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Dodge County Extension agent oversees seven breed shows.

Fran O'Leary, Wisconsin Agriculturist Editor

October 2, 2007

2 Min Read

With the start of World Dairy Expo on Tuesday, Dodge County Extension Dairy and Livestock Agent Bob Kaiser became only the third Dairy Cattle Show Superintendent at Expo in the 41-year history of the show.
Kaiser is following in the footsteps of Terry Howard, who held the position for the past 18 years, and Kaiser's mentor Jim Crowley.

"This role has to be an advocate for the dairy cattle exhibitors," says Kaiser. "A lot of other things happen at World Dairy Expo. But, my job is to oversee the cattle exhibitors and help all the other breed superintendents. It can be a bit of a challenge sometimes getting everyone into the space we have and making this as good an experience as possible for all the people who come here."

Entries at this year's show rose dramatically from last year. According to Expo officials, there are 3,000 cattle being exhibited in seven breed shows this year vs. 2,400 in 2006.

The role of Dairy Cattle Show Superintendent is one of the biggest volunteer positions at World Dairy Expo. In addition to the tasks of assigning, checking in and stalling all the cattle, he oversees show activities throughout the week. Animals started arriving Friday, Sept. 28, had to be in place by noon on Sunday, and stay for the duration of the show which ends Saturday, Oct. 6.

Like so many World Dairy Expo volunteers, Kaiser has been involved for many years in several different capacities since 1988, when he first moved to the area. He served first as a ringman with the Milking Shorthorns and as an assistant superintendent checking in cattle and working behind the scenes. Later he was recruited as assistant superintendent for Ayrshires, and then assumed the head Ayrshire superintendent's position.

Kaiser is getting plenty of help in his new role, both from retired superintendent Terry Howard as well as from his official assistant, Jim Crowley Jr. Both are pitching in and relieving Kaiser as necessary.

About the Author(s)

Fran O'Leary

Wisconsin Agriculturist Editor

Even though Fran was born and raised on a farm in Illinois, she has spent most of her life in Wisconsin. She moved to the state when she was 18 years old and later graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater with a bachelor's degree in journalism.

Fran has 25 years of experience writing, editing and taking pictures. Before becoming editor of the Wisconsin Agriculturist in 2003, she worked at Johnson Hill Press in Fort Atkinson as a writer and editor of farm business publications and at the Janesville Gazette in Janesville as farm editor and feature writer. Later, she signed on as a public relations associate at Bader Rutter in Brookfield, and served as managing editor and farm editor at The Reporter, a daily newspaper in Fond du Lac.

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