
Owner: Makoto Sasaki

2nd Junior Middle Yearling -
Future Way Champion Gold (S: Calbrett-I H H Champion-ET)
Owner: Tomohisa Abe

Middle Yearling Heifer Class - Born April, 2007 - May, 2007
25 head exhibited

1st Middle Yearling -
DH Attack Chance (S: Calbrett-I H H Champion-ET)
Owner: Makoto Yamauchi

2nd Middle Yearling -
Browndale Wade Toy NoNo (S: Jenny-Lou Mrshl Toystory-ET)
Owner: Kunio Shindo

Senior Middle Yearling Heifer Class - Born February, 2007 - March, 2007
23 head exhibited

1st Senior Middle Yearling -
Rock Health Storm Michelle (S: Pursuit September Storm-ET)
Owner: Junichi Iwata

2nd Senior Middle Yearling -
Davidson Gold Lady (S: Braedale Goldwyn)
Owner: Yoshinori Kimura

Senior Yearling Heifer - Born December, 2006 - January, 2007
19 head exhibited

1st Senior Yearling -
Alicia Rampage True (S: Rosedale-L Rampage-Red-ET)
Owner: Makoto Watanabe

2nd Senior Yearling -
Ladys-Manor Dundee Cherry (S: Regancrest Dundee-ET)
Owner: Koichi Sato

Next post: Two- and Three-Year-Old Cow Class results - stay tuned!

Many of us are pulling out the suitcases and trying to figure out what clothes to pack and how many fans we wil need to throw in the trailer for Expo week. Madison weather is never very predictable and can range from sweltering hot (2007) to ice-on-the-wash rack cold…and it can all happen in the same week!!! Like most I have been watching the weather and trying to figure out what to take with me. I have finally decided my plan of attack…TAKE EVERYTHING!!!

Anyway, here is what www.weather.com has for the forcast. Happy packing!

Friday, Sep 26 SUNNY High 80, Low 56 20% Chance of Precip

Sat, Sep 27 PARTLY CLOUDY High 77, Low 52 20% Chance of Precip

Sun, Sep 28 PARTLY CLOUDY High 65, Low 47 20% Chance of Precip

Mon, Sep 29 FEW SHOWERS High 61, Low 46 30% Chance of Precip

Tue, Sep 30 PARTLY CLOUDY High 63, Low 43 20% Chance of Precip

Wed, Oct 1 SUNNY High 66, Low 46 20% Chance of Precip

Thu, Oct 2 PARTLY CLOUDY High 66, Low 46 20% Chance of Precip