By Mara Budde

The Manitowoc County Holstein Breeders hosted the annual Wisconsin Holstein Convention at the Holiday Inn in Manitowoc, Wis. Nearly 200 Holstein breeders from across the state were in attendance.

The convention kicked off March 8 with a national delegate meeting and WHA committee meetings. Following these meetings, Jodi Hoynoski, executive director of Holstein Identification and Member Services at Holstein USA, hosted a Holstein USA town hall forum. Members heard updates from the national association and were able to ask questions. 

The Wisconsin Holstein Association board met at the conclusion of the organization’s convention to elect officers for 2019. In the photo above are Heather Jauquet, executive committee (front row); Sherry Siemers-Peterman; Sara Feldmann; Joseta Halbur and Pam Selz-Pralle, executive committee. In back row are Bob Cramer Jr. (left); Ryan Weigel; Craig Krohlow; Erica Ullom, secretary; Kurt Loehr; Steve Endres, vice president; and Craig Carncross, president. Kurt Loehr of Eden, Wis.,  was newly elected to serve a three-year term on the board. Joseta Halbur, Fond du Lac; Heather Jauquet, Pulaski; and Steve Endres, Waunakee, were all re-elected to another three-year term.

At the March 8 evening meal and banquet, the 2018 Wisconsin Top Performer cows were announced. Recognized were cows owned by Selz-Pralle Dairy, Humbird; Tom Kestell, Waldo; Valley Drive Holsteins, Campbellsport; Edward Jeanquart, Forestville; and Dylan and Cameron Ryan of Fond du Lac. Receiving the overall Top Performer for the second year in a row was Pam Selz-Pralle and Scott Pralle’s 7-year-old cow, Selz-Pralle Aftershock 3918 VG-88, with a record of 62,785 pounds milk, 2,564 pounds of fat and 1,838 pounds of protein. Also recognized were owners of cows that have produced more than 300,000 and 400,000 pounds of lifetime milk. There were 27 new 300,000-pound cows and one 400,000-pound cow in 2018.

Kati Kindschuh of Fond du Lac County was presented with the Young Adult Education award. She will receive a $500 award to attend the 2019 National Agri-Marketing Association Conference.

The group celebrated the 30th anniversary of the WHA Royalty Program with a presentation of past princesses and princess attendants. The program was hosted by Lauren Siemers, 2019 WHA Royalty princess; and Mikayla Endres, princess attendant.

Forty-year and 50-year members and Wall of Fame inductees were honored at the convention This year's Wall of Fame inductees were a person, David Bachmann Sr.; bull, Pinehurst Copyright; and cow, Audrey Posch. Bachmann was the second living person inducted in the Wisconsin Holstein Association Wall of Fame.

Following the awards luncheon, the afternoon was highlighted by a farm tour to Cloveredge Farms LLC, where the Holschbach family milks 500 cows with eight GEA Monobox robots. Attendees saw the robotic system in action and learned about the process the family went through to begin using this style of milking. Tourgoers also saw the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center and were able to interact with the educational stations available. The goal of the center is to take visitors beyond the barn to give the full experience of Wisconsin agriculture. 

Kurt Loehr of Eden, Wis.,  was newly elected to serve a three-year term on the Wisconsin Holstein Association board. Joseta Halbur, Fond du Lac; Heather Jauquet, Pulaski; and Steve Endres, Waunakee, were all re-elected to another three-year term. The board met at the conclusion of the convention to elect officers for the upcoming year.

Honored at the March 9 evening banquet were this year’s Marlowe Nelson Distinguished Young Holstein Breeder, Distinguished Service and Distinguished Holstein Breeder award winners.

This year’s Distinguished Young Holstein Breeder award recognized Kurt and Sarah Loehr of Forest-Ridge Holsteins, Eden. This year’s Marlowe Nelson Distinguished Service award honored R. Paul Buhr of Viroqua. Buhr is the seventh person to be awarded both the Distinguished Service award and Distinguished Holstein Breeder award. Buhr has completed six years of service to Holstein Association USA and its 28,000 members. Being honored as the 2018 Distinguished Holstein Breeder were Mike and Valerie Holschbach of Heatherstone Enterprises, Baraboo. Mike and Valerie have three children, Chase, Chelsea and Brienne. Heatherstone Enterprises will be dispersing its herd of registered Holsteins on April 13 at the Heatherstone Enterprises farm in Baraboo.

The Wisconsin Holstein Association board met at the conclusion of the convention to elect officers for the upcoming year.

Also honored at the March 9 evening banquet were outstanding advertisements in the Wisconsin Holstein News in 2018. Taking top ad honors for the year was Wargo-Acres.

Budde is director of communications at the Wisconsin Holstein Association, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.